Oxplore - Home of Big Questions

Oxplore is a free educational website created by the University of Oxford designed to engage young people with thoughtful, sometimes surprising questions across science, history, ethics, culture and more. The website is organised into a series of thought-provoking Big Questions which take students on a guided journey to encourage their powers of debate and critical thinking. Each question has a series of learning resources (articles, quizzes, podcasts, videos, and image galleries) which draw upon some of the cutting-edge research being led by Oxford. With over 50 Big Questions on Oxplore, there should be something to make every mind curious!

Oxplore is for learners aged 11–18 who love to ask big questions and explore big ideas — especially those who are eager to go beyond what they hear in their classroom. It is designed to nurture the instinctive love of learning that children are born with. 

It’s also a resource for teachers and families looking for high-quality learning enrichment materials that make thinking and debating fun and inspiring.

Teachers can use Oxplore in class or through Oxplore Teach — a resource hub with ready-made sessions and ideas for discussion activities.

Explore and learn

Browse the Big Questions, take quizzes, watch videos, listen to podcasts, and follow the evidence trail into Oxford research that underpins the ideas on the site. Check out: 

• Free, high-quality learning resources
• An introduction to a wide range of academic topics, debates and perspectives
• A new way of exploring school subjects, and an introduction to those studied at university level
• A rich and engaging springboard to practise skills valued in higher education e.g. oracy, argument-building
• An opportunity to join online discussions of Big Questions with other young people*.
• The chance to shape future Oxplore content available via our ‘What’s your Big Question? feature.

Join events

Oxplore runs free online events and in-person activities you can sign up for throughout the year. 

Use it in class

Teachers can use Oxplore Teach to bring Big Questions into classroom activities and discussion groups. 

Share and follow

Connect with Oxplore on social media for updates, recommended reads, livestreams and more. 

Below are two ideas to get learners started with using Oxplore. These activities will enable users to practise learning and research skills which are valued in a range of subjects. Look out for the ‘Good practice for’ sections for more information.

1. Watch your big ideas get bigger!

Visit Oxplore and find a Big Question that intrigues you. Draw a thought bubble and write the question inside.

Around your thought bubble, jot down your first impressions. This could include:

• what you already know about this topic
• your opinion on the question
• other views that could be taken.

Look at the Big Question materials and add to your ideas. What have you learnt? Did anything surprise you? What would you like to learn more about? Could there be an interesting subject to study which is related to this topic? (Check out the ‘Take this further’ resource in the ‘Read more’ section of the Big Question you selected for subject ideas).

Good practice for: Summarising existing and new knowledge; considering multiple perspectives; challenging preconceptions; forming a balanced opinion.

2. Sending Big Questions with love 

Select a Big Question and learn more about a topic that interests you.

Take a postcard-size piece of paper. On one side, write down some of the key points made in the question and what it has made you think - for example:

‘Dear..., today I learnt about.... Some people argue that... while others suggest... Something that surprised me is... Overall, I think that...

Postcards are short texts, so make your points as concisely as you can.

On the other side, create an artistic representation of the question. You could write down the question itself or add drawings which relate to the topics covered. Get creative!

Maybe you could send your postcard to a friend. Remember to include our url - oxplore.org - so they know where to look!

Good practice for: Summarising ideas; writing concisely; adopting the codes and conventions of a particular text (i.e. a postcard); expressing ideas artistically and through a different medium.

You can download a PDF with ideas for both of these activities, plus others. You can also find other learning resources and hear about upcoming opportunities run by Oxplore on our blog. 

The Oxplore Festival brings the Home of Big Questions into towns, schools and community spaces through hands-on exhibitions, interactive workshops and live talks led by Oxford staff and student ambassadors.

Recent festival stops have included Bodmin, Bradford and Warrington — with more events planned in other locations. These free, lively days are designed to spark curiosity, promote debate, and give students a glimpse of what studying at university might be like.

Teachers can register groups for free trips, and schools are encouraged to contact the Oxplore Festival team for details.

We’d love to hear how you’re using our resources and engaging with our Big Questions. 

Stay in touch via @letsoxplore on X (Twitter), Instagram and Facebook.

Ask us a question: [email protected]

*To be able to comment on Big Questions, you’ll need to register for a free Oxplore account. By doing this, you’ll also be able to bookmark resources for later, and gain updates about new Big Questions and Oxplore events in our termly newsletter.

Ownership, Liability and Use

Oxplore is run by the University of Oxford’s undergraduate admissions and outreach team. For full site information, accessibility, privacy details and terms of use, please visit the official Oxplore website.