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Languages
Why has English taken over academia?
If English is globally squeezing out teaching in local languages, the fault isn't with the language but with economics. Anna Kristina Hultgren and Elizabeth J. Erling explain.
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History & The Arts
Discovering music: the blues
This free course, Discovering music: the blues, will introduce you to a musical tradition with roots in the nineteenth century but which is still relevant to making music today. You will learn about how the lyrics of blues songs reflect the social environment in which they were created, and about the musical techniques that underpin the ...
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level 2: intermediate icon
History & The Arts
Exploring books for children: words and pictures
Many people have fond memories of the stories they encountered in childhood, perhaps especially of those wonderful picture books and illustrated tales which fired our young imaginations and transported us to magical worlds. To an adult’s eye, some picture books may seem remarkably simple, even oversimplified. However, in this free course, ...
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History & The Arts
Health and wellbeing in the ancient world
This free course, Health and wellbeing in the ancient world, investigates the health of people in ancient Greece and Rome, using both literary and archaeological evidence to uncover details of real life in ancient societies.
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level 2: intermediate icon
History & The Arts
Reading Shakespeare's As You Like It
Do you enjoy watching Shakespeare's plays and like the idea of finding out more about them? This free course, Reading Shakespeare's As You Like It, will guide you through some of the most important speeches and scenes from one of Shakespeare's best-loved comedies.
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History & The Arts
Max Weber and the Protestant Ethic
The founder of sociology, Max Weber drilled in the value of hard work into our everyday ethic.
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Society, Politics & Law
Witnessing war through a smartphone lens
Wherever there are protests, conflicts and wars, the smartphone camera has become instrumental. Protests captured on camera can spark public debate and help trigger political change – as was the case with the Arab Spring.
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History & The Arts
The business of film
This free 12-hour course explores the intriguing world of film production, and illuminates the processes of film development, distribution and finance.
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History & The Arts
Life through a lens
Humans have changed their view of the world through lenses, we see further and closer thanks to the power of this wonderful invention, could you imagine life without lenses?
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level 2: intermediate icon
History & The Arts
Icarus: entering the world of myth
This free course, Icarus: entering the world of myth, will introduce you to one of the best-known myths from classical antiquity and its various re-tellings in later periods. You will begin by examining how the Icarus story connects with a number of other ancient myths, such as that of Theseus and the Minotaur. You will then be guided through an...
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History & The Arts
The Life of Saint Patrick
Who was Saint Patrick? This extract from Alban Butler's 18th Century work on the lives of the saints tells the story of Ireland's patron saint.
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OpenLearn Ireland
World Book Day
Calling all bookworms and budding writers... it's World Book Day. Mark the event with our free courses, articles, interactive quizzes and eBooks on OpenLearn.