The #OU_LD Bluesky team is off for the holidays but we wanted to be sure to wish everyone a very happy, festive, and cosy holiday season! No matter how you celebrate (or don't), we hope it's wonderful for all of you! 🎄🎅🎁 Merry Christmas! ⛄🦌🎄 See you in 2026! 🎉

The Christmas season is upon us and we’ve recently enjoyed some great virtual ‘fireside chats’ during The @openuniversity.bsky.social 's Equitable Outcomes Challenge Week. ☕🔥Read some reflections from #OU_LD team members in our latest blog post:
www.open.ac.uk/blogs/learni... #PracticeSharing #EDI

What happens when a Virtual Courtroom escape room, a WhatsApp #PeerMentoring community, CABS & two learning designers meet? (no, it’s not a festive joke!) SCiLAB’s guest blog, outlines the fantastic #sotl showcased for the #OUBS #OULS in November. www.open.ac.uk/blogs/learni... #HigherEd #pedagogy

Praxis researchers share how student insights are shaping new support to enhance the Joint Degree experience at The Open University. Read more 👉 university.open.ac.uk/scholarship-...

Did you know that @openuniversity.bsky.social currently works in over 150 prisons and supports around 2000 students a year in prison, secure units and under licence in the community? Higher education changes lives. See more of the work The Open University are doing⬇️ www.open.ac.uk/blogs/news/b...

Excellent, selfless, work, Bart!

@drteague9455.bsky.social set a trap for his students, what he learned is a major bummer. The lure of the large language model is strong, and the students don't know what they don't know. Freedom and literacy are on the line, history urges us to our own work. www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/set-tr...

A nice piece for #DisabilityHistoryMonth from @uniofbath.bsky.social... "Technology, standards guidelines matter, but they only work when paired with good accessibility practices." blogs.bath.ac.uk/inclusion/20...

Another for #WorldTelevisonDay, speaking of The Open University on the #BBC - here’s a little Friday funny from A Bit of Fry and Laurie. Have a great weekend! www.youtube.com/watch?v=2un9... [@openuniversity.bsky.social ]

Today is #WorldTelevisonDay. Which reminds us of the early days of the @openuniversity.bsky.social when our courses were broadcast on the #BBC, starting on 3 January 1971. You didn’t even have to be a student to tune in! www.bbc.com/historyofthe... #DistanceLearning

Dog activated. Human approved. 🐾 Our new Dogosophy Button allows your dog to switch home appliances on and off by nudging or pawing a blue pad tailored for their snout-level skills, all thanks to thanks research led by OU academic Professor Clara Mancini. https://ow.ly/pp5C50XtCv7

Students have been integral to our #WordsOfWisdom project. They’ve reviewed colleague’s examples of sustainability in education and provided insight into what resonates, motivates and matters to them. We hope their input will inspire other educators as they’ve inspired us! #StudentVoiceWeek

🌱 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

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

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

🧵 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

#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.

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

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

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?

📖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...

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...

📣 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...

Returning to the #BlackHistoryMonth theme, the @studentmindsorg.bsky.social site lists some super resources for Black students
studentspace.org.uk/wellbeing/li...

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

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

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

🌟 🤩 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

📻 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.

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...

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

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.”

Lovely clip that seems so appropriate on #WorldMentalHealthDay...

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...

Black History Month: What is it and why does it matter? www.bbc.co.uk/news/explain...

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

Today is World Mental Health Day. It’s a day that should be every day of the year. You are worthwhile, and you deserve to be here. #WorldMentalHealthDay #WMHD25 #MentalHealth

Dyslexic thinkers properly empowered at work could add almost £70bn to the economy. That's not a nice-to-have. That's a game-changer the Treasury cannot afford to ignore, writes Made By Dyslexia founder Kate Griggs

It's also #DyslexiaAwarenessWeek this week. Which prompts us to share a blog article from last year by Courtney Ince that shares tips and resources for inclusive module design in consideration of dyslexic students' needs. #LearningDesign www.open.ac.uk/blogs/learni...

Today my @nytimes.com colleagues and I are launching a new series called Lost Science. We interview US scientists who can no longer discover something new about our world, thanks to this year‘s cuts. Here is my first interview with a scientist who studied bees and fires. Gift link: nyti.ms/3IWXbiE

Loving autumn on campus at Walton Hall at @openuniversity.bsky.social @oulibrary.bsky.social

“We seek to contribute to recent conversations in which faculty and staff burnout, well-being and mental health are recognized by highlighting the role of higher ed leaders… (1/2) www.insidehighered.com/opinion/view...

📚 A new study of undergrad & grad students during COVID-19 reveals how the pandemic layered onto housing, food & mental health insecurities. Students built mutual support networks, pointing to the need for systemic institutional solutions in higher ed. www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

With a spotlight on celebrating hidden narratives from within the Black community this #BlackHistoryMonth, diverse representation in learning materials and activities seems more important than ever.

“AI is not invited into schools through a process of adoption, like buying a desktop computer or smartboard—it crashes the party and then starts rearranging the furniture. That means schools have to do something. Teachers feel this urgently.” #AI #AcademicSky #EduSky

Great to see that the @openuniversity.bsky.social got a call-out in Hillary Benn’s #LabourConference speech. It's nice to be recognised and appreciated! 😇🌟 www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...

🤔 Ever wondered what it takes to update a #LearningDesign framework? Well wonder no more! Our latest blog post explores the long but rewarding process of updating the #ICEBERG learning design Principles and Design Tips for supporting #StudentRetention. www.open.ac.uk/blogs/learni...

📢 ATTN! There's a new article on our blog! Read how members of the #OU_LD team & @ietatou.bsky.social represented the @openuniversity.bsky.social on the Innovating Learning Design in Higher Education (iLED) project, along with a team of international collaborators. www.open.ac.uk/blogs/learni...

Interesting article from #OpenUniversity #Computing colleagues on degree #AwardingGap #LTHEchat www.open.edu/openlearn/di...