Whose story counts? Constructing an oral history of the Open University at 40

Young, H. (2011) Whose story counts? Constructing an oral history of the Open University at 40. Oral History, 39(2), pp. 95-106.

Abstract

The Open University (OU) celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2009. As the UK's orig inal adult distance-learning university the 0U had a commitment to use broadcast media and OU published texts as a means of teaching and communicating, internally and externally. Pioneering such distance learning pedagogy and technology was based in a wide range of skills and experience, both academic and non-academic and created within a non-conven tional university setting. This article explores some of the tensions involved in carrying out an oral history of a relatively 'young', pioneering and geographically dispersed university such as the OU including negotiating 'whose story counts?' I argue that while oral history is a suitable source for organisational histories it leads to competing histories.

• Item Type: Articles
• Keywords: Open University, distance learning, organisations, Milton Keynes.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Young, Dr Hilary
• Authors: Young, H.
• Subjects: D History General and Old World > D History (General); D History General and Old World > D History (General) > D839 Post-war History, 1945 on; D History General and Old World > DA Great Britain; H Social Sciences > HN Social history and conditions. Social problems. Social reform
• College/School: College of Arts & Humanities > School of Humanities > Information Studies
• Journal Name: Oral History
• Publisher: Oral History Society
• ISSN: 0143-0955