The Online Courses (OC) team, part of the Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) team, was established in 2013 to design, develop and produce free, external-facing, Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) on the digital social learning platform FutureLearn. Exceeding more than a million enrolments across its diverse portfolio in 2019, the Online Courses team have collaborated with academic experts from Schools and Departments across the University and Henley Business School, to create more than 40 Open Online Courses (OOCs) and two small private, invitation-only courses (SPOCS). We have also produced collaborative courses with prestigious external organizations such as: The British Council, The Royal Meteorological Society, EIT Food and Historic Royal Palaces.
Our open courses are designed so that anyone in the world can access them with an internet connection. They offer learners an opportunity to explore their interests, develop professional skills, and discover brand-new topics.
We have also worked closely with academics, University Staff and students to develop a suite of courses to support potential applicants, their parents, carers, supporters, and our campus-based students. Our two private courses have been carefully tailored to support UoR students at important milestones in their academic life:
- Study Smart – is a three-week course to support incoming Part 1 UoR students make the most of their transition to university-level study.
- Career Smart – is a three-week course to prepare current students to make the important transition into the world of work.
Our two open online courses:
- Live Smart – is a three-week course to prepare pre-university students for the transition to higher education and think about the life skills for living at university and beyond.
- A Parent and Supporter’s Guide to University Entry – is a three-week course for parents and supporters to learn about the UK’s university application process and how to prepare their young person for university and the student journey