Online learning

Start learning with us today and build your computing skill set! We have a range of courses, from programming for beginners to learning about the hardware and software behind the internet, all accessible for free!

Teachers in England

If you are a teacher in England, you should access our courses through the Teach Computing website for free. This will allow you to count the courses towards the National Centre for Computing Education’s GCSE Computer Science Accelerator Programme and Primary Teaching certificates.

Choosing from our range of courses

We’ve created a range of courses that you can join on FutureLearn for free, thanks to funding from Google, or in the case of our “Getting Started with Your Raspberry Pi” course, from Micron.

Although many of our courses have “teaching” or “educator” in their titles, these courses are suitable for everyone. They provide a good overview of the topic, suitable for beginners, and you can just ignore the additional material about how to teach the topic.

Begin Programming with Python

An illustration of a humanoid robot with a map, next to two signposts containing Python code.

Start your coding journey and learn to program in Python. You’ll learn how to write code that gives instructions, ‘makes decisions’ and ‘loops’, how to split your code up into smaller, easier-to-understand parts, and how to store data.

  1. Programming 101: An Introduction to Python
  2. Programming 102: Think Like a Computer Scientist
  3. Programming 103: Saving and Structuring Data
  4. Extension: Programming with GUIs
  5. Extension: Object-oriented Programming in Python: Create Your Own Adventure Game

Getting physical

Two LEDs and resistors on a breadboard, connected with wires to the GPIO pins on a Raspberry Pi

Physical computing is all about interacting with physical objects in the real world. Try these courses and start developing your own physical computing projects

  1. Getting Started with Your Raspberry Pi
  2. Teaching Physical Computing with Raspberry Pi and Python
  3. Robotics With Raspberry Pi: Build and Program Your First Robot Buggy
  4. Design and Prototype Embedded Computer Systems

Inside computers

A close-up of a Raspberry Pi, showing the CPU and a HDMI port.

What makes a computer? What components does it have? How do computers “process”? And how can different computers communicate with each other over networks? Explore the internal workings of computers with these courses!

  1. Understanding Computer Systems
  2. How Computers Work: Demystifying Computation
  3. An Introduction to Computer Networking

Data

A pixellated image of cherries with a code for each colour

Computers are nothing without data – but with data they can be amazing tools for pictures, music, and for organising nearly everything! Explore the world of data with these courses.

  1. Understanding Maths and Logic in Computer Science
  2. Representing Data with Images and Sound: Bringing Data to Life
  3. Programming 103:Saving and Structuring Data
  4. Introduction to Databases and SQL

Computing in the Modern World

An illustration of a smartphone with a fingerprint on the screen.

Computers are everywhere in the modern world. Take these courses to discuss their impact – and to find out more about making sure they keep running!

  1. Impact of Technology: How To Lead Classroom Discussions
  2. Introduction to Cybersecurity for Teachers
  3. Introduction to Encryption and Cryptography

Networks and the Web

A globe with links around it going between different locations

Want to find out how computers can communicate across the internet, and how to keep data safe as they do so? Or perhaps you want to build your own website, or a game you can play across the internet? Find out about the networks and the web, and how you can make use of them, with these courses!

  1. An Introduction to Computer Networking
  2. Introduction to Web Development
  3. Introduction to Cybersecurity for Teachers
  4. Introduction to Encryption and Cryptography
  5. Networking with Python: Socket Programming for Communication

Practising Design

An illustration of the iterative design life cycle, going from analyse to design to build to test to analyse.

One of the most important parts of computing isn’t in the computer at all – it’s the user! It’s important to design systems and programs so that the user can achieve their goals. Try these courses to develop your design skills and make things more attractive for your users.

  1. Design and Prototype Embedded Computer Systems
  2. Introduction to Web Development
  3. Programming with GUIs

Clubs and spaces

An illustration of a man rubbing his hands behind a table covered with various tech including a 3D printer, a laser cutter, and a robot with treads.

Each of these courses will help you to set up a coding club, or a makerspace.

Prepare to Run a Code Club
Start a CoderDojo Club
Build a Makerspace for Young People