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How to use FutureLearn

In this article, you will learn how to use FutureLearn to engage with course content and discuss the course with your fellow learners.

This may be the first course that you have undertaken on FutureLearn, or perhaps it is the first course you have taken online. Don’t worry: the platform is designed to be easy to navigate. If you have used Futurelearn before, simply scroll to the end of this page and click on the pink circle to move along with the course.

You can learn whenever and wherever you like, on any desktop, mobile or tablet device. You will be learning by watching videos with leading academics as well as reading teaching material, attempting games and activities, and taking part in discussions.

Comments and discussions

Learning from conversations is an important part of the FutureLearn approach. You will learn from discussions with other people taking part in the course, by reading their comments and responding with your own thoughts, which you can do on nearly all steps. Within some steps, there will be a more structured discussion. Although we will not be able to respond to every question, you may see comments and replies from the lead educator and course facilitators throughout the course.

Anyone enrolled in the course can comment and discuss the course material. If you find a comment which is really useful or interesting, click the Like button!

Remember: if you see someone else asking a question that you may have an answer for, be sure to engage with them in the comments section. You’ll be surprised by how much you can learn from each other!

Don’t forget, whilst robust debate is encouraged, it’s important that you follow the FutureLearn code of conduct and remain respectful of your fellow learners.

Follow others

If you want to keep track of another learner’s comments, click the Follow button next to their name (or on their profile page). We recommend that you follow the educators and moderators on this course:

Filtering comments

You can click to filter the comments on a step to only see:

  • Comments by people you are following
  • The most-liked comments
  • Your own comments

We will also be pinning comments to the top of the page that we feel are interesting to other learners, or comments we have replied to.

You might like to read these tips and tools for social learning, to you help you get the most from FutureLearn’s features.

Mark as Complete

When you reach the end of a step and have understood everything, Mark as complete. This will help you to keep track of which steps you’ve done.

Need More Help?

If you still have a question about how the site works, have a look at the FutureLearn help pages.

© Trinity College Dublin
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