UNDERSTANDING CANCER OU Cancer Research Shapes New Course
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Sesame The Open University A magazine for the Alumni community Summer 2008 Issue 237 UNDERSTANDING CANCER OU cancer research shapes new course DARK MATERIALS RESEARCH VOLUNTEERING Author and OU honorary Can America rise to the Good for society… graduate Philip Pullman new global challenges? and good for you! ADVERTISEMENT Sesame Welcome Welcome Contents WELCOME TO THE brand-new Open Update University magazine, packed full of the very All the latest news from the OU 5 content that you, our readers, have requested. Forthcoming OU/BBC productions 9 Thousands of you were invited to take part in Your letters 12 a special reader survey last autumn asking for your views on the communications you receive Courses from the OU, including the student magazine Round-up of the newest OU courses 15 Sesame and the alumni magazine Open Eye. Could you be the next Indiana Jones? 17 This new magazine is the result of your New OU course examining cancer 18 feedback ... and we hope you like it. Interestingly, more than half of you who were surveyed said Research you would prefer to stop receiving a print version of Sesame and The latest OU research news 19 be given access to an online version instead. As a result, we are Inaugural Lecture: human desire 20 currently working on producing a new website, which will launch Focus: Can America cope with the ever changing world? 22 in the summer – keep an eye on StudentHome or your email inbox for details when it launches. People As the OU moves towards e-delivery (and plays its part in saving The inspirational story of a deaf student studying music 25 the environment), so too will Sesame. During the summer, we will Novelist and OU honourary graduate Philip Pullman 28 be working on the Sesame subscription list to reduce the number The importance of volunteering 30 of print versions that are sent out, encouraging readers instead to The latest news from the Development Office – including use the new website for all their usual Sesame news and features. a project to monitor Britain’s floodplain meadowlands 32 However, fear not, if you do not have regular internet access Opinion: The media and research 34 (and have not given your preferred email address to the OU), you will automatically receive the print version of Sesame. And if you Support are a student and have given your preferred email address but Get your mid-term health check and how to fight stress 37 still wish to receive Sesame by print, please email your full name Your digital communication options from the OU 41 and PI number to [email protected] (with the subject ‘Print’). Career tips and advice from Rebecca Fielding, However, if you are an alumnus, please follow the instructions Talent Manager for HJ Heinz 42 on the enclosed form. So enjoy this issue of Sesame, keep an eye out for our new Classifieds website and we look forward to hearing your views! Buy and sell course books – and much, much, more 44 Sesame 22 Editor Tracy Buchanan Deputy Editor Scott Russon Contributor Yvonne Cook Head of Publications Debbie Dixon Published by The Open University The Open University General Enquires +44 (0)1908 274066 The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA Email [email protected] Website www.open.ac.uk/sesame Printed by Artisan Press, distributed by Packpost Advertising Square7Media Email [email protected] Telephone +44 (0)203 283 4055 The editorial content of this magazine was correct at the time of going to press. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the prior BRARY I permission of the publishers. Views expressed in articles are those of the contributors and not necessarily of Sesame and The Open University. Publication of an advertisement or loose insert in Sesame does not imply The E PHOTO L C Open University recognition or approval of the goods or services advertised. EN ci The Open University is incorporated by Royal Charter (number RC 000391), an exempt charity in England and Wales and a charity registered in Scotland (number SC 038302). 32 28 COVER IMAGE: S To find out more about courses, go towww.open.ac.uk/courses Summer 2008 | Sesame 237 3 ADVERTISEMENT Update All the latest news from The Open University Competition Online plagiarism is a major concern for universities Up, up and away Clare Harris reports back after winning the Sesame ballooning competition OU student Clare Harris is just coming back down to Earth after winning Sesame’s luxury ballooning holiday competition with Virgin Balloon Flights, which featured in the summer 2007 edition. Clare, who is currently working towards a microbiology PHD, said: “I’d been desperate to fly in a hot air balloon for Plagiarism ages, which is why I entered, and it was absolutely fantastic. Insight It is just a totally different Are you mode of transport, a different Academic plagiarising? environment that is really quiet and peaceful – until the landing, which is exhilarating. You are in danger of I would definitely go up again.” integrity? committing an offence by: The winners of the software • Using a choice phrase or competition that appeared in sentence that you have the winter 2007 edition of More universities recognise threat of ‘essay mills’ come across Sesame were: Kay Freeman • Copying directly from a text of Worthing, Antony Jordan of A REPORT by the BBC has Birmingham City University, • Paraphrasing the words Crawley and Anna Kowalewska revealed that more and more Robert Clarke, has been from a text very closely of London. universities are reacting to the monitoring sales on websites. • Using text from the internet threat posed by the internet in He highlighted the difficulties • Borrowing statistics or the fight against plagiarism, faced by plagiarism software assembled facts from a problem highlighted by an when trying to detect this kind another person or source investigation in Sesame of work, especially when • Copying or downloading magazine in 2007. one-off essays are being figures, photographs, Tony Jenkins at the offered via small websites. pictures or diagrams University of Leeds spoke at a The Higher Education without acknowledging workshop into plagiarism earlier Academy and the internet sources this year, stating that academics plagiarism advisory service, • Copying from the notes or were in what he described as an Joint Information Systems essays of a fellow student ‘arms race’ with ‘essay mills’ as Committee (JISC), are currently • Copying from your own they attempt to keep ahead of working together to offer notes on a text, tutorial, efforts to detect them. support for the UK higher video or lecture that Principal Lecturer in the education sector on issues contains direct quotes Clare is pictured here with her Department of Computing at relating to academic integrity. guest in western Switzerland To find out more about courses, go towww.open.ac.uk/courses Summer 2008 | Sesame 237 5 Update News Government Just In... Minister for Higher Education praises OU Costing the Earth Bill Rammell MP attends ceremony honouring YASS sixth-form students THE Interdependence Day project, based at the OU, ThE MINISTER foR ABOUT YASS University are more likely to has just published Do Higher Education, Bill Rammell THE Young Applicants in succeed at university studies. Good Lives Have to Cost MP, has praised the role Schools and Colleges Those young students who the Earth?, a collection of played by The Open University Scheme (YASS) is aimed at decide to continue their articles on environmental in encouraging people into academically gifted students university studies with the OU issues. Edited by Andrew higher education. in Years 12 and 13. It enables can count the module they Simms of nef (the new He attended a ceremony them to study a wide range of have passed while at school economics foundation) honouring sixth-form students undergraduate modules at towards their degree. and Joe Smith of the from Leventhorpe School in first-year level alongside For more information visit OU, contributors include Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire, their AS and A levels. www.open.ac.uk/yass Philip Pullman and the who passed their university There are early indications late Anita Roddick. Main: Successful YASS students courses via the Young that YASS students who have Inset: Bill Rammell with Year 13 Tutor Applicants in Schools and studied with The Open Denise Jackson Unionlearn Quality Award Colleges Scheme (YASS). JOHN Denham MP At the ceremony, which took presented the OU with the place in March this year, Mr Unionlearn Quality Award Rammell said: “What impresses in February. The award was me most is not that Year 13 given to acknowledge the students have been taking OU course Recognising higher education courses and Achievement (U122) – passing them, it’s the range of which was developed courses that they have taken.” with the Transport and He added: “I am a great General Workers’ Union admirer of the OU and it is one section of Unite. of the finest creations of previous governments and Former UN delegate chair I firmly believe that it opens FORMER United Nations doors and unlocks potential.” representative Sir Emyr Jones Parry has been appointed as Chair of a OUBS Alumni Association new International Advisory Board that has been New membership, new benefits established for the OU Business School. The new New developments for OU Business School Alumni Association board includes a range of business leaders including THE paST FEW months recently met in Dublin for the Chinyelu Onwurah, Head have been particularly eventful association’s first-ever twinning of Telecoms Technology for the OU Business School event. The latest alumni at Ofcom, and Margaret Alumni Association, with benefits include exclusive Miller, Senior Vice membership being extended to membership of the Lifestyle President and CIO of include those who complete Clubs, which offer reviews Warner Music Group.