# Why is this course important?

A research project to explore students’ experiences of using and participating on online learning forums was carried out at The Open University in the UK (Griffin and Roy, 2019). As a distance-learning university, The Open University uses online learning forums in most of its courses and modules. The feedback from Open University students and the main findings from this research project have led to the development of this course.

- What do you think many students reported in this study?

- A surprisingly common theme was that many of them felt ‘anxious and a bit nervous’ about posting to their online learning forums. This feeling of nervousness, fear and anxiety was reported by students at all of the different levels of university study: by 1st, 2nd and 3rd year undergraduate students, and by postgraduate students doing the Masters in Education.

If you are an online learner in any context, and your course uses online learning forums, this course is for you! You don’t have to be a university student for this course to be relevant. You might be learning online for work or out of personal interest. Equally, if you are just interested in taking part in forums and don't know where to start, this course can help.

This course will allow you to develop an understanding of how and why online learning forums can be good for learning, and give you a chance to think about your own experience and views of using them. It will also provide tips and guidance to help you make the most of using online learning forums. Most importantly, it will help you to get involved with more confidence.

Get started with Session 1.

OpenLearn - Building confidence in using online learning forums
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