Working and learning: developing effective performance at work
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This key introductory Level 1 course introduces the skills of work-based learning (WBL), if you're studying for the Certificate in Professional Practice in Delivering Public Services (K02). It's a version of Working and learning: developing effective performance at work (BU130), tailored to provide a stimulating link between your study and your job, with the chance to study issues that are particularly relevant to working in the public sector. WBL changes the way you can study, focusing your attention on the question ’Will this work?’ and, at a practical level, can offer opportunities for lightening your study workload as you can locate some of your learning in your day-to-day job.
Fees 2012
See fees and funding options for study from September 2012.
Course facts
An undergraduate course in Business and Management.
| About this course: | |
|---|---|
| Course code | BUXS130 |
| Credits | 30 |
| OU Level | 1 |
| SCQF level | 7 |
| FHEQ level | 4 |
| Course work includes: |
|---|
| 3 Tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) |
| End-of-module assessment |
| No residential school |
Register for the course
This course is available for study in the countries shown. Fees and financial support may vary by country.
What you will study
This work-based learning course will help you to build a career in public services and will give you the skills to improve your performance at work. Most courses are designed around a particular subject (for example, management or marketing) and so provide you with an academic area for learning. This course is different! It provides you with an opportunity to negotiate your own learning experience to help you develop an ability to learn and so to improve your practice at work. The course includes the creation of a personal learning contract that you will develop as you work through the course. Some students find designing their own learning to be quite tricky to begin with, but they ultimately find it a hugely satisfying process.
You will be directed to online learning resources and activities that cover a range of topics and issues linked to your work, and specifically, you will study for one of your WBL topics, Customer Care in the Public Sector. Online learning will be a major part of this course. Other topics include self-management, work-life balance, persuasive skills and decision making. The resources will be drawn from a number of high-quality sources such as the Open University’s supported open learning materials and learndirect’s online course Working and learning: an introduction to higher education and the workplace.
A key point in these learning resources is that they will focus on you doing things differently, rather than just knowing more. Throughout the course, you will have access to the OU student resources and online library. These learning resources and activities will be underpinned by tuition that will include active involvement with your tutor and access to a community of peers via online forums. The assessment for this course focuses on your learning experience and your reflection on that experience.
You will learn
By the end of the course you will be able to:
- understand your own learning, its role and impact in the workplace to enable you to plan and manage your learning towards the achievement of aims and objectives that fit your career
- engage in reflective learning by reflecting on, evaluating and applying experiential learning in your own professional, occupational and workplace contexts
- focus your learning on important issues in your day-to-day work
- communicate arguments, ideas and issues effectively using appropriate styles and language
- read and interpret information presented in a variety of forms and perform relevant tasks for analysis and evaluation
- develop the skills you need for making the most of university.
Vocational relevance
To get the most out of this course you should be doing some kind of paid or voluntary work as you will be doing two work-based learning projects as part of your learning. Its content is directly relevant to providing you with the skills to develop your ability to learn.
Entry
This is a key introductory Level 1 course. Level 1 courses provide core subject knowledge and study skills needed for both higher education and distance learning, to help you progress to courses at Level 2.
It is an ideal first course if you are thinking of studying at university level, and might want to go on to a foundation degree in business or an undergraduate certificate, diploma or degree in business studies or management. You should be doing paid or voluntary work as you will need to complete two work-based learning projects as part of your learning.
If you have any doubt about the suitability of the course, please contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.
Outside the UK
This course is relevant to students in both a UK and non-UK context.
If you have a disability or additional requirement
The course is taught using printed and online texts, which will be available in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) versions. Some PDF components may not be available or fully accessible using a screen reader and mathematical, scientific, and foreign language materials may be particularly difficult to read in this way. Content from the ‘Learning through Work’ website is available as Word documents. As a large proportion of the study material is delivered through online activities, resources and forums time spent time using a computer and the internet will be significant. If you use specialist hardware or software and have any concerns about accessing the materials described or submitting your assignments electronically, please talk to our Student Registration & Enquiry Service before enrolling about the support that can be given to meet your needs.
If you are a new student, or new to courses using a computer or the internet, you will need to inform us of your particular needs as soon as possible, as some of our support services may take several weeks to arrange. Details of how to do this and our range of support services are described in the publication Meeting Your Needs.
You can also find information about accessible study materials, financial support and the Disabled Students' Allowance, equipment and other services, on our Services for disabled students website. It also includes our contact details for advice and support both before you register and while you are studying.
Study materials
What's included
Website, online activities and resources, including the course study guide, a course file, online forums and a printed text.
Computing requirements
This course includes online computer activities – you can access these using a web browser that can play Flash and Shockwave.
You will need internet access and a computer. If you have purchased a new computer since 2005 it should meet your course computing requirements. Check our Technical Requirements section if your computer is older than this or is otherwise unusual.
Teaching and assessment
Support from your tutor
You will have a tutor who will help you with the study material and mark and comment on your written work, and whom you can ask for advice and guidance. If you are new to The Open University, you will find that your tutor is particularly concerned to help you with your study methods. We may also be able to offer group tutorials or day-schools that you are encouraged, but not obliged, to attend. Where tutorials are held depends on the distribution of students taking each course.
Contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service if you want to know more about study with The Open University before you register.
Assessment
The assessment details for this course can be found in the facts box above.
You will be expected to submit your tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) online through the eTMA system unless there are some difficulties which prevent you from doing so. In these circumstances, you must negotiate with your tutor to get their agreement to submit your assignment on paper.
You must submit the end-of-module assessment (EMA) online using our eTMA system.
Students also studied
Students who studied this course also studied at some time:
Future availability
The details given here are for the course that starts in May and October 2012. We then expect it to be available twice a year, April and October.
Fees 2012
See fees and funding options for study from September 2012.
Course facts
An undergraduate course in Business and Management.
| About this course: | |
|---|---|
| Course code | BUXS130 |
| Credits | 30 |
| OU Level | 1 |
| SCQF level | 7 |
| FHEQ level | 4 |
| Course work includes: |
|---|
| 3 Tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) |
| End-of-module assessment |
| No residential school |
Study explained
- Financial support
- - find out if you qualify for support with your fees with our eligibility checker.
- Study explained
- - all you need to know about distance learning with the OU.
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