UK’s FutureLearn delivers free university courses online

Compiled by Ipsita Sarkar Gupta | shiksha.com

More than 20 British universities have launched UK's biggest online university project – FutureLearn. Terming it “unique social online learning experience, delivering free university courses to learners around the world”, FutureLearn is a part of massive open online courses (MOOCs).

The launch of FutureLearn sees 21 UK universities, plus Trinity College Dublin and Monash University in Australia, offering open courses. Indian students are one of the highest enrollers in Britain's MOOCs. The other top countries in terms of registrations are Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Greece, Ireland, Spain, UK and US. 

Currently, the beta version of the website is available and will run until early 2014. Learners will be able to sign up for a selection of courses from FutureLearn’s university partners, with learner feedback used to inform the ongoing development of the website.The FutureLearn platform aims to fulfil such overseas demand for university courses. Students can access materials through British Library, British Museum and British Council. Students can pursue the courses both on smartphones, tablets and computers.

According to Simon Nelson, CEO, FutureLearn, “We wanted to make FutureLearn a fresh, different and enjoyable user experience. We have designed the website in line with principles of effective learning, such as storytelling, discussions and celebrating progress. We decided to go live with FutureLearn now, in an open testing phase, so that we can remain responsive to learners as we continue to develop the website.”

As per the official statement, some of FutureLearn’s key features include:

• Inspiring and rich learning material
• Community learning
• Contextual feedback for learners
• Course creator and analytics dashboard
• Record of learning

Courses

A list of pilot courses from 20 of FutureLearn’s partner institutions is available for learners to sign up for now, with eight scheduled to begin between October and December, 2013:

• Begin Programming: Build Your First Mobile Game, from Reading University
• England in the Time of King Richard III, from Leicester University
• Fairness And Nature: When Worlds Collide, from Leeds University
• The Mind Is Flat: The Shocking Shallowness of Human Psychology, from Warwick University
• Improving Your Image: Dental Photography in Practice, from Birmingham University
• Introduction To Ecosystems, from The Open University
• The Secret Power of Brands, from University Of East Anglia
• Web Science: How the Web is Changing the World, from Southampton University

Globally, MOOCs have had a major impact. Some of the popular learning platforms are Coursera, set up by Stanford academics in California and backed by venture capital, and edX, an MIT–Harvard project.