2,164 search results

The ‘boundarylessness’ of African-Caribbean religions
History & The Arts

The ‘boundarylessness’ of African-Caribbean religions

...introduction to the inception and development of African-Caribbean religions and cultures. It focuses in particular on Cuban Santeria, on Vodou in Haiti and on Rastafari in Jamaica, which are the most popularly known African-Caribbean religions. Their inception was the result of a clash, with the mixing and blending of African and European religions, cultures and...
Hidden soil allies – fungi that help plants face drought
Nature & Environment

Hidden soil allies – fungi that help plants face drought

...Introduction Imagine preparing a soup without water: you can have the best ingredients, but nothing cooks properly. Plants face a similar challenge when the soil is dry: they can’t photosynthesise their growth without water and nutrients. Climate change means that these dry spells are becoming more common, putting agriculture under great stress, but plants are not alone...
What do historians do?
History & The Arts

What do historians do?

...Introduction - What do you imagine when you think of a historian? Figure 1 shows Asa Briggs (1921–2016), an influential and successful historian, a Cambridge and London University graduate, former soldier, codebreaker at Bletchley Park and the third Chancellor of The Open University (1978–1994). Asa probably fits many people’s ideas of how a friendly historian might...
Level 3: Advanced 6 hrs
Enhancing pupil learning on museum visits
Education & Development

Enhancing pupil learning on museum visits

...Introduction - Museums give children experiences above and beyond the everyday – experiences that enrich and build upon classroom teaching and learning. Taking pupils to a museum, or bringing museum artefacts into school, instantly changes the dynamics of the usual learning environment. It gives you as a teacher the opportunity to start afresh with each child, to reach...
Democracy? You think you know?
Education & Development

Democracy? You think you know?

...Introduction - Participating in the democratic processes is seen as being a fundamental aspect of citizenship. All pupils need a broad knowledge and understanding of the rights, responsibilities and duties of citizens, as well as an understanding of forms of government. Notions of citizenship have been forged alongside the expansion of the right to vote and the...
Level 2: Intermediate 8 hrs
Innovation in health and social care: social and historical
Health, Sports & Psychology

Innovation in health and social care: social and historical

...Introduction - In this free course on digital technologies and innovations in health and social care you will explore the types of innovations that are available and the impact this has on the individuals using them. This will provide you with insight into the potential advantages and disadvantages involved. Technology has fundamentally changed the way we live. The...
Youth justice in the UK: children, young people and crime Badge icon
Education & Development

Youth justice in the UK: children, young people and crime

...manage your digital badges online from My OpenLearn. In addition, you can download and print your OpenLearn statement of participation – which also displays your Open University badge. The Open University would really appreciate a few minutes of your time to tell us about yourself and your expectations for the course before you begin, in our start-of-course survey. Once...
Passports: identity and airports
Society, Politics & Law

Passports: identity and airports

...Introduction - We are all familiar with passports, but what can a sociological analysis tell us about these everyday objects? This free course, Passports: identity and airports, explores how the passport became a commonplace item and how material objects, such as the passport, have come to mediate modern air travel. Passports may seem like unremarkable everyday objects,...
Level 2: Intermediate 8 hrs