OpenLearn launches first peace education course
The Open University (OU) is offering a peace education course for the first time, thanks to a partnership between OU staff and Quakers in Britain.
The free self-study course, Principles and practices of peace education, hosted on the OU's learning platform OpenLearn, explores how peace can be fostered in classrooms.
It marks a milestone in making peace education more widely accessible.
The online course is open to all, including trainee and experienced teachers, as well as those working with young people in informal or community settings.
Participants can work through the 12-hour course at their own pace and gain a certificate of participation at the end.
Isabel Cartwright, peace education manager at Quakers in Britain, said: “We are grateful to the Open University for their investment in peace, for developing the course with us, and putting so much work into promoting it.
“The reach of OpenLearn will open up the potential of peace education to so many more children."
Developed in collaboration with Quakers in Britain, the course introduces themes such as inner wellbeing, constructive conflict resolution, and critical thinking about global issues.
Using videos and interactive elements, it offers simple, practical ideas for use in the classroom and links to materials for further study and curriculum planning.
The course also introduces theories and practice of peace education from across the UK and beyond.
Lucy Henning, a Quaker and experienced educator with the Open University, played a key role in bringing this initiative to life.
She said: “Some of my impetus came from teaching a class of six-year-olds who were very clear about racial injustice and its consequences.
“When I encountered peace education, I realised that children could not only learn about these issues but engage with them in positive ways that would help build peace.
“Peace education can be embedded in day-to-day practices of teaching. I wanted the course to show what could be built by people working with children and young people in any capacity."