Kevin Clarke

I first came across the OU in my first job, straight out of college. A senior manager had successfully studied with the OU for his MBA. He then tutored on the program. This was cutting edge distance learning at the time. It involved student’s submitting TMAs through the postal service! What appealed to me was the simplicity of The Open University. It does what it says on the tin - a simple contract to students to be open to people and ideas. This was before diversity, equality and inclusion became prominent. That inspired me to teach at the OU after completion of my MBA studies. The senior manager chuckled, “gamekeeper turned poacher” and “insisting that education is the mother of leadership”. I agreed with him. Studying and lecturing at the Open University was a game changer for me.  

It unlocked a passion for learning and helping students discover more about themselves through the challenges of distance learning. I have tutored at the OU since 2011, teaching on B302 Business Strategy and B328 Marketing in Action. To teach on modules that I am passionate about is a gift and I am rewarded with students who want to consistently learn and improve. I encourage the diverse perspectives and insights of my students as an Associate Lecturer. The learning’s from a career in consumer goods make for rich examples in highlighting module concepts. This is the Open University’s sweet spot, the marrying of theoretical frameworks with practical examples to embed learning.  

I appreciate the student challenges of balancing work, study and domestic life all at once. It is not an easy endeavour. As a result I agree with Stephen Covey in “seek first to understand, then to be understood”. This means that empathy is at the heart of my teaching philosophy. I find that this helps draw students out more. Indeed, empathy was a key theme for my admission to being a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA).  

As an Irishman, I strive to bring good humour and discussions about the weather into OU life. The weather helps breaks the ice as it is common to us all, wherever we are in the OU world.