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Society, Politics & Law
Scottish courts and the law
This free course, Scottish courts and the law, explores the role, function and purpose of the courts in Scotland and their relationship with the law. You consider the way in which cases come to court, the difference between the criminal and civil justice systems, the separation of powers, how individuals may become involved with the court ...
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Digital & Computing
Introducing computing and IT
Explore how computing and IT shape our digital world with this free introductory course. Learn how computers work, how data is stored and deleted, and why online safety and data security matter while gaining a deeper understanding of how technology influences the way we live and think.
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Money & Business
Collaborative problem solving for community safety
This free course, Collaborative problem solving for community safety, offers a range of techniques for community police officers, other community-based public service professionals and members of community groups working to solve problems collaboratively and creatively. It examines some of the ways which OU specialists in creative problem ...
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Money & Business
Collective leadership
This free course, Collective leadership, will give you an insight into the importance of how to be a more effective leader, and how to better engage and work with ‘followers’ in an organisational setting.
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Money & Business
Step up to leadership
This free course is one in a series focusing on leadership, decision-making and communication in the context of policing with the community. This particular course focuses on the challenge of leadership and leading change in an ever-changing policing context. It provides insights to help individuals become more effective leaders of teams ...
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Money & Business
The importance of interpersonal skills
To succeed in management you need good interpersonal skills, you need to understand how to deal with other people. This free course, The importance of interpersonal skills, will help you gain an awareness of your own skills and understand that an awareness of the interpersonal skills of others can help us enormously in dealing with the work ...
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Education & Development
Careers education and guidance
Successful transitions – whether from lower secondary to upper secondary, into work-based training or university, or into work at any age – are life-enhancing for individuals and crucial to our future social and economic well-being. They are also an indicator of a good school. This free course, Careers education and guidance (CEG), discusses ...
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Health, Sports & Psychology
Perspectives on social work: individual stories
In this series of four interviews you will watch a service user, a carer, a social worker and a social work manager talking about their different experiences. The interviews will illustrate the importance of listening to people’s stories, the importance of relationship in social work practice, and the importance of the context in which social ...
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Health, Sports & Psychology
Storïau unigol: safbwyntiau ar waith cymdeithasol
Yn y gyfres hon o bedwar cyfweliad, byddwch yn gwylio defnyddiwr gwasanaeth, gofalwr, gweithiwr cymdeithasol a rheolwr gwaith cymdeithasol yn siarad am eu profiadau gwahanol. Bydd y cyfweliadau'n dangos pwysigrwydd gwrando ar storïau pobl, pwysigrwydd cydberthnasau mewn ymarfer gwaith cymdeithasol a phwysigrwydd cyd-destun yr ymarfer gwaith ...
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Education & Development
Teaching mathematics
This free course, Teaching mathematics, has been designed for non-specialist mathematics teachers of 8 to 14 year olds, teaching assistants, home schoolers and parents and draws on the established provision of mathematics education at the Open University. It can also be used as Continuing Professional Development by individuals or groups ...
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Education & Development
Global perspectives on primary education
This free course, Global perspectives on primary education, provides an introduction to comparative education studies and will compare and contrast primary schooling around the world. You will look into classrooms and hear from teachers, teacher educators and policy makers from a range of education settings and countries. You will also learn ...
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Money & Business
You and your money
An important aspect of personal finance is the way in which individuals and households manage their debt, how much it costs and the different types of credit they can or cannot access. This free course, You and your money, explores these issues, with respect to the wider, changing, social and economic context.
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Health, Sports & Psychology
Lottery of birth
This free course, Lottery of birth, will look at both the big picture of the ‘lottery of birth’ and the smaller, human stories. You will examine the inequalities of birth, particularly being born rich or poor and being born female or male.
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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 ...
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Money & Business
Understanding organisational value
All organisations must find new ways that benefit both their stakeholders and society. This means constantly improving their processes, goods and services. In the 21st century, new ideals of collaboration, inclusion, and equality are challenging more narrow market-based notions. This free course, Understanding organisational value, will explore ...
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Digital & Computing
Digital thinking tools for better decision making
Ever since the very beginning of humanity, tools have played a pivotal role in who we are and what we do. Tools for recording, processing and communicating information have a time-honoured history – from the clay tokens used in Mesopotamia to mechanical calculating machines. The invention of the digital computer has boosted the scale, speed and ...
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Nature & Environment
Microbes – friend or foe?
Microbes often get a bad name. Whilst some of them do cause disease, others play vital roles in recycling nutrients in the soil to enable plants to grow, and in breaking down human waste. Without microbes, we would have no beer, no yoghurt, no coffee. That's quite impressive for something too small to see. This free course, Microbes friend or ...
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Nature & Environment
Eating for the environment
This free course, Eating for the environment, will explore the links between food, nutrition and environmental sustainability.