This content is associated with The Open University's Open degree qualification.                          

In the hub

The OpenLearning Champions Scotland hub is designed to be a key resource for you and the learners that you support. We know OpenLearn is amazing with over 1,000 free learning resources, from short activities to longer badged courses, but we also know that when you begin your learning journey it can seem overwhelming. Therefore, this hub is broken down into key sections with a curated selection of courses as a starting point for exploration: 

• Articles: shorter activities across a range of different topics from mindfulness to resources for online safety.
• Shorter level 1 courses through to longer level 1 courses: level 1 courses are suitable for most learners and we have courses from 1-24 hours across all our subjects.
• Next Steps & future pathway options: courses to support learners who want to move onto further study either with the Open University or other providers. For example: 
  • a. Where to take your learning next – information about 1st stage OU courses including our Access courses. 
  • b. Essential Skills for Open University study.
• Scotland resources: courses focused on Scottish history, language and culture.
• Links to key OpenLearn Hubs – such as our Mental health and wellbeing hub.

OpenLearn Create

There are some extremely useful resources on OpenLearn Create which may support learners who need a gentler introduction to online learning, including the following: 

• Everyday computer skills: developed in partnership with LEAD to equip people with the skills and knowledge they need to get started in a digital world.
• Essential skills for online learning: this resource, developed by The University of Manchester Library, will help you to develop skills to get the most out of being an online learner.

Resources for you

The online course Become an OpenLearning champion has a range of resources that will help you to support your learners: 

• Everything you need to know: an overview of using OpenLearn including course types, accessibility information and future pathway options. This is also available as a downloadable PDF (1.6 MB) .
• Longer list of level 0 and level 1 courses (21.1 KB) .
• A course choice discussion (63.8 KB) and learning progress review (14.2 KB) template: adapt as needed.
• Document with QR codes (241.5 KB) that can be used to access the full range of learner interactives as of May 2023.
• Links to external digital accessibility resources My computer my way and Diversity and ability.
• This OpenLearning champions forum is for you - you are part of a wonderful, vibrant and energetic community of practitioners dispersed across the whole of Scotland. We are really keen to enhance your connection to other champions and to ensure you're able to support and learn from your peers to enhance your practice and outcomes for your learners. To make this a vibrant helpful resource we encourage you to post regularly either raising a question others may be able to help with, sharing something you've learned that others may benefit from, or commenting and supporting in building this community. Evidence of the way OpenLearn Champions is supporting Scotland's learners helps us to make the case to continue our work in this space. We welcome feedback about how to build a vibrant, supportive community of OLCs. 

At any stage if you have any queries you can contact us via scotland-engagement@open.ac.uk