Using the course

If this is your first FutureLearn course, please review the ‘How it works’ quick start guide.

Below is the ‘Mark as complete’ tab. You’ll see one of these after each step on FutureLearn. Steps are small sections of the course. Every step has space for conversation and debate: the ‘Comments’ area. While some steps are set up specifically as discussions, it’s possible to discuss any step in the ‘Comments’ area.

When you feel you are happy with the material and ideas covered in a step, please ‘Mark as complete’. You can then either choose ‘Next’ to move on to the next step, or return to the week by choosing the ‘To do’ tab at the top of each page. You can always come back to a step even after the end of the course.

Note that some course steps include optional reading lists which you may find useful for further study. These, in addition to slides, are available as a PDF file in the ‘Downloads’ section of relevant steps. Video transcripts are available beneath the video player. We have, when relevant, highlighted further reading or viewing material in the ‘See Also’ section. English subtitles are available for each video, and can be accessed via the second from the right icon in the player controls.

How will we learn?

Throughout the course’s six week duration we will use articles, mini-lectures, interviews with experts in the field, and provide links to further reading. We encourage you to assess your learning through quizzes and share your experiences and views through discussion with fellow learners and the course team.

There is no single way to approach the course that guarantees success. The way you learn depends on many factors and will not necessarily be the same as others. However, the course will give you plenty of opportunities to discuss your ideas and methods with other learners, and you might like to ensure that you’re prepared for this.

Active learning is a good way to maintain enthusiasm and gain confidence about your studies. Active learners don’t just read or watch course materials but find other ways to engage with them. For example:

• taking notes on the course materials. Which aspects are most meaningful to you, and which are you struggling to understand?
• working out connections between the current step and previous ones to help build a clearer picture of a topic.
• asking yourself questions about what you’re learning and how it relates to your own experiences.
• discussing your learning with others, and considering how you can apply new knowledge to your work.
• explaining what you have learnt to others if they are struggling.

In summary, the most important aspect of learning how to learn is to think about it. In addition, you might like to read 6 tips and tools for social learning on FutureLearn to help you get the most out the platform’s social learning features.

Join the discussion

Anyone enrolled on the course can comment and discuss the course material, and we will regularly prompt you for your thoughts and ideas outside of designated Discussion steps. You can contribute to these conversations as and when you are able to.

To see all the comments on a particular step, click the pink speech bubble icon and the comments will be revealed. The number next to this icon tells you how many comments there are for this step. If you find a comment which is really useful or interesting, click the Like button!

Would you like a certificate?

If you want to record your achievements in the course you can buy a Certificate of Achievement from FutureLearn.

The Certificate of Achievement is a great way to prove what you have learned and can act as evidence of your Continuing Professional Development. This is a personalised certificate and transcript, detailing the syllabus and learning outcomes of the course. It comes as a printed certificate and features a digital version that can be added to your LinkedIn profile. To be eligible, you must mark at least 90% of the steps in this course as complete.

There is also the option to purchase a personalised Statement of Participation to celebrate taking part. To be eligible for the Statement of Participation, you must mark at least 50% of the steps on the course as complete. This also comes in a printed and digital format that can be added to your LinkedIn profile.

Survey

We would be very grateful if you would take a couple of minutes to complete the pre-course survey. This will help us to understand your goals and expectations as learners, and to provide the best possible educational experience.