ABSTRACT
The development of computers and the Internet has vastly increased the possibilities and ease of access. A great many universities offer some courses online, though those offering full degrees are many fewer. MIT was notable in putting videoed lectures and other material on the Internet. However, this was material designed for standard students. By contrast, the Open University (OU) has material for lone learners and made some of this openly available since 2006. Interestingly it provides facilities for others to set up projects and effectively provide online open courses via the Moodle virtual learning environment. The OU has always been strong on science, and has developed experiments which can be carried out in the home, along with small items such as a compact microscope which can be sent by post. However, it remains very limited in engineering, and this is generally true of the online offerings at all levels.
