In-person Courses   

Ken Burns and his collaborators have been creating documentary films on PBS for over 40 years. Known for a style that brings primary source documents, images, and archival video footage to life on screen, these films present the opportunity to pose thought-provoking questions. Using the documentary “US and the Holocaust” by Ken Burns, Lynn Novick, and Sarah Botstein as a starting point, the course will use video clips to consider the United States and its response to the Holocaust. Lesson topics cover the impacts of Nazi ideology, US immigration law in the period of 1924-1941, US media coverage of the Holocaust and its role in shaping what America knew, the varying symbolism of the Statue of Liberty, an examination of how people make choices during times of crisis, and an inquiry inviting students to consider if US public opinion influenced US response to the Holocaust. Watching the documentary in advance of the class is recommended, but not required.

NOTE: WARNING: This film and the course contain material that may be sensitive for some students. There will be no class meeting on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday January 15, or on January 29 and February 19.

The primary goal of this course is to equip participants with the basic cell biology knowledge toolkit to better understand the small-but-mighty side of biology. For example, if a biotech company has a breakthrough technology that pops up in the news, participants can decipher the story with a deeper understanding and perhaps even healthy skepticism. The secondary goal is to have participants gain a deeper appreciation for the elegance (and complexity) built into each one of our thirty trillion cells. Even though the curriculum is designed to skim the surface on a range of topics in order to build a bigger picture, we can dive as deep as we want in class based on participant interaction and engagement. There is no prerequisite knowledge level.

This is a course designed for women and men with little or no knowledge of maintaining and repairing a home. We will discover what’s behind a wall; how water, gas, and electricity come into our homes; and how to shut them off. Do you know how to change the filter in your furnace or clean the coils in your refrigerator and why you should? We’ll talk about paint, how to choose and apply it; how to replace a light switch or plug; what is a good basic set of tools to have; what to watch for outside your home such as clogged gutters, water leaks, siding damage, invasive trees or ivy, and more. We’ll talk about the advantages and disadvantages of buying through big box stores vs. independent merchants, and how to choose a contractor should you need one. Above all, we will talk about what you want to know when it comes to learning about the building that keeps you safe and comfortable. You will learn to take care of it so it can take care of you.

Community Journalism @ Ashland.news will explore the practices of community journalism, describing how it helps provide the information “oxygen” to facilitate democratic, economic, and social vibrancy in a community. Students will learn how stories and/or photos are assigned, reported, and prepared for publication. The course also teaches techniques for gathering, writing, editing, photographing, and publishing factual information about the citizens, events, politics, economics, and culture of a localized area, all intended to enhance a community’s quality of life. Participants will also formulate a reporting plan to supplement future editions of Ashland.news and prepare stories and/or photos for publication. Beginning the third week, students will gather news in the field, reporting or photographing, writing, and doing preliminary editing on each other’s reporting—all with an aim for publication. The reporting and editing cycle will be repeated three times.

In this course, expect to have an enjoyable time making poetry. During each session, the instructor will provide a prompt and students will create a poem from snippets they cut from a variety of books. The books, which will be supplied by the instructor, are mostly library discards, thrift store finds, or yard sale discoveries. Subject matter ranges from non-fiction manuals to wedding planning. Composing poems in this fashion broadens one’s experience of creativity Anyone who can use a pair of scissors and who has an open mind and a playful spirit will succeed in this course. There are no prerequisites or homework. Students are welcome to repeat the class. All materials will be supplied by the instructor.

This course aims at broadening a student’s vocabulary and understanding of the day-to-day German spoken today. The etymology of certain words will be discussed, and the rules of grammar will be explained on request. This term we will read the author’s diary describing his travels in six European countries in 2005, reading and discussing a short section at a time. The German text is emailed to students before the term starts.

NOTE: Students should have a basic knowledge of German. Because there is no clear definition of “basic knowledge,” the instructor invites students to attend the first class to find out if their knowledge is sufficient to profit from the course.

Who will the political parties nominate for president in 2024? In this course, we will follow the primaries and caucuses from January through mid-March as voters choose the candidates. Interesting Senate, House, and governors’ races will also be covered. Each class will begin with a national update on campaign trends and how issues are being debated, leading to a general class discussion. This will be a discussion class with all viewpoints welcome. Both those who follow politics intensely and those who are tuning in for the first time will have an opportunity to express their views. 

Who will the political parties nominate for president in 2024? In this course, we will follow the primaries and caucuses from January through mid-March as voters choose the candidates. Interesting Senate, House, and governors’ races will also be covered. Each class will begin with a national update on campaign trends and how issues are being debated, leading to a general class discussion. This will be a discussion class with all viewpoints welcome. Both those who follow politics intensely and those who are tuning in for the first time will have an opportunity to express their views. 

In this course, we will explore the structure and primary movements of the shoulders, arms and hands, and how they are connected to the entire skeleton and you as a complete human being. Each class features an exercise, or “lesson,” involving gentle movements done slowly with minimal effort, while paying attention to your own personal experience. You determine how big, how fast, or how “good” you do the exercises. You will be guided through enjoyable sequences, exploring and discovering ways of moving with spontaneity and awareness. You can think of these exercises as safe, fun puzzles for your nervous system and brain. Each lesson is designed to help you remember, learn, and create new patterns of behavior. You will be involved in your own process of learning. This course is ideal for all ages and abilities. You will increase your balance, reach, and ability to turn more easily, and reduce tension as you adjust and move with more comfort and ease.

NOTE: An OLLI waiver form must be signed prior to the first class. There will be no class meeting on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday January 15.

“Going viral” implies explosive growth and spread—like bad news on social media… or Covid-19. Safe to say, viruses have been around way longer than people. They’re everywhere! But what ARE viruses? Are they mini-cells? Are they even alive? We naturally focus on those that infect humans, but they have ramifications far beyond us. They DO indeed infect us and can cause diseases, but we humans make use of viruses as well in basic research and even clinical practice. In this class we’ll look into the many ways viruses work in the biosphere—extending even to the “calling cards” of viral DNA that make up a significant fraction of our human genome. No previous science background is required. (Basic background on cells and microbes will be included.) The class is primarily lecture with directed discussions.

In his 2016 book, “American Character,” Colin Woodard builds on his work in “American Nations” (2011) to examine the “key American political dilemma: how do we best reconcile individual liberty with the good of the community?” Tracing our struggle with this existential conflict through American history, Woodard concludes with some recommendations for moving forward together. In this discussion course, we will explore both Woodard’s descriptions and his prescriptions in the light of our post-2016 experiences.?Because the format of the course will be hybrid, with both “roomies” and “zoomies” encouraged to participate in class conversation, enrollment will be limited. Students are asked to have completed the book before the first class session.??

NOTE: There will be an optional “class zero” a week before the first class session to familiarize all of us with the technological challenges of a hybrid discussion. Two sections of this course are being offered at the same day/time as a hybrid: one on Zoom and one in-person.

This course weaves storytelling and factual information about mostly local birds with a PowerPoint of photographs. New photos and new information are always included. The focus is about having fun while learning to identify birds, with an emphasis on bird behaviors. No prior knowledge of birding is necessary. Class interaction is encouraged but not required.

Hot News & Cool Views is an open discussion opportunity to explore and discuss breaking local, national, and global news and events. All differing views and opinions are welcome, and divergent political leanings and personal backgrounds add “sizzle” to the class. The result is an entertaining and often controversial 90 minutes! An agenda with supporting news articles is sent out a couple days ahead of each class, and ideas and articles submitted by students are integrated into the agenda. Hot News & Cool Views will help you stay current on the news and well informed in an election cycle. Please join our great group for a journey around the world that is better than a strong cup of coffee to get your week going! 

Do you want to personally navigate the current ever-changing health care environment in a meaningful way? How can you get what you need from your interactions with your health care provider and staff? How do you fit your questions into a 15-minute visit? How do you remember what the provider said after you go home? This course will give you the tools you need to have a better experience for improved communication and health. Whether you are at a clinic or in the hospital, your communication will improve. There will be video clips, interactive discussion, resources, and case studies. Time will be made for your questions.

Independent filmmakers are known for their unique and inspiring stories. Their films explore complex themes, provide a more intimate look at human experiences, and offer a deeper and more immersive journey than the more conventional “This happened and then that happened” movie. The six films chosen for this course include both international and American filmmakers. The discussion will focus on the effectiveness of the film and explore the social, political, and cultural dynamics that shape the women characters. Two films will be discussed in each class, and class members will view the films at home before each session. All films are available to rent without needing a subscription service. Each week students will be emailed a PDF document with director interviews for the coming discussion. The interviews offer the directors’ perspectives on the film, what inspired them, what was challenging, and particulars about the production aspects of the film. 

NOTE: Two separate sections of this course are offered: one is online, and one is held at the Campbell Center. The total cost for renting all the films should be about $25. 

Come develop your writing in this ten-week introduction to creative writing. No previous writing experience is necessary: All you need is a love of writing and a willingness to share your ideas with others. Each class will feature an introduction to a different type of creative writing, including short story, drama, fiction, creative nonfiction, numerous forms of poetry, and haiku. In each class you will have an opportunity to share your work in the genre discussed the previous week. The class will be encouraged to comment upon it constructively. After each class the instructor will email students copies of class notes, along with the following week’s assignment. Students who have taken this class in the past are welcome to take it again.

Learn a complete Tai Chi form for health and longevity that you can do anywhere, anytime, and that is adaptable for all ages, body types, and abilities. No previous experience is necessary. Reduce stress, improve balance, gain focus/concentration, relieve pain, and gain benefits galore from a 3,000-year-old Chinese movement form: Tai Chi. When you finish the six-week course, you will have three tools in your toolbox for dealing with change, transition and life in general. You will have the Tai Chi 17 form which includes movements from Yang Short Form, so you will be prepared to study further if you wish. You will have learned a sequence called Finished the Form, which you can use alone as a practice or as a warmup or cool down for other practices. You will gain a basic knowledge of Tai Chi/martial arts and how to promote health and mind/body awareness.

NOTE: An OLLI waiver form will need to be signed prior to the first class. There will be no class meeting on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday January 15.

Make your knitting more interesting and challenging. Learn a variety of new stitches and techniques. Topics include knit and purl combination patterns, cables, plaits, twists, yarn-overs, eyelets, and reading directions. Participants will knit sample swatches of each stitch or an optional scarf “sampler.” This is NOT a beginners’ class. Knitters MUST know how to knit, purl, cast-on and bind-off. Required materials include white or cream-colored worsted weight (#3 or #4) weight yarn, knitting needles in a medium size, and a cable needle. We will be knitting in all classes and participants will be practicing the techniques between classes. The information is cumulative, so participants will find it most helpful to attend all classes, if possible.

NOTE: This is an advanced beginner/intermediate level course. More detailed information about course materials will be sent to registered participants.
 

This class offers sustenance and support for healing our species’ existential crisis of BELONGING. We live in a time when the fabric that weaves us together with each other, with nature, and with the planet itself, is badly torn. However, despite how badly we have lost our way, we are children of nature, and we are a social species, and we walk the Earth today because our long evolutionary history has bequeathed us the yearning and the instinctual guidance to belong to each other and the planet. The planet is calling on us to make a great transition away from living as though life were a desperate contest of opposing interests, and instead towards finding our proper place within the web of mutual accommodations and inter-dependencies upon which all of life depends—to become good citizens of creation. Through lectures, discussion, and personal exploration, this course hopes to support students in finding their own unique place within this transition.

The Nonfiction Writing Workshop offers practical training to enhance nonfiction writing skills. Class materials include selected readings, posted online, that demonstrate key writing techniques practiced by well-known authors. Students are required to submit for analysis four 500 to 1000-word writing samples using content derived from their experience. Work will be submitted every other week by midnight Fridays. Students will read each other’s work and share constructive criticism about style and content. The instructor will also comment on each exercise. The storytelling techniques emphasized are applicable for memoir, historical articles, long-form journalism, and book-length nonfiction for print or the internet. Students should expect to spend four-six hours a week reading assignments and students’ work and writing. Previously taught courses have been amended annually, based on previous students’ feedback.

NOTE: A paperback, “Bird by Bird,” by Anne Lamott, is assigned to be read by the end of the term.

Ready to take a deep dive into creating your own folk masterpiece? Surprise yourself with imagery created through simple drawing, collage, and painting exercises. Then follow along as you learn to distill and simplify imagery to shapes. Finally, use a step-by-step process to paint a colorful, vibrant painting glowing with light. Each session will start with samples, a demonstration, and time to create and share. The course meets three times a week for two weeks. No art experience is required. Instruction for each class builds on the previous session. Former students are encouraged to repeat this class. A supplies list will be emailed to registered students.

NOTE: Materials can cost between $100 and $150. Students may already have suitable materials. 

“The Earth teems with sights and textures, sounds and vibrations, smells and tastes, electric and magnetic fields. But every kind of animal, including humans, is enclosed within its own unique sensory bubble, perceiving but a tiny sliver of our immense world,” writes Ed Yong in “An Immense World.” We will explore parts of the bubble Dr. Yong is describing. Courting peacocks create airflow patterns they can sense with their crest feathers. Butterflies taste with their feet. The naked mole rat is insensitive to the pain of acids and capsaicin. Treehoppers communicate by sending vibrations through the plants on which they stand, which can resemble the songs of birds, monkeys, or musical instruments. Black ghost knife fish produce their own electric fields, which they use to sense the world around them. Bumble bees can sense the electric fields of flowers. This class will examine such marvels through the lens of the physics that govern them. Yong’s book is recommended, but not required.

Quantum mechanics is correctly considered mysterious since it is like nothing we encounter in our everyday, macroscopic lives. For example, if you try to say, “an electron is like a _________,” you find nothing in your experience to fill in the blank. The best we can do is describe how it works. The course will cover the three major methods of calculating quantum mechanical effects, leading to the periodic table of the elements. The course will not discuss philosophical interpretations of quantum theory. A Nobel Prize-winning physicist once said that he didn’t understand quantum mechanics and, by the end of this course, neither will you. Some easy mathematics will be used in the course. The course consists of illustrated lectures including animations and video clips. Everyone is expected to ask questions at any time during the class. Course materials, including presentation slides, Internet links, a bibliography, and other relevant information, will be available at LearnerNotes.org. 

Have you ever thought to yourself “I’m worried about running out of money”; “I need to get my finances organized”; or “I want to make sure I’m making good financial decisions”? If you’ve made any of these statements, this course may help you feel more secure with your finances. We will cover the basics in each of six main areas of financial planning: financial position (preparing a net worth statement); insurance (including long-term care); taxes (how to minimize them); retirement planning (Social Security, taking withdrawals, how to know how long your money will last); investments (basics of asset allocation); and estate planning (wills, trusts, and so on). The course will be taught primarily in lecture format with some optional home assignments.

Icons of The Jazz Age, Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald both wrote novels based on their time together on the French Riviera. Though known only for her glamorous lifestyle, Zelda was an artist and a writer. She composed “Save Me the Waltz” (1932), a novel about a woman trying to become a dancer, during a two-month stay in a psychiatric clinic in Baltimore, Maryland. Scott wrote “Tender Is the Night” (1933) over an eight-year period. In it, he portrays the expat life, the movie industry, and the burgeoning field of psychology. We will read and discuss both these novels in the context of the Fitzgeralds’ lives and of the 1920s. Please be prepared to read up to 150 pages per session.

NOTE: There will be no class on January 18. Recommended editions: F. Scott Fitzgerald, “Tender Is the Night,” introduction by Amor Towles, Scribner, 2019; and Zelda Fitzgerald, “Save Me the Waltz,” Handheld Press, 2019. There will be no class meeting on Thursday, January 18.

In a world that constantly pushes us to do more, be more, and have more, discover the transformative power of slowing down and living from the inside-out. Drawing inspiration from the enlightening book “Slowing Down to the Speed of Life” and the teachings of visionaries like Sydney Banks, Dr. Joseph Bailey, and Richard Carlson, this course offers a fresh perspective on living a deeply meaningful, peaceful, and contented life. Joseph Campbell said that what people are really seeking is an experience of being fully alive, to feel “the rapture of being alive.” Syd Banks, during a mystical experience, discovered the keys that allows each one of us to directly experience this innate joy and inner peace. Join in thought-provoking classes that illuminate this innate wisdom that we all possess, as we watch short videos of Syd Banks, Joe Bailey and others, with time for questions and discussions.

NOTE: Two sections of this course are being offered at the same day/time as a hybrid: one on Zoom and one in-person. 

Recognizing that most of us have few (if any) opportunities to talk—really talk—about death, this class may be a remedy. Sensitive conversation will consume most of our class time together. The instructor will invite students to suggest topics of interest in the weeks before the class starts. She will then frame discussions using materials students will access to prepare for each session. Discussions are likely to examine such topics as: death’s timing, meaning and value; getting the care we prefer; aging; dementia; medical treatments; legacy; and our beliefs about death. TED Talks, articles, and books like “A Better Way of Dying” and “The Five Invitations” may be used. The instructor’s intent is to prompt us to talk freely and meaningfully about this experience, which is part of all our lives. Students interested in joining in these important, personal discussions need to commit to attend every one of our six sessions so that our conversations can deepen over our time together.

NOTE: Conversations in this class, both in-person and online, will be deeply personal and confidential. This is best achieved, and the quality and content of discussions built upon, if the participants are consistent and reliable in their attendance. Students who know they will need to miss even one class should not enroll now. This class may be offered again in the future. Two separate sections of this course are being offered on different days and times: one online and one in person. 

This course will feature 10 classic comedy films, starting with “The Kid” (1921) starring Charlie Chaplin and ending with “Ferris Buehler’s Day Off” (1988) with Matthew Broderick. The other eight are “Trouble in Paradise,” “Mr. Deeds Goes to Town,” “The Shop around the Corner,” “To Be or Not to Be,” “It Should Happen to You,” “The Fortune Cookie,” “What’s Up, Doc,” and “Being There.” A handout for each film will be provided at the preceding session; for the first meeting, a handout will be available that day. Before each film, the instructor will point out anything of particular note and will entertain questions and comments. A guided discussion will follow the end of the film. Students need bring nothing more than a desire to see these special comedy films that are true classics and still enjoyable, however many times one views them.

NOTE: This begins the four-year (12-term) series of classic comedy films first introduced five years ago.

This class will feature 10 classic musical films featuring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, starting with 1921’s “Flying Down to Rio” and finishing with 1949’s “The Barkley’s of Broadway.” The other eight are “The Gay Divorcee,” “Roberta,” “Top Hat,” “Follow the Fleet,” “Swing Time,” “Shall We Dance,” “Carefree,” and “The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle.” A handout for each film will be provided at the preceding session; for the first meeting, a handout will be available that day. Before each film, the instructor will point out anything of particular note and will entertain questions and comments. A guided discussion will follow the end of each film. Students need bring nothing more than a desire to see these special musical films that are true classics and still enjoyable, no matter how many times one views them.

NOTE: This begins the four-year (12-term) series of classic musical films first introduced eight years ago and introduced again four years ago. There will be no class meeting on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday January 15.

Expand your knitting repertoire with a fun and easy pattern and technique for knitted felt nesting bowls. Knitted felt is created by shrinking a loosely knit 100% wool piece with agitation and warm water to make a thicker and more durable fabric. Students must know how to knit using double pointed needles before taking this course. Students will knit in class and at home between classes and then learn how to use a manual agitation method for creating knitted felt as they shrink their oversized project to completion.

NOTE: Required materials include 400 yards/200 grams of worsted weight 100% wool yarn (not superwash and not white, ecru or black), a set of five double pointed needles size 10 or 10.5, a new plunger (dollar store or equivalent), and a four to five gallon plastic bucket.

In this course students are assisted in cultivating lives of self-renewal, emotional well-being, creative intelligence, and human flourishing. Students seek to integrate the human, natural, cosmic, and spiritual dimensions of the greater reality into transformative lives of meaning, significance, fulfillment, and hope. In addition, students are introduced to a “synoptic vision of transformative education” to address the critical challenges of human flourishing, cultural literacy, civil society, and ecological integrity in our global age. Finally, students will be assisted in clarifying their own personal statements of human flourishing and greater purpose.

Note: There will be no class meeting on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday January 15.

The Gospel of Thomas was found in the Egyptian town of Nag Hammadi in 1945. The Gospel starts off stating that Jesus’ brother is the author, and it contains 114 Sayings attributed to Jesus. Some biblical scholars call it the “Fifth Gospel,” as it might be the oldest (written in the first half of the 1^st Century AD) because about half of Jesus’ sayings in this Gospel are in the biblical gospels. The readings in this Gospel of Saint Thomas will guide our discussion in concentrating on Jesus’ philosophy, namely how he understands the cosmos, his vision of how we should live in community, and the imperative of obtaining more self-knowledge. The unique sayings of Jesus are the beatitudes, including, for example, turning the other cheek, loving one’s enemies, and treating people in the way you want to be treated. These sum up Jesus’ perspective. Reading and discussion of some of the 114 Sayings will be explored in each class session.

NOTE: The instructor will provide a free copy of the Gospel of Thomas for your use during the course.

Felicia Bornstein Lubliner, a survivor of ghettos and concentration camps (Auschwitz and Gross-Rosen) in Nazi-occupied Poland, wrote and spoke publicly afterward about her Holocaust experiences. Her son, the course instructor, invites you to delve into her written stories and oral presentations, published as “Only Hope: A Survivor’s Stories of the Holocaust.” Each story will be read aloud, either by the instructor or by students who have the book. Participants will be invited to share their reactions, questions, and insights. We will discuss the historical context and lessons to be learned about that period, the universal human responses that the narratives evoke, and the relevance of the subject matter to challenges we face in modern times. 

NOTE: Purchase of “Only Hope” is optional. It is available as a paperback book for $15.99 and as a Kindle download for $5.99. 

Six sessions will delve into how to take care of the voice, strengthen and improve articulation and singing range, as well as experience the joy of music-making in ensemble. In each class, singers will learn specific warm-ups for development of the voice, as well as the solid science of how the voice works. Each class will focus on a particular aspect of singing, corresponding vocal exercises, and their implementation. Students need to have a fairly good ear, though they won’t need to be able to read music. For creative material, we will use rounds.

It’s not the destination—it’s the journey. In these contemporary times, some people struggle with making a big transition in life, securing a real accomplishment, or simply getting in touch with their true selves. One way people take up the challenge is to literally head for the wilderness and “hit the trail” by hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, a 2,650-mile-long footpath along the mountainous spine of the west coast. This course looks at the development and history of a trail that goes from the border with Mexico, north to the border with Canada. This national scenic trail has recently become popular after the publication of the book “Wild” by Cheryl Strayed, and a movie of the same name. The trail beckons hikers from around the world to begin a hike in the searing desert heat and complete it in the freezing snows of the north. What motivates them and keeps them going? Classes will include lectures, slides, videos, and plenty of time for discussions.

Communities in the Rogue Valley rank high in assessments of state and regional wildfire risk. The 2020 Almeda Fire, which started in Ashland, burned more than 2,800 structures! This course will address mostly simple things you can do to make your home and other buildings wildfire resistant. Through a combination of lectures and discussion, we will explore construction materials and design considerations as well as landscaping best practices in an urban environment. Invited fire professionals will present on some topics. (A portion of this course was taught in the Winter 2023 course, Fire Reluctant Landscaping Best Practices.) If a student is interested in learning how to create customizable plant lists for their garden, they are encouraged to bring a PC laptop that can run an MS Excel file containing macros to the last class. If such a computer is not available, alternatives will be discussed. Don’t let this keep you from attending!

In Wines of the World, we will learn about six wine regions of the world, visiting areas not covered in Dawson’s Winter 2023 course. The instructor will lecture, using PowerPoint and multimedia, about the geography, climate, soils, history, varietals, labeling, and regulatory structure of the region. We will taste four quality wines from the region and discuss our perceptions. No special background knowledge is required, but a passion for wine is recommended.

NOTE: A class fee of up to $100 per student will be charged to cover the costs of the quality wines. The exact fee will depend on the cost of the wines. Students will be required to pay the full fee, even if they expect to miss some classes. Please note that the six classes are not continuous. There are four classes in January and two classes in March. This course will meet in January and March. There will be no class meetings in February.