The study materials, study guide, activities, assignments, forums, online tutorial rooms and other resources are all provided on a dedicated website. Where possible, the materials are also available in other formats including PDF, EPUB, interactive ebook (EPUB3), Kindle ebook and Microsoft Word, should you wish to study on mobile devices. Note: The purchase of ‘print-on-demand’ texts will not be an option for this module.
You will need
A digital camera is recommended to record images of your work. You may use the camera on a smartphone instead (or, in some instances, a scanner), but whatever you use, you should be confident in producing digital versions of your work. You may need to draw diagrams or graphs and then use either a scanner or a digital camera to produce files of these diagrams for inclusion in your assessments.
You will need a simple scientific calculator of the type sold as suitable for GCSE/A level use in any large supermarket. The calculator on a mobile phone, tablet or computer is not suitable as your only calculator for this module.
You may find it useful to have a notebook and pen for note taking and working out your answers to self-assessment questions and activities.
The module includes some simple home experiments which will require some basic kitchen or garden equipment, including (but not restricted to): a kitchen weighing scale; a means of freezing water; re-usable plastic and glass containers of various sizes; a clock or watch; an unwanted compact disc (CD or DVD); items of fruit or vegetables; offcuts of cardboard. If you are unable to undertake the experiments we will provide alternative ways to enable you to take part in the experiment.
A computing device with a browser and broadband internet access is required for this module. Any modern browser will be suitable for most computer activities. Functionality may be limited on mobile devices.
Any additional software will be provided, or is generally freely available. However, some activities may have more specific requirements. For this reason, you will need to be able to install and run additional software on a device that meets the requirements below.
A desktop or laptop computer with either:
- Windows 7 or higher
- Mac OS X 10.7 or higher
The screen of the device must have a resolution of at least 1024 pixels horizontally and 768 pixels vertically.
To join in the spoken conversation in our online rooms we recommend a headset (headphones or earphones with an integrated microphone).
Our Skills for OU study website has further information including computing skills for study, computer security, acquiring a computer and Microsoft software offers for students.
If you have a disability
The OU strives to make all aspects of study accessible to everyone and this Accessibility Statement outlines what studying S112 involves. You should use this information to inform your study preparations and any discussions with us about how we can meet your needs.
To find out more about what kind of support and adjustments might be available, contact us or visit our Disability support website.