Cardiff University’s first ‘massive open online course’ started yesterday, enabling anyone to study online for free wherever they are in the world.
The course, named “Muslims in Britain: Changes and Challenges” is delivered through Future Learn, which is the first UK-led provider of massive open online courses, or MOOCs.
Professor Sophie Gilliat-Ray of the Centre for the Study of Islam in the UK, and lead educator on the course, said the course aims to look beyond media representations and stereotypes to reveal a rich history of Muslim presence in Britain.
“One of the first things we did when putting Muslims in Britain together was to ask Muslims from the local Cardiff community to explain their stories of how their families came to live in the area,” she said.
The cumulative effect of these multiple voices is intended to challenge any one-dimensional depiction of British Muslims.
Over four weeks, learners will gain an understanding of the beliefs and practices of British Muslims and explore the long history of the relationship between Britain and Islam.
In addition to this, the University will launch the world’s first MOOC with Future Learn on Community Journalism on April 14. It will be delivered by the Centre for Community Journalism in the Cardiff School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies.
Professor Patricia Price, Pro Vice-Chancellor Student Experience and Academic Standards said: “Future Learn courses are accessible online, via mobiles and tablets meaning learners can fit their studying around their lives, rather than their lives around study.”
