Free learning

Learn about sport and fitness, children and young people’s lives and develop your teaching skills with our free courses

If you feel you need more knowledge and support to improve what you do but aren’t yet ready to commit to an undergraduate course, why not take a look at our free courses and teaching resources on OpenLearn and OpenLearn Cymru? 

Our courses are open to everyone so you can complete them free of charge and whenever is convenient for you. There are dozens of Education, Childhood, Youth and Sport courses and teaching resources that you can learn from, covering issues such as teaching online, child development, mental health and wellbeing and many more specific subject areas. They’ll open you up to big ideas about children and teaching, and support teachers in providing engaging lessons and a positive learning environment. And they’ll give you a taste of what OU learning is like, so you can decide if an undergraduate or postgraduate course is for you. 

You’ll get a free statement of participation on completion, so you can show your employer, potential employer, colleagues and yourself that you are engaged in your work, developing your career and deepening your knowledge to improve children’s lives. 

Find more about our courses for learners on OpenLearn and OpenLearn Cymru including:

• Explore sport coaching and psychology - explore the influence of coaching and psychology through the lens of sports people and teams who have been successful. 
• How do children learn the concept of race? – explore how children conceptualise the idea of race and respond to it 
• Ewch â’ch addysgu ar-lein - develop new skills and understanding in order to make the right decisions, make the most of the opportunities, and overcome common challenges. 
• Childhood in the digital age – consider the latest evidence from experts in the field and explore the potential benefits and limitations of technology for children. 
• Resources for primary school teachers and teaching assistants 
• Global perspectives on primary education - an introduction to comparative education studies and will compare and contrast primary schooling around the world 
• Engaging with postgraduate research: Education, childhood and youth - build on your understanding of how to evaluate research by thinking about a fundamental part of the research process: research perspectives and approaches.