Learning Design team at the Open University
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ou-ld-social.bsky.social
Learning Design team at the Open University
@ou-ld-social.bsky.social
520 followers 560 following 110 posts
Sharing the @OpenUniversity Learning Design team’s approach to designing for student success. Using evidence and #StudentVoice to enhance the learning experience.
#HigherEd #LearningDesign #EdTech #DigitalInclusion #EDIA
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ou-ld-social.bsky.social
Learning Design team at the Open University @ou-ld-social.bsky.social · Nov 12
We're over here now too!!! 🌟 Trying to build up the accounts we follow & find old followers from The Other Place so thought it would be good to create a starter pack of Open University and other HE peeps to kick things off. We'll add more people and feeds to it as we find them.

go.bsky.app/LYgYXL2
ou-ld-social.bsky.social
🌱 Want to know more about our #Sustainability work? 🌱

Follow the linked article on our LinkedIn page to see more about our work in this space.

#LearningDesign #HigherEd #GreenFutures

🔗 lnkd.in/e2SFqysi
The Learning Design Sustainability logo with the additional text: Sustainability in Learning Design at The Open University.
November 19, 2025 at 4:57 PM
Reposted by Learning Design team at the Open University
openuniversity.bsky.social
Can poverty be eradicated without growth?

Professor Olivier De Schutter will present an alternative roadmap to current and previous approaches to this theme and put out a call for action rather than optimism 👉 https://research.open.ac.uk/events/eradicating-poverty-without-growth-can-it-be-done
November 17, 2025 at 1:30 PM
Reposted by Learning Design team at the Open University
openuniversity.bsky.social
There are three days left to vote for the OU's Open Societal Challenges (OSC) collaborative research platform in the Knowledge Exchange Awards 2025! ⏰

Learn more about the OU's research projects and cast your vote 👉 https://ke.org.uk/news/ke-awards-2025-public-vote-is-now-open/

#Research
November 18, 2025 at 1:30 PM
ou-ld-social.bsky.social
🧵 It’s Student Voice Week at the @openuniversity.bsky.social! Two of the ways #OU_LD works with students during module production and during the module run are our Real Time Student Feedback ( #RTSF) programme and the use of the all-volunteer Curriculum Design Student Panel ( #CDSP). #LearningDesign
Graphic image showing a variety of Higher Ed students. Above their heads are 3 megaphones, representing student voice.
November 18, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Reposted by Learning Design team at the Open University
katherinestiles.org
#AcademicSky
Debates about generative artificial intelligence on college campuses have largely centered on student cheating. But focusing on cheating overlooks a larger set of ethical concerns that higher education institutions face, writes sociologist Jeffrey C. Dixon on @us.theconversation.com.
Student cheating dominates talk of generative AI in higher ed, but universities and tech companies face ethical issues too
A sociologist who researches AI’s impact on work and education argues there are ethical dimensions to generative AI that institutions are not considering.
theconversation.com
November 17, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Reposted by Learning Design team at the Open University
dresdeb.bsky.social
Are you involved in course design/ online learning development across UK HE? If so, please respond to @ktdigital.bsky.social's survey exploring the impact - positive or negative - of genAI in this area.

It takes 8–10 minutes and all responses are anonymous. Survey link: lnkd.in/eybNtPYp
LinkedIn
This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn
lnkd.in
November 14, 2025 at 11:15 AM
Reposted by Learning Design team at the Open University
oulibrary.bsky.social
Want to enhance your skills & employability while shrinking your digital footprint? 🌱💻

Our new Digital Sustainability pathway can help you:
✅ Make your online study and work greener
✅ Understand the impact of AI tools
✅ Tackle climate anxiety

👉 https://ow.ly/I58e50XhySs

#GreenLibrariesWeek
Person sitting on a couch working on a laptop surrounded by large green houseplants in a cosy indoor space. Text reads: 'Green Libraries Week 2025'.
October 30, 2025 at 12:45 PM
ou-ld-social.bsky.social
Nice article that really rings familiar.

It also prompted us wonder - should we be more mindful of building in time for silence into the student curriculum? Could giving students dedicated space for thought lead to better outcomes?
November 5, 2025 at 12:43 PM
Reposted by Learning Design team at the Open University
ou-gcsj.bsky.social
📖Read about an inspiring journey of resilience, research & hope. In this blog, Xenia Jones recounts the ups & downs of completing a PhD while facing a serious health challenge - sharing the personal, the professional & the human side of academic life.
👉 learn1.open.ac.uk/mod/oublog/v...
November 3, 2025 at 3:50 PM
ou-ld-social.bsky.social
As we approach the end of #BlackHistoryMonth let’s dive into #CodeSwitching. It’s a strategy used by Black people to successfully navigate white spaces, impacting wellbeing and economic progression. Ever wondered what emotional impact this can have on your students? www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYvm...
To code-switch or not to code-switch? - BBC Africa
YouTube video by BBC News Africa
www.youtube.com
October 30, 2025 at 12:03 PM
Reposted by Learning Design team at the Open University
ou-gcsj.bsky.social
📣 Next GCSJ Seminar
🗓️ Fri 14 Nov 2025 | 12–1PM | online
🔎Rearticulating archives: still thinking with Doreen Massey — exploring how Doreen Massey’s archive invites new questions about our troubled present.

Register to join the critical and creative dialogue: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/rearticula...
October 30, 2025 at 8:21 AM
ou-ld-social.bsky.social
Returning to the #BlackHistoryMonth theme, the @studentmindsorg.bsky.social site lists some super resources for Black students
studentspace.org.uk/wellbeing/li...
Life As A Black Student I Student Minds
Advice and reflections on navigating university life as a Black student. The content in this package was co-created by experts with lived experience and a steering group of 8 Black students. Thank you...
studentspace.org.uk
October 29, 2025 at 4:06 PM
Reposted by Learning Design team at the Open University
oulibrary.bsky.social
Our planet is under pressure... what can we do to help? 🌍

We teamed up with the OU Sustainability team to create a resource list to help you:
✅ Understand the challenges
✅ Explore solutions
✅ Make a positive impact on climate change

Start exploring 👉 https://ow.ly/VMW450XhyJR

#GreenLibrariesWeek
A gardener wearing a green apron is holding some freshly picked golden beets from the ground. Text reads: 'Green Libraries Week 2025'.
October 27, 2025 at 12:15 PM
Reposted by Learning Design team at the Open University
altuk.bsky.social
Join us for ALTC25 Revisited, a dynamic online event reflecting on the highlights of #ALTC25. We’re bringing back the key themes, thought-provoking sessions, and vibrant discussions, inviting presenters & participants to take the conversation further. buff.ly/AnrMxsc #altc
October 27, 2025 at 11:03 AM
Reposted by Learning Design team at the Open University
altuk.bsky.social
The Award for case studies in Ethical Edtech is presented to The Open University - Responsible By Design AND University of Glasgow - Navigating Bias: Unravelling the Ethical Complexities of Generative AI in Race and Gender - joint winners. The judges felt both were equally deserving. #ALTc25
Award winners
October 23, 2025 at 7:40 PM
ou-ld-social.bsky.social
🌟 🤩 We’re positively thrilled to share that our Learning Design #AI group has won* the @altuk.bsky.social Ethical EdTech Award 2025 for our #ResponsibleByDesign (RBD) Framework! Big congrats to Joanna, Eleanor, Paul, and James! 🙌 🏆[ drive.google.com/file/d/1foYM... ]
#OU_LD
Eleanor shows off the award. The certificate and the award (a disc shaped piece of wood with a plaque on it). Images of the team members and the text: “The Responsible by Design (RBD) Framework is our pioneering response to the ethical challenges of Generative Al in education. Rooted in student voice and aligned with institutional strategy, the framework enables staff and students to critically examine Al through four pillars: Environmental Impact, Encoded Bias, Exploitation, and the Digital Divide. A practical, values-driven and easy to use framework, it provides reflective prompts and actionable solutions. The aim is to empower educators to make informed choices about how to use Al responsibly. The solutions bank offers a practical starting point for exploring complex ethical issues, and a way to put suitable actions into practice when designing courses. Already influencing learning design within the OU and beyond, the framework demonstrates how values-led innovation can shape responsible Al adoption across the sector. By building on ALT's existing ethical framework, this approach guides what responsible Al in education can look like.”
October 24, 2025 at 12:10 PM
ou-ld-social.bsky.social
📻 The Digital Sustainability SIG hosted by ALTc will be broadcasting from 2-3pm tomorrow, 24 October, during the Association for Learning Technology conference 2025 via the hashtag #ALTCradio 🔗 lnkd.in/eK5uZhy9.
Poster with the schedule for ALTc Radio. See LinkedIn link in post for full details.
October 23, 2025 at 2:29 PM
ou-ld-social.bsky.social
For many online learners, use of #DigitalTools is part of their strategy for managing emotions while studying. Read our latest #OU_LD blog article from Jake on why #EmotionRegulation matters for students. 😌
www.open.ac.uk/blogs/learni...
Graphic illustration representing calmness and balance. A woman is sitting at a desk with a laptop open in front of her. Lines from the laptop lead to three symbols floating above: a music note, a calm smiling face emoji, and a heart with a line representing the heart rhythm going across it. The woman is wearing headphones and has her hands pressed together in front of her, indicating a peaceful state of mind.
October 23, 2025 at 12:22 PM
Reposted by Learning Design team at the Open University
mentalhealthined.bsky.social
Let's talk about clear communication and instructional strategies that will help to enhance focus and attention in the classroom.

#ADHDAwarenessMonth #ADHDAware #Neurodivergent #Education #EduSkyUK #UKTeaching #SENDforSchools
October 22, 2025 at 9:17 AM
Reposted by Learning Design team at the Open University
duygubektik.bsky.social
Can we just pause for a moment to appreciate how stunning autumn looks at Open University, UK? 🍁 The campus truly transforms into the most beautiful place to be this season. I’m sure L.M. Montgomery would have loved Octobers at the OU! 🍂 “I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.”
October 17, 2025 at 4:48 AM
ou-ld-social.bsky.social
Lovely clip that seems so appropriate on #WorldMentalHealthDay...
heydrvanessa.bsky.social heydrvanessa @heydrvanessa.bsky.social · Sep 1
No one talks about how hard it is to be a student when the world is falling apart. navigating college during crisis | grad school mental health | higher ed & trauma How are YOU showing up for yourself this week? 💬 #CollegeStudents #GradSchoolLife #MentalHealthInCollege #StudentSupport
October 10, 2025 at 1:10 PM
ou-ld-social.bsky.social
A nice crossover for #BlackHistoryMonth and #WorldMentalHealthDay:
Student Minds ‘Life as a Black student’ explores the lived experiences and includes resources to support your Black students on their wellbeing journey all your round.
studentspace.org.uk/wellbeing/li...
Life as a Black student
Advice and reflections on navigating university life as a Black student. The content in this package was co-created by experts with lived experience and a…
studentspace.org.uk
October 10, 2025 at 12:58 PM
ou-ld-social.bsky.social
Black History Month: What is it and why does it matter?
www.bbc.co.uk/news/explain...
Black History Month: What is it and why does it matter?
First proposed in the US in the 1920s, the event was first celebrated in the UK in 1987.
www.bbc.co.uk
October 10, 2025 at 11:33 AM
Reposted by Learning Design team at the Open University
mentalhealthined.bsky.social
Today is World Mental Health Day and the theme is "Access to services: mental health in catastrophes and emergencies"

We discuss in our blog, with links to free resources and factsheets.

amhie.com/world-mental...

#WorldMentalHealthDay #MentalHealth #Education #EduSkyUK #UKTeaching
October 10, 2025 at 7:19 AM