Adult Learners Week 2008
Now in its 17th year, Adult Learners' Week is a wonderful celebration of the energy and inspiration that adults bring to their learning. It seeks to use the achievements of learners to inspire others to have to go - whether it be learning a new skill, learning for fun, or catching up on learning missed at school.
This year's week runs from 17th - 23rd May, and focuses on eight key themes. We've selected some features on Open2 free learning from OpenLearn which explores these themes in more depth. Visit the official Adult Learners' Week website to find out more.
Globalisation & the world of work
Work around the clock
Discover what’s driving our long hours culture, and its impact on our health in our course insight 24 hour working.
China's century?
With an expanding market at home, and a more welcoming attitude to foreign investment, is this China's century?
Fair exchange?
It's often suggested as the solution to many of the developing world's challenges. But what is free trade?
Environmental sustainability
Blog: counting the cost
Neither hybrid cars nor organic food come cheap. Does it cost too much to be green?
Blog: grasping at straw?
Praised as a way to reduce CO2 emissions, then condemned for adding to world hunger, are biofuels heroes or villains?
Technological change
Young techies
Dr Jackie Marsh explores the impact of popular culture, media and new technologies on digital children.
How the news was brought...
OpenLearn offers a course sample exploring the development of news technologies.
More than just gadgets
Ipods? GM food? A way of thinking?The answer isn't quite as simple as you might think when you ask what is technology?Citizenship and belonging in a diverse society
Vox populi
Do governments quake in the face of the masses, or does it depend who they are? Take a measure of people power.
Whoever you vote for...
Battles are fought in its name; it's exact nature can be quite slippery to define. What is democracy?
The government always gets in
The number of demoracies has trebled in thirty years. It's certainly popular - but does democracy work?
Electoral returns
Trace democracy from its Greek origins to the nervous future. There's more than one way for rule by the people.
Telling it all
We're surrounded by people's history - and influences on our own. OpenLearn uncovers life stories.
Demographic change
Increasing burdens?
With the shrinking ranks of the economically active being asked to support growing numbers of elderly people, are we the wrong age?
Full world
Thomas Malthus predicted that war or famine would right an oversized population. Should we expect such a realignment? With finite resources, are we too many?
Doing the numbers
OpenLearn on the interplay between three driving forces of humankind: Sexuality, parenthood and population.
Poverty reduction
Self-sacrifice?
Taking a step off the career path to bring up a family can cause financial hardship for years ahead, as parents effectively get penalised for caring.
War on the giants
Bevan's NHS is perhaps the best-known, but the Beveridge report resulted in many social advances and the birth of the welfare state.
Cash box
Get to grips with your cash - take some tips from our pound-wise trio in you and your money.
Handouts or hands up?
Part of Tony Blair's Premiership attempted to remake provision for the poorest. OpenLearn considers welfare reconstruction.
Well-being and happiness
An alternative vision
Could Healthy Living Centres offer a new way of health by offering prevention over cure?
Job satisfaction?
Can work make you happy? Or is it destined to drag you down? Jane Henry uncovers the truth in happy workers.
Children and happiness
What makes children happy? Toys? Friends? Uncover the truth in children and happiness.
Changing expectations and perceptions of the third sector
Putting the trust back into Trusts
Try an OpenLearn course sample exploring how you create an ethical organisation.
The point seven per cent solution
Minister Hilary Benn talks targets and priorities for the British Government's aid programme:Video | Audio and transcript
Help or harm?
It's become an industry in its own right, as billions of pounds are directed towards poorer countries every year. Is this the best way to help the people in those nations, though? Does aid work?
Aiding a difference?
The influx of support in kind seems to be a unquestionable good - but for recipients, do aid projects make a difference?
Enough giving?
Crises and poverty call for a balancing interplay between charity, aid and development.
