Instructors cannot just amble into a class with a pocketful of note cards and extemporize. Publish or perish takes on an even more urgent tone there. Everything to do with a class has to be written down. Hugh Robinson says it all involves a lot of teamwork. Teachers must work with the broadcast production people, software developers, and editors for the printed material.
Instructors write their own textbooks and workbooks.
While computer use is increasing, teachers know that all core material must be available in print, because students often study in places where laptops can't easily go like commuter trains and bathtubs. And each course must be tightly structured so that tutors can be easily trained. O.U. research recently gained increased recognition when its researchers played a major role in analyzing meteorites and the possibilities of life on Mars. And in August, when the final solar eclipse of this millennium cast a long shadow across parts of Europe, Africa, and Asia, O.U. researchers teamed with colleagues at London's University College on several experiments, including one measuring changes in temperature and humidity to see how eclipses affect weather. Because teaching at Open University is so different, only those instructors willing to adapt tend to fit in.