More than 20,000 learners signed up for the University of Liverpool’s ‘Beyond Nature and Nurture’ MOOC, which has concluded its first week of modules.
The six week course, led by Professor Peter Kinderman, as part of The Open University’s FutureLearn initiative, is free and aims to offer the latest thinking on mental health issues.
As the first UK-led provider of MOOCs, FutureLearn, combines elements of the social web with The Open University’s expertise in distance and open learning.
Professor Kinderman, Head of the Institute of Psychology, Health and Society, discusses how psychologists understand emotions, behaviours, and thinking patterns, and how this helps clinical psychologists make sense of their clients’ problems.
The course is delivered through a series of films, essays, and surveys that learners can discuss and debate on the programme’s forums.
This month also sees the launch of ‘Electrify: An Introduction to Electrical and Electronic Engineering’, which will show young people how engineering impacts everyday life.
Led by Dr Leah Ridgway from the School of Electrical Engineering, Electronics and Computer Science, the course covers areas such as digital electronics, programming, and electromechanics to give learners a taste of some of the topics a degree level course could offer.
Registration is open for both courses and can be viewed at: https://www.futurelearn.com/partners/university-of-liverpool