FutureLearn is an online higher education learning platform owned by the Open University, which offers a diverse selection of courses from leading universities and cultural institutions from around the world.

These are delivered one step at a time, and are accessible on mobile, tablet and desktop, so you can fit learning around your life.

Unionlearn has been promoting FutureLearn for some time now, and not a group to miss an opportunity, many members of TUC and unionlearn staff have been trying out various courses.

Many of the courses taken up by unionlearn staff have been to gain new skills that could help at work and support learners, but a lot have also been for personal interest and to learn something new.

Lianne Warnell is the TUC Intranet and Web Officer and found out about the courses from the TUC own Union Learning Rep internal staff network.

Lianne said;

I initially signed up for 'Exercise Prescription for the Prevention and Treatment of Disease' – I recently qualified as a Level 2 gym instructor so am interested in learning more about the benefits of exercise, particularly around mental health. I am also signed up for courses on 'Cognitive Behaviour Therapy' and 'Nutrition' later in the year.”

Lianne liked FutureLearn because;

It’s easily accessible, bite sized modules. I have been dipping in and out of it on my phone on my commute to work. It’ self-paced with no pressure to finish it within the time scale. There are also good discussions from other participants on the course.”

Jane Warwick is a unionlearn Projects Officer and initially came across FutureLearn on a web search a few years back and has been promoting it via unionlearns social media to people ever since.

Jane has done a number of courses including 'Start Writing Fiction', 'Blended Learning', 'Why do we age? The Molecular Mechanisms of Ageing' and likes the FutureLearn model because;

 They are short online courses that you can tap into at a time and place that suits me and my commitments. The range of courses is so wide that there is always something there to encourage me to learn more. I am sure I will register for another course as soon as my current course is finished.”

Keith Hatch is National Projects Support Communications Officer and had been studying FutureLearn courses for a while.

I first came across FutureLearn when working with the South West TUC on a Green Workplaces Project and was looking for a course on the basics of Climate Change that busy reps would be able to fit around work. The introduction course run by FutureLearn was ideal, and as well as circulating it I signed up myself to make sure it would work for reps.

It was a very well put together resource and since then I’ve done a few more. They are also ideal for Learning Centres as groups of learners can sign up to a course and support each other while they learn."

Unionlearn are continuing to build links with FutureLearn so why not have a look at the website and see if anything that takes your fancy, as Lianne said;

The range of courses that Futurelearn has is vast, there is pretty much something for everyone.

Just sign up! The courses are free, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain!"

To find out more and see what FutureLearn has to offer – just click on the following link: https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/categories?utm_source=TUC&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=AllCourses