Introduction
For the CIPD (Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes Branch) and their Learning Matters event titled ‘Digital and Open Learning: Supporting your learning and professional development’ held on 12th May 2020, I have compiled a list of resources in this blog-post for the participants and others who are interested in MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) and other Open Educational Resources (OERs) for learning and professional development.
Some of the resources/websites included below have been set up to support the workforce during the Coronavirus pandemic. These portals provide links to various opportunities available for lifelong learning and continuing professional development which will be useful beyond the current crisis that we are facing.
Since Virtual Reality and other immersive technologies are increasingly being used in training in workplaces, I have included some resources related to Virtual Reality (VR) and the role it can play in professional development.
Links to resources in this blog
Since it is a long blog-post, the links in this section will enable easy access to topics within the blog-post based on your interests:
Presentation of the CIPD event (12th May)
Open educational resources for professional development
Presentation
The pdf file of the presentation of the event is here: CIPD 12th May Presentation.
Open Educational Resources for Professional Development
OpenLearn, https://www.open.edu/openlearn/
OpenLearn Wales, https://www.open.edu/openlearn/openlearn-wales
OpenLearn Scotland, http://www.open.ac.uk/scotland/study/free-online-learning/openlearn-scotland
FutureLearn, https://www.futurelearn.com
Coursera, https://www.coursera.org/
LinkedIn Learning, https://www.linkedin.com/learning/me
reed.co.uk, Free courses, https://www.reed.co.uk/courses/free
Mental health and wellbeing
Online mental health, https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/online-mental-health/online-relationships/
Support to the workforce during the COVID19 pandemic
The Skills Toolkit, gov.uk
The Skills Toolkit, Free digital and numeracy courses to build your skills, https://theskillstoolkit.campaign.gov.uk
Wales
The Open University in Wales helps provide online training for furloughed workforce during coronavirus pandemic, http://www.open.ac.uk/wales/en/news/open-university-wales-helps-provide-online-training-furloughed-workforce-during-coronavirus
Working Wales, Furlough Support, https://workingwales.gov.wales/change-your-story/furlough-support
NPTC Group of Colleges, in collaboration with Coleg Cambria, Coleg Gwent and Adult Learning Wales, has partnered with The Open University in Wales to launch a new package of online courses in everyday maths and English skills (7 July 2020). https://www.fenews.co.uk/press-releases/50899-nptc-group-of-colleges-partners-to-deliver-everyday-skills
Northern Ireland
Economy Minister announces details of free online courses for furloughed workers, Northern Ireland, https://www.economy-ni.gov.uk/news/economy-minister-announces-details-free-online-courses-furloughed-workers
Northern Ireland Direct Government Services, https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/online-training-support
Scotland
My world of work, Scotland, https://www.myworldofwork.co.uk/learn-and-train/find-free-online-courses
Commonwealth of Learning
Keeping the doors of learning open COVID-19, https://www.col.org/resources/keeping-doors-learning-open-covid-19
Others
5 skills you could learn whilst on furlough leave, https://www.hrzone.com/community/blogs/yvonne-smyth/5-skills-you-could-learn-whilst-on-furlough-leave
Chloe Burroughs, graduate ambassador for The Open University, contributes to this article on tips for students to succeed with independent study https://www.aatcomment.org.uk/audience/students/5-tips-for-successful-independent-study/
News Stories
Simon Tindall, head of skills and innovation at The Open University, talks about how COVID-19 has been the catalyst to boosting online learning in business., https://edtechnology.co.uk/covid-19/businesses-wholeheartedly-faith-remote-working-the-open-university/
Extra OU free courses will boost Government’s skills initiative, (2 June 2020), The Open University is adding to its suite of free courses on the UK Government’s website to help build skills in the wake of the pandemic and aid vital recovery efforts among employees and employers, https://ounews.co/around-ou/ou-speaks-out/extra-ou-free-courses-will-boost-governments-skills-initiative/
UK Learns launches, offering UK workers £5m of free online courses to kickstart new skills and career opportunities (19 May 2020), https://www.pearson.com/uk/about-us/news-and-policy/news/2020/05/uk-learns-launches.html
Employees upskilling from home during pandemic (19 May 2020), https://www.hrmagazine.co.uk/article-details/employees-upskilling-from-home-during-pandemic
The Open University’s free learning platform receives record number of visitors (April 2020), http://www.open.ac.uk/northern-ireland/news/open-university’s-free-learning-platform-receives-record-number-visitors-0
The best free online courses to do during lockdown - including the Open University and Reed (23 April 2020), https://www.wandsworthguardian.co.uk/news/national/uk_today/18396553.learning-lockdown-best-free-online-courses/
New free online learning platform to boost workplace skills (28 April 2020), https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-free-online-learning-platform-to-boost-workplace-skills
Coronavirus latest: Interest surges in Open University online courses as fearful workers seek new skills (16 May 2020), https://inews.co.uk/news/business/coronavirus-latest-interest-open-university-online-courses-fearful-workers-skills-improvement-2855459
Digital Engineering Skills Platform Launched with Made Smarter (18 May 2020), https://enginuity.org/news/digital-engineering-skills-platform/
L&D in an uncertain future (18 May 2020), https://www.cipd.co.uk/news-views/coronavirus/webinars/learning-development-uncertain-future-18-may-2020
Has Covid-19 sparked an L&D revolution? (4 June 2020), https://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/long-reads/articles/covid-19-caused-learning-development-revolution
Impact case studies
Social Enterprise: Growing a sustainable business
Course on Social Enterprise on FutureLearn, https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/social-enterprise-sustainable-business
Case Study (British Council): https://www.pioneerspost.com/news-views/20200305/how-online-training-revolutionising-social-enterprise-start-support
Educating at Scale for Sustainable Development and Social Enterprise Growth: The Impact of Online Learning and a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/8/3247
Micro-credentials and benefit to businesses
FutureLearn has launched four new industry-accredited microcredentials, in order to help individuals build digital skills and help future-proof their careers. https://www.fenews.co.uk/press-releases/48598-futurelearn-and-coventry-university-launches-suite-of-technology-focused-microcredentials-to-upskill-learners-around-the-world
How can businesses benefit from microcredentials? https://www.ufi.co.uk/blog/how-can-businesses-benefit-microcredentials
Academic papers and reports
MOOC and the workplace: key support elements in digital lifelong learning, http://oro.open.ac.uk/59662/
How Directing Formal Students to Institutionally-Delivered OER Supports their Success, https://jl4d.org/index.php/ejl4d/article/view/365
European MOOC Consortium, https://emc.eadtu.eu/news This web-link points to a number of reports of the consortium on the role of MOOCs in the labour market and how one can choose a MOOC for corporate learning and development.
Guidance on Open Educational Practices during School Closures: Utilizing OER (Open Educational Resources) under COVID-19 Pandemic in line with UNESCO OER Recommendation (May 2020), https://iite.unesco.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Guidance-on-Open-Educational-Practices-during-School-Closures-English-Version-V1_0.pdf
Virtual Reality in Workplace Training
case studies
No smoke, no water, no waste. VR could train the next generation of firefighters, https://edition.cnn.com/2020/01/29/tech/virtual-reality-firefighter-training/index.html
Rail Week: five times tech changed the railway, Network Rail, https://www.networkrail.co.uk/stories/rail-week-five-times-tech-changed-the-railway
IWD: Q&A with Kathryn Bishop – virtual reality (Network Rail), https://www.networkrail.co.uk/stories/iwd-qa-with-kathryn-bishop-virtual-reality/
17,000 doctors and nurses training during COVID-19 using virtual simulation technology, http://www.spinalsurgerynews.com/2020/03/17000-doctors-and-nurses-training-during-covid-19-using-virtual-simulation-technology/54598
News stories and Market reports
Jacobs, E. (2019) ‘Can virtual reality inject more life into workplace training?’, https://www.ft.com/content/2eece242-dddd-11e9-9743-db5a370481bc
Virtual Reality (VR) Market - GROWTH, TRENDS, AND FORECAST (2020 - 2025), https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/virtual-reality-market
StoryFutures Academy Launches Skills for Immersive Experience Creation Report, https://www.storyfutures.com/news/skills-report
How augmented reality is infiltrating the world of HR, https://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/long-reads/articles/augmented-reality-infiltrating-world-hr
Seeing is believing How VR and AR will transform business and the economy, https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/industries/technology/publications/economic-impact-of-vr-ar.html
Skills for Immersive Experience Creation Skills Report, January 28th 2020, https://www.storyfutures.com/resources
“The UK is already assuming a healthy share of this global market (around 9%) with over 1250 specialist immersive companies, and over 500 immersive technology projects identified since 2018 (either ongoing, open or completed) worth £220 million. Predictions indicate that this market share will rise significantly in the next decade with £62.5 billion added to the UK economy and over 400,000 jobs enhanced by immersive technologies by 2030…”