Picture title: WEA Virtual Reference Library.



____________________________ The following are a mix of free internet resources as well as subscription titles to support learning across the WEA currriculum.
Please note that unless stated, tutors and learners' alike are encouraged to use all listed materials.
Should you require password information or any additional support, please e-mail j.goddard@swales.wea.org.uk
Click on the logo's to access the relevant pages. To return to the WEA South Wales homepage click here
The JISC Regional Support Centre Wales is one of 13 RSCs covering the UK, supporting the development of e-learning
and Information Learning Technology in FE, Sixth Form, Adult and Community Learning, Work Based Learning and aspects of Higher Education.
Click on the logo for a current listing of their free moodle courses.
Picture link: click here to visit Intute's resources page.

Intute - Search a vast collection of web resources specially selected and evaluated for education and research.
Covers most subject areas with 4 main subject hubs: Science and Technology, Arts and Humanities, Social Sciences,
Health and Life Sciences. NB This resource replaces the Resource Discovery Network and its associated hubs.
NewsBank - Contains thousands of full-text articles from more than 20 Welsh and over 350 U.K. daily and weekly newspapers.
Includes the North Wales edition of the Daily Post , the Western Mail , The South Wales Evening Post , The Times from 1985 forward,
Economist , Financial Times , The Guardian and The Scotsman.
This is a subscription title however WEA learners and staff do not require a password to access this resource - just click on the link.
Picture link: click here to visit European Sources Online..
European Sources Online (ESO) is an online database which provides access to information on the institutions
and activities of the European Union, the countries, regions and other international organisations of Europe,
and on the issues of importance to European citizens and stakeholders.
If you require a password for this resource, please e-mail j.goddard@swales.wea.org.uk
Picture link: click here to visit Biz/ed's resources page. Biz/ed is a free online service for learners and tutors of business, economics,
accounting, leisure and recreation, and travel and tourism.
Picture link: click here to visit the BBC's resources page. The BBC website has a wealth of quality material e.g. their Webwise online course
(http://www.bbc.co.uk/webwise/) and resources for learning Welsh (http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/learnwelsh/)
Picture title: WEA Virtual Encyclopedias ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Picture link: click here to visit Cengae Learning's resources page.
 Cengage Learning (formerly Thomson-Gale) - "Gale Virtual Reference Library takes research to the next level
by delivering great reference print titles in a database format. Just imagine having no shelf space issues, no torn pages
and providing equal access to - and full circulation of - multi-volume sets for main libraries, branch libraries and learners. . .
Gale Virtual Reference Library makes it a reality." If you require a password for this resource, please e-mail j.goddard@swales.wea.org.uk
Picture link: click here to visit How Stuff Works resources page.
 How Stuff Works - The site is increasingly commercial but still has excellent articles under categories such as
Auto, Science, Health, Electronics etc. Now includes a collection of videos.
Picture link: click here to visit Wikipedia's page. Wikipedia - The free online encyclopedia that is freely editable by all.
Quality can vary and its reliability is often debated.
Picture link: click here to visit Encyclopedia Online. Encyclopedia Britannica - The online version has (very) concise articles freely available.
WEA has access to the full version so have your password ready.
If you require a password for this resource, please e-mail j.goddard@swales.wea.org.uk
Picture link: click here to visit the C.I.A's resources page. The World Factbook is an annual publication by the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States with basic information
about the various countries of the world, such as demographics, industry, government etc.
Picture title: WEA Virtual Dictionaries. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Picture link: click here to visit Ask Oxford's dictionary page. The authoritative Oxford English Dictionary is only available on subscription but can be accessed through many local library services.
For those without access to Oxford English Dictionary, AskOxford provides a comprehensive listing.
Picture link: click here to visit the Welsh Dictionary resources page. A free Welsh dictionary from the University of Lampeter.
Picture title: WEA Virtual Tutorials ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Picture link: click here to visit the Virtual Training Suite. The Virtual Training Suite provides free Internet tutorials to help you learn how to get the best from the Web
for your education and research. Subject-specific online tutorials to teach Internet and research skills.
There are support materials and teaching packs.
Picture link: click here to visit the the Internet Detective. Internet Detective - An online tutorial using a Film Noir theme to teach basic internet skills for college and university work.
Picture link: click here to visit Tonic. TONIC - A free online tutorial "easy-to-understand, practical guide to using the Internet produced by Netskills."
Picture title: WEA Teaching and Learning Resources Many sites have been set up to promote the sharing of teaching and e-learning resources.
These aim to be of use to busy tutors who may not have time to create their own resources - learners' may also find the resources useful._______________
Picture link: click here to visit Learntrain's resources page. Access to the NLN materials - 'e-learning objects' specially commissioned for the UK post-16 sector.
If you require a password for this resource, please e-mail j.goddard@swales.wea.org.uk
Picture link: click here to visit NGFL's resources page. The Welsh portal to teaching and learning online, including many Welsh language resources.
Picture link: click here to visit ACLearn.net's resources page. Learning and Skills Improvement Service website. With quality improvement at its core, the Excellence Gateway offers support and advice, and opportunities to participate.
Picture link: click here to visit the Open Learn resources page. OpenLearn - now anyone can access free online learning with The Open University.
Picture link: click here to visit the RAW resources page. A guide to developing better reading and writing skills.
Picture link: click here to visit Teach-ICT.com. This site is dedicated to teaching ICT at all levels. Learners will find revision notes to learn the ICT subject
along with plenty of quizzes, competitions, and polls to keep things interesting.
Tutors will find starters and plenaries along with Schemes of Work ( SoW) , lesson ideas and an extensive range of free material.
Picture link: click here to visit the QIA resources page. The new home for Learning and Skills Web and Ferl.
Contains examples of good practice, plus materials to support teaching and learning.
Picture link: click here to visit Jorum's resources page. Jorum is a free online repository service for teaching and support staff in UK Further and Higher Education Institutions,
helping to build a community for the sharing, reuse and repurposing of learning and teaching materials.
Available to staff only via Athens on completion of a "User" or "Contributor" special licence.
Picture link: click here to visit Merlot's resources page. A US-sponsored site which has categorized links to online learning and teaching resources.
A vision of Britain between 1801 and 2001. Including maps, statistical trends and historical descriptions.
Picture title: WEA Free E-books
 Free e-books tend to be in the social sciences and humanities. Also they're often older texts which are in the public domain or copyright cleared.
Check the sites below for any key or recommended texts - you can create direct links to individual titles. ______________________________________
Picture link: click here to visit Project Guttenburg's resources page. Project Gutenberg - The oldest site for free e-books provided by volunteers. Contains many classic titles.
Picture link: click here to visit the E-Book's resources page. Catalogue of Free E-Books - This is an Australian site and provides a catalogue for e-books all over the world.
Picture link: click here to visit Google's Book Search page. Google Book Search - Currently in trial "beta" mode, this new development from Google will search the full
text of books and you have the option to limit your search to "Full view books" which you can access online.
Many academic journals are freely available on the web. Some key directories are listed below.
It is also worth checking any print journal and magazine subscriptions to see if they allow free online access____________________________________
Picture link: click here to visit the Directory of Open Access Journals resources page. Directory of Open Access Journals - This comprehensive listing covers all subject areas.
You can browse by subject or search for titles or articles.
Picture link: click here to visit the Pub Med Central resources page. PubMed Central (PMC) is the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) free digital
archive of biomedical and life sciences journal literature. May be of use to more
advanced health and life science courses.
Picture link: click here to visit the Highwire Press resources page. HighWire Press is the largest archive of free full-text science journals currently available.