MOOCs at Flinders

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are freely available, short online courses that are available to anyone to participate in. They are active spaces made up of people like you – curious and willing to share your learning with others.

MOOCs bring people together from all over the world around a common idea and provide a structure for engaging with that idea. There are usually no restrictions on the number of participants, meaning that they can be “massive”.

Although they may be made up of similar materials to traditional online courses (videos, readings, learning activities), they can be different from traditional online courses in the way people participate and may have some facilitation, or be completely self-directed.

Registering for MOOCs

Use the links below to register for one of our MOOCs.

For general enquiries contact elearningdesign@flinders.edu.au.

Science Friction: The Science Behind the News

Have you ever wondered about the science behind some of the stories we see on the news each night? Throughout this unit Flinders University academics will uncover the important aspects of several current and socially relevant science issues including:

Climate Change: Are humans responsible for climate change?
Obesity: Are you at risk and what can you do?
Stem Cells: Could this be the next medical breakthrough?
Genetic Modification: Is my food safe?

There is no science background needed, just a curiosity to know more about the kind of issues we see on the news daily.

For more information please email scieng.elearning@flinders.edu.au.

Cross-cultural Care Program for Aged Care Staff

Cultural and linguistic diversity between residents and staff is significant in residential aged care homes in Australia. Approximately one third of residents and staff were born overseas and around 20% of them are from non-English speaking countries.

The majority of overseas-born residents are from European countries while the majority of overseas-born staff are from south Asian and African regions. This diversity generates many opportunities to address equitable and culturally appropriate care for residents. However, it can also be a challenge to achieving high-quality care for residents and team cohesion of staff.

The 'Cross-cultural Care Program for Aged Care Staff' is an online education tool for enhancing cross-cultural quality of care, leadership and workplace cohesion. This program is funded by the Australian Government and developed by Flinders University through a partnership with Resthaven Inc. and AnglicareSA.

The Human Body as a Machine

The human body is made up of many individual parts that work together in a highly interactive and coordinated way.

This course introduces the building blocks that make up the body, and how these are structured and maintained at a cellular level. We highlight the cardiovascular, hormonal and nervous systems, as critical coordination and control parts of the body.

We investigate the structure of the musculoskeletal system, and how it helps us move through, and manipulate, our environment.

We conclude by reviewing how the body replaces itself to create a new human being.

This short course is offered through Open2Study (Open Universities Australia).