UNISON Ulearn Northern Ireland

Targeted at: Any member
Duration: 20 weeks but no regular class
Qualification: Open University 10 credits

The Course

This is part of the Open University’s Openings programme which aims to introduce new people to the Open University, helping to develop study skills, knowledge and confidence. It is particularly useful for members who work shifts and cannot commit to a regular timetable, or members who have dependent care responsibilities which makes it difficult to attend classes.

Each Openings course lasts a maximum of 20 weeks and is supported by regular telephone contact with a tutor. Each learner will receive a core text, the course guide, one audio CD, one DVD and the assignment book and will work at their own speed. Learners will submit two assignments and can earn 10 credits for successful completion.

Making sense of the arts starts at the beginning. It does not assume that you have any recent experience of studying. You just need an interest in at least some aspects of the arts, and the desire to discover more. The course will also help you to prepare for degree level study by developing the skills you already have and introducing you to new skills.

The course has two main aims, both of which are equally important:

to introduce you to studying a variety of subjects in the arts, and

to help you to identify and develop a range of study skills.

The course is made up of an introduction, three main sections and a conclusion.

Section 1 begins by showing you how to analyse a variety of poems to see how they are constructed. You will then be introduced to traditional Japanese haiku poetry. You will gain a good grounding in how to approach poetry in general before starting to develop expertise in the study of haiku poetry.

Section 2 looks at a momentous event in world history. In 1991 Aung San Suu Kyi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her part in the struggle for freedom and democracy in Burma. We will consider the various viewpoints regarding Aung San Suu Kyi’s actions and beliefs. We will then look at the events that led to her imprisonment by the government, which, in turn, led to the popular uprising against the Burmese government.

Section 3 introduces the discipline of art history by examining the work of a selection of Turner Prize winners. The Turner Prize is awarded annually to an artist who has made an outstanding contribution to art in Britain during the previous 12 months. You will be able to look at many different types of art and explore the techniques used by art historians and art critics when they analyse a work of art.

The conclusion encourages you to use all the skills you have developed throughout the course, by studying:

a modern song (drawing mainly on the skills learnt in your study of poetry and history)

a traditional Buddhist work of art (drawing on your knowledge of Buddhist material gained from studying haiku and Aung San Suu Kyi; and your art history skills)

the idea of values associated with the issue of prizes, touched on in all three sections.

Courses run from February, June, September & November. You must be registered at least two weeks prior to course starting. If you are interested in this course, please download an expression of interest form.