Lessons from history
A decade ago, the possibility of a link between the MMR vaccine and autism hit the media. Fear of the vaccine spread rapidly and, despite an almost unanimous consensus that the claim was unfounded, still persists today. In this unit, we’ll examine why this controversy took on such a life of its own and why parents still agonise about the vaccine.
3.1 History of the spectrum concept
Most of us have a very vague and narrow concept of what autism is, based mainly on such stereotypes as Dustin Hoffman's character in the film Rain Man. In this unit you will discover that there is a wide spectrum of disorders associated with autism, and an equally wide range of approaches to diagnosis and treatment.
3 A global view of Earth history
The landscape of the British Isles has undergone dramatic changes during the history of the Earth, from shallow sea to desert to the familiar terrain of the 21st century. In this unit you will explore the processes that have shaped the British landscape over time, gaining insight into the geological evolution of the entire planet.
3.4 Pharmaceuticals for mental health: a brief history
Take a new and different look at mental health. This unit invites you to think differently about life's dilemmas by taking account of the views of all concerned, especially people experiencing mental distress. It explores ideas and practice in mental health, and will appeal to a wide range of people.
2.2 Biography as history
Social work is a vital element in how our society cares for those in need. This unit looks at the meaning of ‘social work values’ as well as the different approaches to social work and the skills involved.
History
This unit will give you a basic understanding of EU law and the interaction between EU and domestic law. It will provide a brief explanation of the European Convention on Human Rights and other European legislation, as well as the background to such institutions as the European Council, the European Commission, the European Parliament and the European Court of Justice.
Researching History on the Internet 5.1 History of kente 5.2 History of adinkra 1.1 Biography and art history 1 Themes and issues in the history of art 3.4 Experience – making distinctions based on a tradition and constructing a history 7.2 Film properties 3.10 What has been learnt from the history of the telephone? 1 History of health and safety The history of the common law 6.3 Case history: the Topper boat 2.2 Modern history – an evolution 2.2 The history of grammatical description 7.1 History
Researching History on the Internet
History as written and presented by current historians. Visit thehistoryfaculty.com for free downloads and more information.
Textiles in Ghana carry a far greater importance than you might expect. This unit will help you to understand how textiles can carry an assortment of meanings and values, including wealth, status and office.
Textiles in Ghana carry a far greater importance than you might expect. This unit will help you to understand how textiles can carry an assortment of meanings and values, including wealth, status and office.
Accounts of Caravaggio's life are filled with suggestions of murder and intrigue. But does knowing more about this dark artist's experiences help us to interpret his art? Or does understanding his motivations cloud their true meaning? This unit explores the biographical monograph, one of the most common forms of art history writing.
The Musée du Louvre houses 35,000 works of art, including the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo, but how were they brought together as a collection? This unit examines the importance of art through history and the impact of personality and conflict.
Do you need to change the way you think when faced with a complex situation? This unit examines how systemic thinking and practice enables you to cope with the connections between things, events and ideas. By taking a broader perspective complexity becomes manageable and it is easier to accept that gaps in knowledge can be acceptable.
Microelectronics has enabled designers of integrated circuits to exercise complete control over the electrical characteristics of each component they create. This unit will illustrate how such control is achieved and the various methods that can be applied in differing circumstances.
This unit is for designers, engineers, technologists and anyone interested in designing and inventing. It is also for managers and consumers interested in innovation and technical change. The unit will show you how design and innovation can create a more sustainable future. It will also help you understand how innovation comes about and will encourage thinking about environmental and social challenges for the future.
Health, safety and risk assessment are of paramount importance both in the laboratory and the field. This unit will help make you more aware of the hazards and risks involved in laboratory and field-based research work, as well as giving you an overview of the legal requirements attached to this work. The unit discusses issues involved in the handling chemical and biological agents, basic safety procedures and common field-work hazards.
How do judges make law? This unit will examine how the common law system works, the differences between ‘civil code’ and ‘common law’ systems, and the advantages and disadvantages of the common law system. The role of the judiciary in the law-making process is explored by examining the origins of common law, the system of precedent and the rules of statutory interpretation.
This unit examines the use of polymers and demonstrates how the properties of polymers are controlled by their molecular structure. You will learn how this structure determines which polymer to use for a particular product. You will also explore the manufacturing techniques used and the how the use of polymerisation can be used to control the structure of polymers.
This unit covers the emergence of the Life Sciences sector out of its precursor the pharmaceutical industry. After examining some historical perspectives it uses case studies to look at developments in the science, business and, primarily, management strategies used in Life Sciences. It also briefly considers Life Sciences' place in the wider story of health provision. This introductory unit will be of interest to managers in the Life Sciences sector and to the general reader.
The use of grammar is more complex than it appears. This unit looks at the way grammar can be used as a tool for adapting our communications (both written and spoken) in ways which present us and our message in different lights.
This unit, which contains material from the current Open University second level Politics course DD203 Power, Equality and Dissent, is pitched at the intermediate level. It should take you about 8 hours to study if you attempt the recommended exercises and make summary notes of its key points. Doing so will allow you to practise the crucial academic skill of summary and précis – extracting the gist of an argument – which will be of particular help if you go on to study in related areas: p













