How To Learn More
Reading Lists
We've compiled a reading list of useful books and other resources available through the library.
Two books are particularly recommended. They are both available in the library but they contain useful worksheets so you will get the most out of them if you buy them:
- The study skills handbook Links to an external site. by Stella Cottrell
-
50 Ways to Excel at Writing Links to an external site. by Stella Cottrell
LinkedIn Learning
- How to Access LinkedIn Learning
- Get the most out of LinkedIn Learning
- Recommended Courses
- Alternatives
- Go to https://www.linkedin.com/learning
Links to an external site. and click on Sign In
(make sure you log out of your person LinkedIn account or use Incognito Mode on your browser). - Click on Sign in with your organization account
- Use abcd1234@ac.uk as your work email.
Listen at higher speed
- You can speed up videos up to 2x. This can help you watch more and also improve attention.
- To get started listening at higher speeds, turn on Captions to aid comprehensions
- You can also reduce speed for complex subjects
Navigate via transcript
- Each video has a transcript
- You can click on any sentence in the transcript to jump to section on the video
- The transcript can be also used as Captions (this is the only choice on the mobile app)
Use mobile app for offline viewing
- You can use Android, iOS or Windows 10 apps for offline download
- All apps are free and use the same login process
Use podcast mode on app to listen with the phone screen off
- Some courses require less visual attention than others
- On the mobile app, you can set a course to podcast mode and listen with the screen off
Use notes, bookmarks and collections
- You can use Notes to add comments on any part of a video within a course
- You can bookmark any individual video and access it via Bookmarks under your account or add it to a collection to share with others
Share your achievements on LinkedIn
- You can post certificates of any courses your completed on your LinkedIn profile.
- OU Integration does not do this automatically.
Study Skills and Productivity Links to an external site.
Courses and videos that focus on improving productivity in reading, writing and organisation for students, faculty and staff.
Office 365 and Teams Links to an external site.
Courses that focus on the collaboration features in Office 365. How to set up file sharing and how to work with others. Note: Not all of the features described may be enabled on our instance.
Office 365 Apps Links to an external site.
Courses and videos that improve your productivity with Office 365 Apps: Excel, Word, PowerPoint, OneNote and Outlook.
Canvas - VLE Links to an external site.
Courses that introduce the key features of Canvas VLE.
Accessibility Links to an external site.
Courses and videos on accessibility for web development and document creation.
Machine Learning and AI Links to an external site.
Learn the foundations of machine learning with these courses. Includes general overviews as well as deep dives with coding.
- CreativeLive
- All OU students and staff have free access to CreativeLive. Which offers a variety of courses in seminar format on creative and technical subjects.
- YouTube
- Great wealth and depth of resources even on extremely esoteric subjects. Quality may be variable but extremely good learning resources are commonly available for free.
- LinkedIn Learning competitors
- There are a number of direct competitors to LinkedIn Learning with similar business models and approaches to course design and delivery. The most well known are: Udemy Links to an external site. and SkillsShare Links to an external site.,
- MOOC Platforms
- EdX Links to an external site., Coursera Links to an external site., FutureLearn Links to an external site. contain many free courses on general and academic subjects.
- KhanAcademy Links to an external site.
- Great free tutorials mostly in STEM subjects. Extremely valuable as a way to catch up on high school to undergraduate maths and physics.
- Product / Vendor courses
- Many product vendors such as Microsoft Links to an external site. or Google Links to an external site. offer free online courses in their products
- Great Courses Links to an external site. and Great Courses Plus Links to an external site.
- Video and audio-only undergraduate-level courses across a wide variety of subjects from history to physics. Audio courses are also available via Audible Links to an external site. at great discount.
- Master Class Links to an external site.
- Video courses with many famous experts in various disciplines including Martin Scorsese Links to an external site., Herbie Hancock Links to an external site. or Malcolm Gladwell Links to an external site..
Productivity Blogs, Podcasts, and YouTube Channels
- Paperless X Links to an external site.
- YouTube channel on tools for students and researchers who prefer to study paperless
- Being Paperless Links to an external site.
- Blog and resource list on digital studies
- Coretext Links to an external site.
- Productivity podcast (subscribe but review past episodes)
- Memorize Academy Links to an external site.
- Short animated videos with tips on studying more effectively
- Skills for Study Links to an external site.
- Website with resources by the publisher Macmillan
- College Info Geek Links to an external site.
- Resources for people coming or returning to study at university
- Academic English for International Students Links to an external site.
- Many useful resources and worksheets to improve academic English for students and teachers.
- Learning How to Learn Links to an external site.
- Free Coursera course on study skills.
This YouTube playlist Links to an external site. compiles interesting lectures and videos about writing and learning productivity.