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Languages
Exploring languages and cultures
Explore the multiple relationships between languages and cultures. In this free course you will learn about the benefits and challenges of meeting people from different cultures and the ways in which language and human communities shape each other. You will look at the role of intercultural competence at the workplace, reflect on the use of ...
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Money & Business
Empowering communities
This free course, Empowering communities, discusses the most common forms of community empowerment, and explores the barriers to community empowerment and ways that these can be overcome. It will conclude by looking at crime and criminality: a particular challenge that can arise if communities are not sufficiently empowered and supported.
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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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Society, Politics & Law
How to read the news
Five tips to help you identify ‘fake news’ and think critically about our media-saturated society.
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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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Health, Sports & Psychology
Is my child being exploited? How to spot the signs
Learn to differentiate between typical child and adolescent development and what could be the signs of child criminal exploitation in this short animation and article.
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Society, Politics & Law
Applying social work law with children and families
This course will introduce you to the law as it applies to social work with children and families in the United Kingdom. You will learn about varying definitions of childhood and family and then explore underpinning principles of the law relating to child rights and parental responsibilities. You will look at the key legislation relating to ...
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Money & Business
Diversity and inclusion in the workplace
Do you feel concerned about a lack of diversity in your workplace? Is this something you want to address? Perhaps you’d like to feel more informed on a personal level before taking it further organisationally? This free course introduces you to the benefits and complexities of developing and supporting a diverse and inclusive workforce. It ...
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Nature & Environment
Sustainability Hub
Learn about living sustainably with this collection of free courses, articles, interactives and films from The Open University.
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Society, Politics & Law
Inequality: Have your say
Does the pursuit of growth increase inequality? How much inequality is too much inequality? Take an interactive tour through the different positions on these matters in our fictional country Economica, and have your say!
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Digital & Computing
Free resources for a safer online experience
Safer Internet Day is celebrated on 11 February, and Cyber Security Awareness Month takes place in October. To mark these events, we've pulled together some of our top FREE courses on cyber security, interactives on safe sharing and cyberbullying, and resources on keeping your money safe from scams.
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Nature & Environment
Climate change and renewable energy
Human-induced climate change and resulting extreme weather events are an increasing and serious threat to the Earth’s ecosystems. This free course, Climate Change and Renewable Energy, describes the basic science of the greenhouse effect and how it has been modified by human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels. It describes the ...