• University of Leeds

Learning Online: Learning and Collaborating

Become an effective online learner and develop your online communication skills when working with others.

67,119 enrolled on this course

Communicating effectively online graphic
  • Duration

    2 weeks
  • Weekly study

    2 hours

Online learning is likely to be important for you in the future, either at university or in the workplace. Learning online is different to learning in the classroom as it requires different skills. This course will help you to develop those skills, showing you how to learn and communicate effectively in an online environment.

This course is just one of a series about ‘learning online’, which introduces you to the essential skills and tools you need to study effectively online.

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What topics will you cover?

  • Learning environments: an introduction to VLEs and MOOCs
  • The learning journey and the differences between classroom-based and online learning
  • Techniques for learning effectively online
  • Using discussions to aid online learning
  • Collaborating online: using wikis and other collaborative tools

When would you like to start?

Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.

  • Available now

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Assess your current level of confidence with learning online.
  • Explore the online learning that is available via search engines, video channels and social media.
  • Explore more formal online learning environments such as VLEs and contribute to the discussion regarding your experiences.
  • Explore MOOCs, and identify the importance of the learning journey and defining personal learning goals.
  • Reflect on the factors which help you to learn effectively online.
  • Identify the implications of not using online communications effectively.
  • Assess your knowledge of learning by video using short quizzes.
  • Explore online profiles and understand how to make the most of learning discussion forums.
  • Explore the value of working collaboratively with others online by contributing to online discussions.
  • Explore tools such as wikis, pinboards and reports to collaborate online.
  • Assess your post-course confidence with learning online by participating in the test which concludes the course.

Who is the course for?

This course is part of the Going to University collection which has been specifically designed for schools and colleges. The course can be used as a teachers’ classroom enrichment resource or can be studied independently by students.

Who will you learn with?

Dean of Digital Education and Professor of Educational Technology at the University of Leeds. For more information see: https://essl.leeds.ac.uk/education/staff/156/professor-neil-morris

My role is Head of Digital Education at the University of Leeds. I work with a team of 50 and our remit is to to develop innovative online courses.

Who developed the course?

University of Leeds

As one of the UK’s largest research-based universities, the University of Leeds is a member of the prestigious Russell Group and a centre of excellence for teaching.

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

Want to know more about learning on FutureLearn? Using FutureLearn

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