Free courses
Produced by The Open University, a world leader in open and distance learning, all OpenLearn courses are free to study. We offer nearly 1000 free courses across 9 different subject areas. Our courses are available to start right away.
- All topics
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level 3: advanced icon
Science, Maths & Technology
Introduction to polymers
This free course, Introduction to polymers, examines the use of polymers and demonstrates how their properties are controlled by their molecular structure. You will learn how this structure determines which polymer to use for a particular product. You will also explore the manufacturing techniques used and the how the use of polymerisation can ...
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level 3: advanced icon
Science, Maths & Technology
Technology evaluation
The aim of this free course, Technology evaluation, is to provide you with the knowledge you need to develop and work with forms of evaluation that take full account of the contextual, conceptual and theoretical factors that underpin, inform and shape the evaluation and assessment of technology and technology-intensive projects and programmes.
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level 3: advanced icon
Science, Maths & Technology
Theories in technology evaluation
This free course, Theories in technology evaluation, is devoted to exploring and analysing the theoretical and political nature of evaluation and assessment. It introduces theories and paradigms that play important roles in how we design, conduct and use evaluations and assessments, and deals with the thorny issue of participation in evaluation.
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level 1: introductory icon
Science, Maths & Technology
Sound for music technology: An introduction
Whether you're a professional musician, play music with your friends on the weekends or just like to listen to CDs, music technology affects your life. In this free course, Sound for music technology: An introduction, you will learn some of the basics of music technology, starting with what sound is, how it is created and how it travels.
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level 1: introductory icon
Science, Maths & Technology
Creating musical sounds
Please note: This course contains several Flash activities which are no longer playable. These are being updated. This course can still be studied, but you may like to postpone your study for now if you would rather have the full experience.
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level 3: advanced icon
Science, Maths & Technology
Tay Bridge disaster
The sudden collapse of Scotland's Tay Bridge in 1879 killed more than 70 rail passengers and shocked the population. An extensive inquiry was carried out, including numerous witnesses, experts and reports. Were the high winds that night to blame, or were poor design or mechanical failure at fault? This free course re-examines some of the ...
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level 1: introductory icon
Science, Maths & Technology
Design thinking
Are you ever frustrated with something that you thought you could design better? This free course, Design thinking, will show you how to structure your natural creativity to come up with solutions to all kinds of problems, and have fun in the process too!
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level 1: introductory icon
Science, Maths & Technology
Exploring data: Graphs and numerical summaries
This free course, Exploring data: graphs and numerical summaries, will introduce you to a number of ways of representing data graphically and of summarising data numerically. You will learn the uses for pie charts, bar charts, histograms and scatterplots. You will also be introduced to various ways of summarising data and methods for assessing ...
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level 2: intermediate icon
Science, Maths & Technology
Interpreting data: Boxplots and tables
This free course, Interpreting data: Boxplots and tables, is concerned with two main topics. In Section 1, you will learn about another kind of graphical display, the boxplot. A boxplot is a fairly simple graphic, which displays certain summary statistics of a set of data. Boxplots are particularly useful for assessing quickly the location, ...
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level 3: advanced icon
Science, Maths & Technology
An introduction to complex numbers
In this free course, An introduction to complex numbers, you will learn how complex numbers are defined, examine their geometric representation and then move on to looking at the methods for finding the nth roots of complex numbers and the solutions to simple polynominal equations.
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level 3: advanced icon
Science, Maths & Technology
Surfaces
Surfaces are a special class of topological spaces that crop up in many places in the world of mathematics. In this free course, you will learn to classify surfaces and will be introduced to such concepts as homeomorphism, orientability, the Euler characteristic and the classification theorem of compact surfaces.
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level 2: intermediate icon
Science, Maths & Technology
Egyptian mathematics
The Egyptians are known for being ahead of their time in comparison to some civilisations that came after them. This free course, Egyptian mathematics, looks at how the Egyptians solved mathematical problems in everyday life and the technology they used. An understanding of this area has only been possible following the translation of the ...