My OpenLearn Profile
- Personalise your OpenLearn profile
- Save your favourite content
- Get recognition for your learning
Free learning from The Open University
free course icon
Level
Science, Maths & Technology
Fire ecology
This course explores the role of fire as a natural disturbance in ecosystems. It introduces the concept of a fire regime and its influence on the type and distribution of organisms that occur in fire prone ecosystems. It also looks at some of the adaptations of plants that have evolved in these ecosystems and how animals either avoid or exploit the consequences of fire as a natural disturbance. Finally it examines how fire can increase biodiversity by generating a mosaic of habitats within an ecosystem and briefly addresses some of the consequences of climate change and global warming on the intensity and frequency of fires.
free course icon
Level
Badge icon
Health, Sports & Psychology
Exploring learning disabilities: supporting belonging
This free course, Exploring learning disabilities: supporting belonging, takes the real-life cases of a number of different people to explore what it is like to have the label ‘learning disability’. The course also considers how it feels to support someone with a learning disability, as a family member, a friend, an advocate or a paid worker. Through these human stories the course considers the complex moral, ethical and practical debates learning disability gives rise to.
free course icon
Level
History & The Arts
Simone de Beauvoir and the feminist revolution
In this free course you will study the ideas of philosopher Simone de Beauvoir (1908-1986). In doing so you will also briefly study the philosophy of Beauvoir’s lifelong partner, philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre. The type of philosophy that links them is called ‘existentialism’. Beauvoir and Sartre are the foremost philosophers of French existentialism. You will read extracts of Beauvoir’s work and learn about the existential view of the human being as free and responsible for his or her actions. You will discover that Beauvoir argues that women are generally conceived of as ‘Other’, that is different from a supposed neutral human being. This OpenLearn course is an adapted extract from the Open University course A113 Revolutions63and is part of a set of four OpenLearn courses, covering Revolutions of the Sixties64. Transcript
free course icon
Level
Languages
A brief history of communication: hieroglyphics to emojis
This free course, A brief history of communication: hieroglyphics to emojis, is an introduction to the history of writing, and the key role it plays in human communication. It tracks this history from the invention of writing around 5500 years ago to the mass popularity of emojis today.
article icon
Education & Development
15 facts about number 15
OpenLearn turns 15 this week, so we’ve listed 15 facts about the number 15 – and linked each fact to a related FREE course, interactive or video.
activity icon
Science, Maths & Technology
15 minutes on Mars
Have you ever looked up into the night sky at the red planet and wanted to know more? Now here’s your chance to explore Mars.
video icon
History & The Arts
Antigone
Discover the Ancient Greek tragedy 'Antigone' in our two minute animation voiced by Helen Skelton, then find out more about the characters in the classical Sophocles' play.
article icon
History & The Arts
Black History Month
In recognition of Black History Month we have pulled together some content about some inspirational individuals and events for you to explore.
You can use OpenLearn to
Study free courses
From 1 to 100 hours of learning - discover hundreds of free courses to inspire and inform everyone.
Free coursesEarn while you learn
Earn a free digital badge or Statement of Participation as evidence of your learning to share with employers, friends and family.
Find out more
Get the most out of OpenLearn
Anyone can learn for free on OpenLearn but creating an account lets you set up a personal learning profile which tracks your course progress and gives you access to Statements of Participation and digital badges you earn along the way. Sign-up now!
©1999-2020. All rights reserved. The Open University is incorporated by Royal Charter (RC 000391), an exempt charity in England & Wales and a charity registered in Scotland (SC 038302). The Open University is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in relation to its secondary activity of credit broking.