free course icon
level 1: introductory icon
Badge icon
Education & Development
Being an OU student
The induction course for new OU students, covering the essentials for starting your undergraduate studies.
free course icon
level 1: introductory icon
Education & Development
Am I ready to be a distance learner?
Distance learning can open up opportunities for study. You might have not studied for a while, you might be returning to education, or you might not have had the chance to study at a higher level before. This free course, Am I ready to be a distance learner?, will help to boost your confidence. You'll explore useful skills so you can discover ...
free course icon
level 1: introductory icon
Badge icon
Education & Development
English: skills for learning
Develop the English reading and writing skills needed for university success.
free course icon
level 1: introductory icon
Languages
Everyday English 1
This free course, Everyday English 1, will develop and improve your essential speaking and listening, reading and writing skills for work, study and everyday life.
free course icon
level 1: introductory icon
Languages
Everyday English 2
This free course, Everyday English 2, will inspire you to improve your current English skills and help you to communicate more effectively in everyday work and life.
free course icon
level 1: introductory icon
Badge icon
Languages
How to learn a language
Learn about the concepts and skills required to learn languages successfully. This free course, How to learn a language, introduces the skills and strategies for language learning, setting realistic goals when learning languages and keeping motivated, practise speaking skills and vocabulary learning strategies. It will enable you to evaluate ...
free course icon
level 1: introductory icon
Badge icon
Digital & Computing
Digital skills: succeeding in a digital world
This free course, Digital skills: succeeding in a digital world, will develop your confidence and skills for life online, whether study, work or everyday life. It explores a range of digital skills and practices, including digital identity, digital well-being, staying safe and legal, finding and using information and online tools, and dealing ...
free course icon
level 1: introductory icon
Science, Maths & Technology
Preparing for your digital life in the 21st Century
This free course, Preparing for your digital life in the 21st Century, provides a general overview of how digital technology has come to dominate virtually every aspect of the modern world and some guidance on how to prepare for this digital life. It also provides a more detailed explanation of the internal structure and workings of a typical ...
free course icon
level 2: intermediate icon
Badge icon
Education & Development
Take your teaching online
In this free course, Take your teaching online, you will gain knowledge fundamental to delivering effective teaching online. You will hear about the experiences of real educators, be introduced to cutting edge research, and understand the ideas and tools that shape how we teach and learn online. You will also learn useful methods that will ...
free course icon
level 1: introductory icon
Badge icon
Languages
Describing language
This free course introduces you to the basics of describing language. Using examples from English, you’ll learn how words are built, how they fit together to make sentences, and what labels like noun, verb and adjective mean. You’ll see how language patterns in regular ways and how the meaning of a sentence is more than the sum of its parts. ...
free course icon
level 3: advanced icon
Badge icon
Education & Development
Becoming an ethical researcher
This free course, Becoming an ethical researcher, explores the ethics of planning, carrying out and reporting research which involves human participants. It will sensitise you to issues that a researcher should consider to support ethical and well-justified decision-making. A wide variety of research scenarios will be used to stimulate ...
article icon
Society, Politics & Law
Becoming a University of Sanctuary
This year, The Open University has been recognised as a University of Sanctuary. Neil Graffin, Senior Lecturer in Law, Head of Department and Chair of the Sanctuary Advisory Network at The OU, explains what this means.