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With thousands of free learning resources across OpenLearn – from quick quizzes and interactive games to full-length online courses – it can be hard to know where to begin. That’s where our Top 10s come in.
These lists give you a real-time snapshot of what’s most popular right now on OpenLearn. Think of them as your shortcut to the hottest topics and most in-demand courses, chosen not by us but by the learners already exploring them.
Whether you want to dip into a bite-sized activity or commit to something bigger, the Top 10s are a great place to start.
Top 10 articles, hubs, interactives and videos
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DIY: Generate your own electricity
Do you want to make your own electricity? Here's a step-by-step guide to making your own generator.
Read now2
Level: 1 Introductory
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Sperm counts
How much sperm does a man make? Would you explode if you don't release your sperm? Explore the male reproductive system in this article and video.
Read now3
Level: 1 Introductory
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Do you have a photographic memory?
Can you hold an image in your mind by just looking at it for a brief amount of time? Try our photographic memory test and see whether you have eidetic memory.
Take part now4
Level: 1 Introductory
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Virtual reality, 19th Century style: The history of the panorama and balloon view
Across the late 18th and 19th centuries, the public embraced the magic of the panorama - a clamour which owed a lot to the popularity of hot air ballooning.
Read now6
Level: 1 Introductory
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Abrasive jet cutting
A high pressure, high velocity jet of water (or air), mixed with dry abrasive particles to form a slurry, is forced through a nozzle in the cutting head. The jet impinges on the surface of the workpiece, eroding away material.
Read now7
Level: 1 Introductory
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Try something popular
Need inspiration? Start with what’s trending on OpenLearn: our Top 10s showcase the content learners are loving right now.
Watch now8
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Discover OpenLearn on Spotify
OpenLearn now has its own channel on Spotify where you can watch and listen to our podcast - It’s All Academic - as well as discover more of our mini-documentaries, interviews and animations.
Read now9
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Ta, cheers, much obliged: A brief history of 'thanks' in English
There's more to just saying thank you than you think. Philip Seargeant delves into the fascinating linguistics of expressing gratitude.
Read now10
Top 10 courses
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Exploring learning disabilities: supporting belonging
This course 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 ...
Learn more1
Level: 1 Introductory
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Succeeding in postgraduate study
This course will help you to become familiar with the requirements and demands of postgraduate study and to develop the skills and confidence to pursue your learning further.
Learn more2
Level: 3 Advanced
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Information security
Information security underpins the commercial viability and profitability of enterprises of all sizes and the effectiveness of public sector organisations. This free course begins by explaining why information security and its management are important for any modern organisation and to every individual. You need to be familiar with an ...
Learn more3
Level: 3 Advanced
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Young children, the outdoors and nature
This free course, Young children, the outdoors and nature, looks at the importance of babies and toddlers having opportunities to engage with rich outdoor environments.
Learn more4
Level: 2 Intermediate
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Gamified Intelligent Cyber Aptitude and Skills Training (GICAST)
This free course, Gamified Intelligent Cyber Aptitude and Skills Training (GICAST), will help you to understand online security and start to protect your digital life, whether at home or work. You will learn how to recognise the threats that could harm you online and the steps you can take to reduce the chances that they will happen to you.
Learn more5
Level: 1 Introductory
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Understanding autism
Learn about autism, one of the most challenging long-term conditions of the century. This free course, Understanding autism, introduces the autism spectrum, how it is experienced by individuals and families, and why it has become a global concern. The course explains how understanding of the autism spectrum and approaches to diagnosis and care ...
Learn more6
Level: 1 Introductory
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Learning from sport burnout and overtraining
Sport can place high levels of stress on athletes, coaches and others involved. If unable to cope with these stresses they may be vulnerable to developing burnout. This free course, Learning from sport burnout and overtraining, examines burnout in sport from various perspectives including both the coach’s and athlete’s perspective. Drawing on ...
Learn more7
Level: 2 Intermediate
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Introduction to bookkeeping and accounting
Learn about the essential numerical skills required for accounting and bookkeeping. This free course, Introduction to bookkeeping and accounting, explains the fundamental rules of double-entry bookkeeping and how they are used to produce the balance sheet and the profit and loss account.
Learn more8
Level: 1 Introductory
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Getting started on ancient Greek
This course offers a taster of the ancient Greek world through the study of one of its most distinctive and enduring features: its language.The course approaches the language methodically, starting with the alphabet and effective ways to memorise it, before building up to complete Greek words and sentences. Along the way, you will see numerous ...
Learn more9
Level: 1 Introductory
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The science of nutrition and healthy eating
Examine the science behind nutrition, covering aspects of biology, chemistry and physics as well as giving some insight into healthier eating. Reading food labels, choosing healthier foods, hydrating appropriately and understanding how we taste food will allow you to be more informed about the choices you make about the food you eat.
Learn more10
Level: 1 Introductory
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