Sign up now at https://www.futurelearn.com/co....urses/online-learnin 'Get Started with Online Learning' is a free online course by The Open University available on FutureLearn.com.

This free online course will explain how you can study online without putting the rest of your life on hold.

The internet is playing a bigger role in our lives, as we buy our groceries, manage our finances, share social experiences and otherwise live our lives online. But how many of us have considered studying online?

In this free online course, you will find out what online learning is and what it can offer you. You’ll discover the skills required for online study and evaluate your own study skillset. You’ll also examine how students form online communities and how they benefit from flexible study arrangements while still being supported by dedicated tutors.

Studying online takes advantage of technology to simulate or improve upon traditional methods of teaching. This course draws on the expertise of The Open University to introduce you to some of these teaching methods, including looking at two periods of European history, teaching chemistry through the online OpenScience Laboratory and using free apps to practise writing Chinese characters.

Studying at a campus university isn’t for everyone. If you have caring responsibilities, want to re-skill to change careers or develop professionally, or simply wish to earn while you learn, then online study may be for you.