Introduction to our distance learning courses
Our team of Chris Darmon and Colin Schofield have been delivering online courses for more than 10 years. With the onset of the Covid pandemic in 2020 they developed these further with live Zoom sessions.
They now have a large bank of courses which they can draw on as well as devising completely new material. The style is informal and inclusive with everyone encouraged to participate, but with absolutely no demands made on people. There’s no assessment or forms to fill in!
This page is subject to change as new courses are added so please bookmark and revisit or keep up to date with our popular quarterly earth science magazine "Down to Earth".
What’s on offer this Autumn & Winter?
The Geology of the British Isles (13-weeks)
This was one of the first distance learning courses that we devised. Over the years, many people have embarked on this geological journey since then, but now, for only the second time, we’re bringing it to you live!
Chris is looking forward to sharing the British Isles’ journey through time in 13 hour-long Zoom sessions. Each session will be brought alive through the use of YouTube videos and photographs, augmented by Chris’s stories and Colin’s material on Moodle. We want this to be the best course ever, aided and abetted by your own participation.
Course dates: Starts Monday November 11 - December 16 and then restarts January 13 for a further 7 weeks. Zoom sessions are at 2pm or 7pm (your choice)
Cost: Thirteen hour-long Zoom sessions with electronic background papers £80.00 for one person or £95.00 for 2-people studying together. Printed background papers cost an additional £25.00.
NEW! Time Traveller’s Britain
Under this title we’ve explored more than 30 part of the British Isles and examined the work of some of our geological pioneers, but for this short course, we’re bringing you six more brand new episodes in the series!
Come with us as we explore the Mendips, Islay and Jura, the Kingdom of Fife, Snowdonia (Eryri), Shropshire and the Bristol Channel.
At the heart of each session is an hour long live Zoom presentation with electronic background material. You’ll hear from Chris and Colin some of their personal reflections on the areas concerned along with the most up to date interpretations of the geology.
Course dates: Starts Thursday November 14 - December 19. Zoom sessions are at 2pm or 7pm (your choice)
Cost: Six hour-long Zoom sessions with electronic background papers £40.00 for one person or £50.00 for 2-people studying together. Printed background papers cost an additional £10.00.
The Wednesday Club
Over the past couple of years, we’ve been running a series of one-off sessions covering random geological topics. These were branded as ‘Wednesdays at 7’.
Whilst these have been very popular, several of you urged us to also offer the same session in the afternoon. Well, we’ve listened and now you can enjoy the same content in the afternoon or the evening, with Zoom sessions at 2pm or 7pm.
Course timetable...
November 13 | Alabaster - occurrence and uses |
November 20 | Graptolites - a geological enigma |
November 27 | Potash & Polyhalite mining in the UK |
December 4 | Metamorphic rocks in a nutshell! |
December 11 | The Ediacarans - the world’s first fossils? |
December 18 | Gemstones of the British Isles |
Cost: Take all six sessions for £40.00 (£50.00 for 2 people studying together) or book them individually for £10.00 each.
General information
- Have these courses your way! You can have them electronically, by email or Moodle or you can have printed sheets sent by mail.
- Everyone is invited to a weekly live Zoom meeting for a presentation.
- All courses are supported by a tutor, who is available online.
- You can enroll via our online shop or by ringing us on 0114 245 5746.
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