ABSTRACT
The Open University Younger Students Pilot Scheme was not set up in the spirit of pure scientific enquiry or ‘knowledge for knowledge’s sake’, but arose rather from a complex set of social and political circumstances. This chapter is devoted to a detailed account of the planning and implementation of the Scheme and the research design for its evaluation. In July 1971 the University submitted detailed proposals to the DES for various pilot schemes. Although the DES had described the general nature of the proposed Pilot Scheme it was left to the Open University itself to decide exactly how to implement the Scheme and what working definitions to employ. The chapter looks at those decisions in the areas of publicity, admissions and teaching. An Admissions Advisor in each of the Open University’s thirteen regions decides which applicants should be invited for admissions counselling from information contained on the application form.
