Don't give up, take up!
New year, new resolution? Why not try taking something up rather than giving something up? We've got a few ideas where you could get started - take a look at the FREE tools and courses below and, to discover more about how we can help you, watch our short animation on to make the most of OpenLearn (and discover how it helps OU students in different ways too)
Succeed in the workplace
Is this the year you put your career first? Check out our Badged Open Course, and if you are Returning to a STEM career, feast your eyes on our interactive toolkit. You can also check out our full collection of badged open courses on employability.
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Succeed in the workplace
Do you want to change jobs, are you just starting in the job market or may be returning after a break? If so, then this free course, Succeed in the workplace, is for you. It will help you explore career opportunities. You will also gain the skills to write strong CVs and application forms, and to handle different types of interviews. By the end ...
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Reboot your STEM career
Returning to a STEM career? Reboot your STEM career is a comprehensive interactive toolkit to help you relaunch your career and navigate your way back into the world of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths.
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Applying Psychology to Work
Please read the 'Welcome' article then explore the free resources in our hub.
Get writing
New year, new novel? Have you been itching to get your first novel started and haven't known where to begin? Well we know where - here! Start with Ten top tips for writing a novel. Then delve into the resources below:
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Start writing fiction: characters and stories
Start writing fiction is a free course that helps you to get started with your own fiction writing, focusing on the central skill of creating characters.
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Writing what you know
Do you want to improve your descriptive writing? This free course, Writing what you know, will help you to develop your perception of the world about you and enable you to see the familiar things in everyday life in a new light. You will also learn how authors use their own personal histories to form the basis of their work.
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Creative writing and critical reading
This free course, Creative writing and critical reading, explores the importance of reading as part of a creative writer’s development at the postgraduate level. You will gain inspiration and ideas from examining other writers’ methods, as well as enhancing your critical reading skills. Examples will cover the genres of fiction, creative ...
Choose health
Whether you've eaten too many mince pies over the Christmas break and need a health kick, or maybe you want to concentrate on your mental health and wellbeing this year instead - we've got you covered with our free courses and articles.
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Five reasons why you should care about mindfulness
Mindfulness is about focusing on the present moment, whilst at the same time accepting your feelings, thoughts, and body’s sensations. But why does mindfulness matter?
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The science of nutrition and healthy eating
This free course, The science of nutrition and healthy eating, looks at the science behind nutrition, covering aspects of biology, chemistry and physics as well as giving some insight into healthier eating. Reading food labels, choosing healthier foods, hydrating appropriately and understanding how we taste food will allow you to be more ...
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Five tips for relaxing during difficult times
Modern life can leave many of us feeling stressed out. Here Dr Mathijs Lucassen offers five tips so that you can relax.
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Five tips on how to plan new self-care routines
Dr Sharon Mallon explores what is meant by self-care before introducing you to some of the top inexpensive and time-effective ways that you can introduce self-care practices into your life.
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Veganism interactive
Veganism has been big news in recent years, and that trend looks set to continue. Explore the rise of veganism in this interactive, you will learn about how veganism relates to speciesism, the historical background to the vegan movement, and more.
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The science of alcohol
Alcohol plays a considerable part in the daily lives of humanity and has done for thousands of years. This free course, The science of alcohol, looks at the science behind the processes of brewing, distilling and vinification, and how many of our beverages are made. A historical aspect is also covered showing how the modern production techniques...
- Make sure you check out our Mind, Body, Media hub for a collection of free resources from Open University academics to ensure the wellbeing of you and your family.
Help others
Maybe you want to give something back to the community this year, or help an individual? Take a look at our free badged open course on volunteering and our interactive to help others stay safe online.
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Introducing the voluntary sector
This free course, Introducing the voluntary sector, will guide you through some of the distinctive features and values of the voluntary sector, how organisations are funded and involve volunteers and other ‘stakeholders’ in their work. It will also provide you with knowledge and skills you can apply to your own work or volunteering as well as ...
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Ministry of Sharing: Are you a safe sharer?
Are you a model citizen or a menace to society when it comes to divulging personal details? Take the test from the Ministry of Sharing and find out whether you share too much information.
More free courses on volunteering and cyber security:
Get fit
You can also get healthy by taking up more exercise; it doesn't have to be strenuous - it can be a brisk 20 minute walk everyday. Take a look at the boxes below for some inspiration and learn about the importance of recovery and rest before and after exercise.
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Recovery strategies in sport and exercise
The ability to recover quickly from an intensive training session or match can be extremely advantageous to sports performers. Sport and fitness participants are increasingly using strategies such as ice baths and compression clothing to enhance their recovery from intensive exercise, but how effective are these strategies? Do they really speed ...
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Training for endurance in sport and fitness
In this free course you will explore an important aspect of strength and conditioning which refers to the physical preparation of athletes: endurance. You will look at the physiological factors that underpin endurance and assess how endurance can be developed relative to performance in a range of sports.
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Issues in women's health in relation to sport and fitness
Explore some themes in women's sport in the following animations.
Learn a language
Feliz año nuevo! Time to expand your horizons and learn the lingo! Where in the world are you headed?
- Hafan: Exploring Welsh Language and Culture
- Beginners' Spanish: Food and Drink
- Intermediate German: The World of Work
- Beginners' Italian: Food and Drink
- Get ready for beginners' French
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Test your language skills: Spanish, French, Italian and German
How are your language skills? Heading off on a trip to Spain, France, Italy or Germany and want to know how you'd fare getting by? Find out with our virtual, interactive adventures and test your language skills on the way!
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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 ...
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Open Centre for Languages and Cultures
The Open Centre for Languages and Cultures: your learning hub for communication in an interconnected world.
Go greener and help the planet
We can all contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the environmental harms which result from burning fossil fuels, and other day-to-day services. Here are some helpful ideas to make greener choices for you and the planet from tackling everyday plastics pitfalls, to getting innovative with your dinner plate and more:
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Eating for the environment
This free course, Eating for the environment, will explore the links between food, nutrition and environmental sustainability.
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Going on a plastic diet
Sisters Against Plastic (Mary and Theresa) are ‘normal people’ who noticed just how much plastic they were using.
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Climate change
Climate change is a key issue on today's social and political agenda. This free course explores the basic science that underpins climate change and global warming.
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This is a year for productivity. I am enjoying several resources about open learn
& I am looking forward to seeing others learn to.