Letter to the Open University

Dear Open University,

We've gone through a lot together: H808, H807, H800, D843 and H809, with all their TMAs, ECAs and exams. We had our ups and downs, from glowing thank-you notes to my tutors to formal complaints, from having fun doing assignments to moments of despair. No, it wasn't always an easy time, but who would expect that? It took me some time to really understand how you work. My first year or so, I had serious culture shock. But I adapted. And I grew.

Today, I'm not the same person I was before getting to know you. When we started out on this voyage, I was a linguist who suddenly found herself in a situation where she had to design e-learning, and do it well. I knew enough to realize I didn't know enough. And then you came along. Promising to teach me the ropes, and luring me into your sweet trap with the promise of a degree on top of that. I was hooked.

I learned the basics, and a bit more than the basics. At first, you only changed the way I approached the design of e-learning. Then you changed how I use the internet. In the end, you changed how I look at learning more generally, and even how I approach doing research.

Today, I submitted my last examinable component. There'll be a lot of waiting, and a bit of paperwork involved, but with all likelihood, I'm "done" now, and we will part ways.

We're both grown-ups, we'll cope. I'll get along without you, and you, well, you have so many students, you probably won't even notice I'm gone. Still, I'll certainly miss you, and perhaps, one day, I'll find a good excuse to come back :-)

Thanks for all the good times,

Judith