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Working Lives in the Coal Mines

Mining History and Heritage

The course will consist of 4 modules, each focused on a different kind of worker associated with the mining industry and the particular challenges they faced:1. The collier2. The child miner3. The surface worker4. The trade unionist Most FutureLearn courses run multiple times. Every run of a course has a set start date but you can join it and work through it after it starts. Find out more This course is designed for people with an interest in mining history or heritage, or industrial heritage more broadly. The course will also be of interest to professionals working in or aiming to work in the heritage sector and students at school or university who have an interest in the long Victorian period. You can use the hashtag #FLminingheritage to talk about this course on social media.

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Reviews summary

Deep dive into coal mining history

According to learners, "Working Lives in the Coal Mines" offers a largely positive experience, praised for its fascinating and well-researched content that humanizes the history of coal mining. Students particularly appreciate the course's unique focus on various roles like the collier, child miner, surface worker, and trade unionist, which provides a solid historical foundation. While the course is seen as highly informative and engaging for history enthusiasts, some reviewers noted that the presentation style can feel like academic lectures, occasionally lacking more interactive elements. A few mentioned the visual materials and video quality could feel outdated, yet the core historical value remains strong, making it a valuable learning experience for those new to the subject.

Ideal for newcomers, potentially basic for experts.

"Might be a bit basic for those already deep into mining history, but great for newcomers."

"As someone studying industrial heritage, this filled in many gaps in my knowledge."

"I recommend it to anyone interested in social history."

"Overall a valuable course for its historical perspective."

Provides a clear and effective breakdown by worker type.

"A very well-structured course with clear modules. I enjoyed learning about the trade unionists, a topic often overlooked."

"Fantastic course for anyone interested in mining or social history. The way it broke down the roles of different workers was very effective."

"The explanations of the challenges faced by surface workers were insightful."

"The historical context provided by the University of Strathclyde is superb."

Delivers a rich, human-centered exploration of mining history.

"Absolutely fascinating! The course dives deep into the lives of coal miners, and the segment on child miners was particularly moving."

"Excellent content and very engaging. The visual materials really brought the history to life."

"A brilliant course that really humanizes the history of coal mining. The focus on individual roles like the collier provides a unique perspective."

"So glad I took this course! The narratives were compelling, and I learned so much about the challenges faced by ordinary people."

Course felt academic, some desiring more interaction.

"The historical information is good, but I found the presentation a bit dry at times. It felt more like a series of academic lectures..."

"I would have appreciated more interactive elements or discussion prompts."

"My only minor critique is that some parts felt a bit rushed, and I wished for more in-depth case studies."

"While the topic is interesting, I found some of the video quality to be a bit dated. The course felt like it hadn't been updated..."

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Coming soon We're preparing activities for Working Lives in the Coal Mines: Mining History and Heritage. These are activities you can do either before, during, or after a course.

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Learners who complete Working Lives in the Coal Mines: Mining History and Heritage will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

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Time

12 hours

Via

FutureLearn

Institution

University of Strathclyde

Instructors

Arthur McIvor

Kirstie Blair