英语国家社会与文化 The Open University.doc

The Open University摘要：英国开放大学对任何人都开放，无需正式学历，不限年龄，通过电视、录像、函授等方式为学生提供就地学习的条件。这种开放的思想既是对终身教育的诠释，也是英国开放大学的成功之源。她的诞生不仅是英国20世纪教育改革最成功的典范，更已成为世界远程教育发展史上的重要里程碑。 The Open University, originally planned by the Labor Party as a university of the air, is an educational system which would make use of television, radio and correspondence courses. It offers a non-traditional route for people to take university level courses and receive a university degree. People can register without having any formal educational qualifications.At the very beginning, many people laughed at this idea, but it became part of the Labor Partys programme to give educational opportunity to those people who had not had a chance to receive future education for one reason or another. By 1969 plans were well advanced and by 1970 the Open University, as it was now called, had received 40000 applications. Only 25000 could be accepted for the four foundation courses offered: social science, arts, science and mathematics. Unsuccessful candidates were told to apply again the following year, when a foundation course in technology would also be offered.The first teaching programme appeared on the air and screen in 1971, with clerks, farm workers, housewives, teachers, policemen and many others as students. Study centres have been set up all over the country so that students can attend once a week, and once a year they will spend a week at one of the universitys summer schools.According to various reasons, some students need to use completely different alternative schools instead of four years full-time university. This is the reason why British Open University was founded. The Open University has pioneered the idea of distance learning. You can learn independently, and do not need to stay in the classroom. Many people are unable to participate in scheduled courses on account of work and family trivial matters, so they need flexibility. If you belong to this kind of person, the Open University is your first choice.The process is very simple. First of all, you should enroll in one curriculum. Once you register successfully, the university will send you your study materials immediately by e-mail. These learning materials may include printed texts, CD-ROMs, video materials, audio tapes, and online messages. At the same time, there is a personal tutor assigning for you.In the UK, the Open University has 13 regional centers where you can meet directly with your tutor or other students for informal study groups. Or you can stay on the couch. It all depends on you. Your assignments will be marked by your tutor, and if you want to know more about your grades, you may call him to help you. In the learning process, you can mail or hand in your homework, and you will receive regular evaluation and feedback.Honorary President of the British Open University came up with the idea of learners open, place of study open, open learning, and open attitude. This open thinking and life-long education are similar; both of them are different from the traditional education concept. They break the limitation of age and campus walls. In addition, they provide harmonious environment for students, and constantly update their knowledge and skills. The fundamental goal of life-long education is to create a learning society. Only by open learning can we achieve this goal, and open learning is linked with the student-centered. That is to say, students can choose the content and the place of study and select the learning time. As a result, students may improve from passive learning to active learning. This open mind provides a theoretical support for life-long education.If it is strange for you to see a college degree that youve never seen, then consider this: the Open University is regarded as Britains largest university, with more than 20 million students. It owns hundreds of highly qualified faculty and has won numerous awards for the quality of its academic programs. Furthermore, two hundred thousand students can prove everything. As the technology develops, the Open University has been able to offer more courses completely over the Internet. There is no need going to the post office or stopping by a regional center. Everything can be done electronically. Similar concepts to the UKs Open University exist around the world. As long as you look up “open university” on the Internet.As far as I am concerned, it is too early to say how successful this new university will be. Its critics complain of the cost, but the Open University is probably the cheapest and most far-reaching method yet found of spreading further education. The Open University is one of the most important developments in UKs higher education after World War II; it achieved a historic success due to its unique form of school, advanced instructional media and excellent quality of education. Whats more, it was well-known as the United Kingdom education of a great innovation and it also can be said is a great initiative of the World Education in the history.