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OU Associate Lecturer

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  • 13-05-2009 5:38pm
    #1
    DublinWriter
    Registered Users Posts: 9,557 ✭✭✭


    I'm applying for a part-time Associate Lecturer job with the OU in Ireland.

    Does anyone have any experience doing this type of work with the OU and/or any advice?


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    #2
    Tom Dunne
    Registered Users Posts: 23,212 ✭✭✭✭Tom Dunne


    Yeah, stop stealing my job. :)

    (I've applied too)

    I have done some similar work with a well known, West Dublin third level institution, ahem, that offers a course that is primarily distance education.

    What kind of advice are you looking for?


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    #3
    DublinWriter
    Registered Users Posts: 9,557 ✭✭✭DublinWriter


    Tom Dunne wrote: »
    Yeah, stop stealing my job. :)
    (I've applied too)
    Job? We're talking stipendiary levels of recompense here! What I'm applying for would hardly cover my fortnightly grocery bill!


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    #4
    DC
    Registered Users Posts: 344 ✭✭DC


    I am an OU associate lecturer. Pay ain't great, but it's definitely worth doing for your career prospects. It looks very good on a CV. It's also very rewarding.

    Also, as an OU AL you have access to a lot of free education. You could get a free Masters out of it if you wanted or just pick a few undergraduate courses that interest you. You are allowed 70 credits per year for nothing as long as they don't exceed a certain amount (rare that happens and if you do just pay the balance). And you can exceed that limit if the study is deemed to be relevant to your role as an AL - e.g. doing the MA in Online and Distance Education.

    The support you get is brilliant. At all levels, whether it is course tutors, learning support services or whatever, you are never left on your own. Typcially you will teach maybe 3 or 4 (sometimes none if entirely online) tutorials face-to-face and that's a great way to get to know your students.

    The work averages out at a few hours a week, but tends to be grouped around the correcting of assigments. You get detailed solutions and marking schemes so you know how to correct.

    Definitely worth a shot applying. Best of luck.


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    #5
    Tom Dunne
    Registered Users Posts: 23,212 ✭✭✭✭Tom Dunne


    DC wrote: »
    Pay ain't great, but it's definitely worth doing for your career prospects. It looks very good on a CV. It's also very rewarding.

    That's pretty much why I applied, not for the money, but for the longer term prospects.
    DC wrote: »
    Also, as an OU AL you have access to a lot of free education. You could get a free Masters out of it if you wanted or just pick a few undergraduate courses that interest you. You are allowed 70 credits per year for nothing as long as they don't exceed a certain amount (rare that happens and if you do just pay the balance).

    That's pretty amazing, I didn't know that. It also makes applying to them all the more appealing.
    DC wrote: »
    The support you get is brilliant. At all levels, whether it is course tutors, learning support services or whatever, you are never left on your own. Typcially you will teach maybe 3 or 4 (sometimes none if entirely online) tutorials face-to-face and that's a great way to get to know your students.

    The work averages out at a few hours a week, but tends to be grouped around the correcting of assigments. You get detailed solutions and marking schemes so you know how to correct.

    Definitely worth a shot applying. Best of luck.

    Great information, thanks for that. I've always heard the students get excellent support, good to hear it also applies for staff.


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    #6
    Fergus08
    Registered Users Posts: 49 ✭Fergus08


    DC - I applied several times and never got to interview stage. Can I ask, did you have much face-to-face lecturing/tutoring experience? The lack of this seems to be a deal breaker for the OU. If you did have such experience can you say if it was with an IT, a university, private college etc. Also, being cheeky, what subject area(s) are you tutoring.


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    #7
    Fergus08
    Registered Users Posts: 49 ✭Fergus08


    DC - just one more question? Do you have a PhD? And if you don't was it an issue for them?

    I hope my questions are not too intrusive and I understand if you ignore them, but this is something that really interests me and I've never seen it raised on boards.ie before.


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    #8
    DublinWriter
    Registered Users Posts: 9,557 ✭✭✭DublinWriter


    Thanks for all the info so far DC.


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    #9
    CliM
    Registered Users Posts: 15 ✭CliM


    Hi,,,
    I know this may be obvious but can you apply for vacancies on the OU website if the geographical area is different to where you are living.... i.e. can I apply for a part time tutor position for a course with presentation in greater London if I live in Ireland?
    May be slightly obvious....but I am tired and need all the help!!
    Thanks, C


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    #10
    Tom Dunne
    Registered Users Posts: 23,212 ✭✭✭✭Tom Dunne


    CliM wrote: »
    Hi,,,
    I know this may be obvious but can you apply for vacancies on the OU website if the geographical area is different to where you are living.... i.e. can I apply for a part time tutor position for a course with presentation in greater London if I live in Ireland?
    May be slightly obvious....but I am tired and need all the help!!
    Thanks, C

    I believe there is a requirement for some courses to actually deliver classroom based tutorials.

    So I don't know where that would leave you if your course had such a requirement.

    Also, I believe the interviews are held locally too, so you would have to travel for those.


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