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History & The Arts
Ten top tips for writing a novel
Got a novel bursting to get out? These tips from novelist and lecturer Sally O'Reilly may surprise you...
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level 1: introductory icon
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Money & Business
Understanding your sector
This free course, Understanding your sector, will help you to understand the difference between sectors, industries and professions. It will also help you to gain the inside knowledge to impress in applications and at interviews and to put together an action plan that is tailored to you.
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level 2: intermediate icon
Science, Maths & Technology
An introduction to electronics
Electronics is fundamental to modern life. Using an interactive website, videos, and easy-to-use electronic circuit design and simulation software, this free course, An introduction to electronics, will show how electronic devices and systems pervade everything we do, and teach some of the basic ideas.
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level 1: introductory icon
Science, Maths & Technology
What is a metal?
This free course, What is a metal? explores the main characteristic properties of metals and their varied use in our everyday lives. Each metal has its own personal signature and you will undertake an online experiment to identify individual metals.
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Society, Politics & Law
Is democracy a good thing?
Is democracy the best way to select who runs our country? Is it unequivocally a good thing? Professor Derek Matravers discusses Plato's argument against democracy.
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level 1: introductory icon
Money & Business
Sure, I know how to talk to people!
This free course is one in a series focusing on leadership, decision-making and communication in the context of policing within the community. This particular session focuses on communication skills and specifically looks at how to build rapport and get the most out of conversations in community settings. It introduces a psychological model ...
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Money & Business
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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Digital & Computing
Seeing the internet
How do we see the internet? Gillian Rose explores why some artists and campaigners think it's important that the internet is made more visible.
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level 1: introductory icon
Science, Maths & Technology
What are waves?
This free course, What are waves? explains what waves are. It describes different types of wave as well as their properties. You can listen to the song of a humpback whale and learn about the process of echolocation which is used by dolphins to locate their food. You will also conduct your own online research into how bats use echolocation to ...
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level 2: intermediate icon
Science, Maths & Technology
What chemical compounds might be present in drinking water?
Do you want to know what’s in the water that you drink? This free course, What chemical compounds might be present in drinking water?, examines the chemical compounds that occur in drinking water. A high level of certain anions in water can cause environmental pollution and health problems. Cations are also important. For example, calcium salts ...
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level 2: intermediate icon
Society, Politics & Law
What is politics?
This free course, What is politics?, introduces you to the world of politics. It is dedicated primarily to answering the question of what politics is. Although the question might seem rather simple, it elicits various, often contradictory responses. As you will realise, in politics as in much of the humanities and social sciences definitive ...
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History & The Arts
An introduction to music theory
Gain an understanding of the basic building blocks of musical theory and notation. This free course, An introduction to music theory, will introduce you to music staves, clefs, rhythmic and pitch values, rhythmic metre and time signatures. This OpenLearn course provides an introduction to music theory pitched at a level equivalent to Grades 1–3 ...