7 Free Online Courses in October

Somehow October makes us less likely to enjoy the evening strolls, but on the other hand the idea of cosy evenings at home is far more alluring. That’s why I found some interesting – and short – courses you may enjoy this month. You will find something to learn about inclusivity, creativity, and using interesting tools (like video games!) in your classroom.

Ready?

1. Plurilingual Classrooms in Action by the University of Glasgow

Start date: available
Duration:  4 weeks
For whom: teachers who want to develop their knowledge and understanding of language learning
You will learn:

• how the role of pluriliteracies impacts on classroom learning
• about the transformative power of plurilingualism and pluriliteracies for all learners
• how to evaluate classroom resources and develop an understanding of how to put policy into practice

2. Short Film in Language Teaching by the British Film Institute and Into Film

Start date: available
Duration:  3 weeks
For whom: teachers who want to develop their professional expertise in film-rich approaches to teaching
You will learn:

• how to design effective teaching strategies for working with film in language teaching
• about the principles behind working with short film in language teaching
• how to develop an understanding of what the language of film, especially short film, offers in support of language teaching

3. How to Create Videos for Online Courses by the University of Edinburgh

Start date: available
Duration:  2 weeks
For whom: teachers interested in developing online educational media or just looking to improve their film production skills for online content creation
You will learn:

• how to create a pre-production plan (scriptwriting, storyboarding and sourcing footage)
• about the basics of filming including lighting, audio, and basic post-production skills
• how to improve learner engagement through effective use of media

4. Exploring Inclusive Pedagogies by the British Council

Start date: available
Duration:  3 weeks
For whom: teachers who want to enhance their teaching practice and understand inclusive pedagogical methods
You will learn:

• how to create a fair and thriving learning environment that caters for all learners – including those most at risk of exclusion
• about the practical approaches to integrate inclusive practices into your teaching
• how to develop a plan for change in your classroom and school

5. Measuring What Matters: Transforming Assessment and Recognition of Complex Learning Competencies by the University of Melbourne

Start date: available
Duration:  3 weeks
For whom: current and future leaders in schools and organisations who recognise that today’s learners need to develop a range of complex competencies in order to thrive in the future
You will learn:

• about the complex competencies and how they can be taught, assessed and recognised
• about the need for a new grammar of schooling, new learning designs, new assessments and new ways to recognise complex competencies
• how to explain the elements and process of assessment design for recognising complex competencies

6. Teaching Digital Literacy: Videogames in Education by the University of Sheffield

Start date: available
Duration:  4 weeks
For whom: teachers interested in using videogames to enhance their teaching
You will learn:

• how to educators can develop the latent potential of storytelling in video games
• how to enhance your teaching and use videogames in your classroom to provide important new opportunities to children
• how to create activities to support children’s learning

7. Unlocking The Creative Brain: Develop and Teach Skills For Creative Thinking by the Central Queensland University

Start date: available
Duration:  2 weeks
For whom: teachers who want to cultivate creativity as a core skill in themselves and their teams
You will learn:

• how to apply insights from neuroscience to be more creative and foster creativity in others
• about the neuroscientific principles that underpin the creative process
• how to define the four steps of the classically defined creative process

I hope you’ll like the courses I found – I myself am planning to try the video games (obviously!) and creativity. Maybe I’ll see you there!