OU Course on Moons of the Solar System
Discussion
A free course starting on 2 February 2015.
I've signed up.
https://www.futurelearn.com/my-courses/upcoming
I've signed up.
https://www.futurelearn.com/my-courses/upcoming
we should perhaps forward the link to a few posters on this site!The OU are quite late to the open courseware party. For a long time they didn't seem to "get" the concept of giving away education, and were less "open" than MIT, Harvard etc. Hopefully they will eventually publish their extensive archive of BBC co-productions, many of which are still perfectly valid.
Have a look at https://www.edx.org/
Have a look at https://www.edx.org/
Brigand said:
How do these courses work then? I assume that I have a module given to me each week, I complete it and return it, finish the rest as they come, then, if successful, I finish the course and get my certificate?
Ummm, you sign up for a course, they collect your email address, they then present you with some material that you read and watch/watch and read in your own time.At the end of each week's 'lot' you answer a few questions and then at the very end of the course you opt to pay for a fancy printout of some certification.
Well that appears to be how it is for the Introduction To Cyber Security course I enrolled on.
More fun might be had reading the comments people post at the end of each (for want of a better term) briefing.
To be honest, I pity the people trying to put these courses together, it must be a nightmare , how do you pitch any of these courses at a certain level? Well it should start with a questionnaire to get people onto the appropriate level, for example, the chat on the recently started Cyber Security course ranges from people saying they've never heard of 'malware' or 'bot-nets' - next I'm expecting them to state no one told them not to use a dictionary password. Meanwhile a few are posting links to ransom-warez like cryptolocker and discussing that, others are just like "W.T.F. is that?", I wonder if they'll even touch on BASH's shellshock?
You can run through the entire course at any pace you like, so it will be really interesting to get started on the Moon course, Lesson 1 will surely be little more than 'look!!! la lune.. a moon!!!'.
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ETA: The above sounds way too dismissive, and that's not the way it is intended.
Undoubtedly, there are a lot of people signing up to these courses which in my mind is excellent and demonstrates the true underlying nature of humans to wanting to learn new stuff.
What I would say is that if you have any background, personal or professional interest in these subjects then you are probably not going to learn much about the subject. What you will learn is how confusing and alien these subjects can be to other people. On the Cyber Security course it is apparent that people really want to know a bit about this subject and it really is a case providing a forum where people can ask what seem like 'stupid questions' but hopefully get some sensible answers.
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Edited by TheExcession on Monday 13th October 23:50
The paid short course (did a few) I got a load of bumpf in the post then had a course over so many weeks based on the material sent and having to submit an report at intervals culminating in a final report covering the whole topic. I have lost the DVD that came with it which is annoying but wondering how this will now work with iPads etc.
I liked the course as it was right up my street. It was placed at the right level and some of it was a bit tricky, e.g. writing up about asteroid types or working out resonance for the first time. Good though.
I liked the course as it was right up my street. It was placed at the right level and some of it was a bit tricky, e.g. writing up about asteroid types or working out resonance for the first time. Good though.
The way most of the courses are designed is quite simple: They are original undergraduate course modules from existing universities. The lectures are actual recorded student lectures, and the coursework and tests are those issued to students. This is obviously going to be different with institutions like the OU that don't have a physical campus.
Zad said:
The way most of the courses are designed is quite simple: They are original undergraduate course modules from existing universities. The lectures are actual recorded student lectures, and the coursework and tests are those issued to students. This is obviously going to be different with institutions like the OU that don't have a physical campus.
Do they still have the late night videos from the 1970s though? 
Sorry this is off topic for the OU Course on Moons of the Solar System, but I received the following email from the OU due to signing up for their Cyber Security course.
It might be interesting to some of the readers here (we're all an edumacated lot after all).
I'm not sure whether to cross post this in the TV or Computers forum... or even if it is worth watching.
It might be interesting to some of the readers here (we're all an edumacated lot after all).
I'm not sure whether to cross post this in the TV or Computers forum... or even if it is worth watching.
OU said:
Starting this weekend, the BBC series Cybercrimes with Ben Hammersley explores the themes and topics from our course, Introduction to Cyber Security.
Technologist, Ben Hammersley delves into the dark world of hacking, now home to a new generation of highly organised cybercriminals running complex commercial enterprises, involving leaders, planners, engineers, infantry and hired money mules.
Cybercrime is THE major threat to our digital age, our era of unparalleled change; and this new, engaging series will present a definitive look at the threats, tactics, enemies and guardian angels of the online world. Ben investigates the scam emails that fill up your inbox, why our credit card details are under threat, how drugs and guns can be bought anonymously on the darknet and discovers that governments have the ability to spy on their citizens or launch cyber warfare at the push of a button.
The programmes will be broadcast in the UK on Saturdays and Sundays, starting 1st November, on BBC NEWS at 16:30 or catch up on BBC iPlayer.
Outside the UK you can catch it on BBC WORLD NEWS on Saturdays at 02:30 and 15:30 and Sundays at 09:30 and 21:30 (all times are GMT).
Find out more at:
http://www.open.edu/openlearn/whats-on/tv/ou-on-th...
Best wishes,
Arosha Bandara
The Open University
Introduction to Cyber Security Lead Educator
Technologist, Ben Hammersley delves into the dark world of hacking, now home to a new generation of highly organised cybercriminals running complex commercial enterprises, involving leaders, planners, engineers, infantry and hired money mules.
Cybercrime is THE major threat to our digital age, our era of unparalleled change; and this new, engaging series will present a definitive look at the threats, tactics, enemies and guardian angels of the online world. Ben investigates the scam emails that fill up your inbox, why our credit card details are under threat, how drugs and guns can be bought anonymously on the darknet and discovers that governments have the ability to spy on their citizens or launch cyber warfare at the push of a button.
The programmes will be broadcast in the UK on Saturdays and Sundays, starting 1st November, on BBC NEWS at 16:30 or catch up on BBC iPlayer.
Outside the UK you can catch it on BBC WORLD NEWS on Saturdays at 02:30 and 15:30 and Sundays at 09:30 and 21:30 (all times are GMT).
Find out more at:
http://www.open.edu/openlearn/whats-on/tv/ou-on-th...
Best wishes,
Arosha Bandara
The Open University
Introduction to Cyber Security Lead Educator
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