| |
Presented By:
Rita Weimer, DILR, Duke University
Dr. Diane Melby, College for Lifelong Learning, Shenandoah University
Gloria Kleiman, Academy for Lifelong Learning, Carnegie Mellon University
Cathy Hunter, Lifelong Learning Institute, James Madison University
Kathleen Bennett, Renaissance, College of Notre Dame
Toby Netherton, Institute for Learning in Retirement, Old Dominion University
(Moderator)
A strong curriculum is essential to attracting and keeping members, but
curriculum development is unique to each LLI. This workshop helped participants
identify members’ areas of interest, plan curriculum, either peer-led
or pro-led courses, and how to evaluate those courses.
Please contact the presenters for more detailed information.
Gloria Kleiman, Academy for Lifelong Learning, Carnegie Mellon
University
The curriculum chair (or co-chair to split the load) is the most important
person in the organization who is able to:
• Be organized and develop procedures and maintain communication
with committee
• Utilize all community connections
• Be outgoing
• Read local newspapers to keep aware of what is going on and who
is making it happen
• Encourage committee to brainstorm and assume responsibilities
to carry out procedures. These may change as the
organization grows, or new chairs take over
• Investigate cultural venues for presenters such as:
• Symphony
• Theatres
• Artist studios
• Planetarium---Museums
• Dance companies
• Maintain relationship with Faculty and University officials
• Review course offerings to be certain that members’ interests
are being met
• Discuss with study leaders possibility of doing other courses
related to their field of interest
• Establish mechanism for evaluating classes
• Develop subcommittees to:
• Assess interests of the membership at large
• Review catalogues of other institutions
• Talk with new members about their interest in service
• Evaluate attendance
The curriculum committee should be:
• Composed of both long standing and new members. A survey of membership
might identify potential members for committee, particularly
when first joining.
• Willing to aid in contacting course presenters and write thank
you notes at the end of the term
• Understanding of and willing to be involved in course procedures
Cathy Hunter, Lifelong Learning Institute, James Madison University
Good Morning! It is my pleasure to describe how James Madison University’s
Lifelong Learning Institute’s curriculum committee tries to find
a balance of courses that will appeal to their membership and to tell
you briefly about some of our activities.
Our goal is to find a balance of course offerings that will cover art
and entertainment, politics, literature, science, math, religion, history,
computers, personal interest, local interest, and at least one physical
activity course. With over 500 members this past academic year, ages 50
to over 90, we feel we have a very diverse group that we must appeal to.
Our strength in course offerings and instructors come from FOUR major
areas.
• First our committee takes the evaluation and suggestion
sheets from the previous course session to identify our members
areas of interest. We brainstorm, pulling together ideas that have been
suggested, following up on leads for new classes, reaching
out to our academic community. Occasionally, the instructors
themselves suggest a sequential course or new course entirely. Often one
course leads to a follow up course that further investigates the subject
of interest.
• Second, we feel very fortunate that we do have a core set
of instructors that is our basis for classes. These instructors
return annually (or every semester) to teach. They will call our director
if someone fails to call them. We know that every spring Harvey
Yoder will share his knowledge of the local Mennonite community,
Robin McNally has his “groupies,” they will sign up for any
literature class he teaches, Dr. Bob McFadden loves to teach
any course dealing with religion. Dr. Bill Blair loves teaching
about the early history of the Shenandoah Valley. Once we have the core
classes one of our members develops a grid to determine what other courses
we should offer to make it a well-rounded selection.
• Third, JMU has a working list of instructors that would
like to teach outside of the usual university, doing community service.
Often a new instructor and/or course can be developed from this community
service sheet. Other colleges and universities in the area provide instructors
as well. Many of our members are newcomers to the area and
can teach or will suggest new and different courses. Many
times a person has heard of our program and volunteers to be an instructor.
• Fourth, there are 3 very large retirement communities in
the valley. We have found them to be a source of opportunity - both for
instructors and as a site for location of classes. There are many residents
that want to share their knowledge with others. We attempt to have at
least 1 class at one of the communities each semester - this
does appeal to those members that feel they cannot drive to the
university for classes.
Our curriculum committee is composed of 8 members, plus our director
Nancy Grembi. The term limit on the committee is 3 years. We attempt to
have a cross section of people on this committee; newcomers, long time
residents, etc. The committee members try to make the initial contact
with possible instructors, listing their preference for times and dates
then that contact is followed up by our director, who coordinates the
course proposals, contracts, schedules, etc.
Our goal is to offer a course selection of 18 to 20 classes every fall
and every spring. The classes are 2 hours long once a week for 5 weeks.
There are 2 session each semester. In the case of computer classes they
are held every other day for 5 days. The instructors feel the retention
level is higher if the classes are held more frequently.
Several times a history class has been held twice a week or taught twice
in one week, due to the popularity of the course topic and/or the instructor.
In some cases the enrollment is so large we hold the class in the recreation
center in Harrisonburg. Some classes are offered sequentially, e.g. computer
learning classes, starting with keyboarding and then progressing to higher
levels of word processing, spreadsheet, internet etc. Bridge is also offered
within the year beginning with a beginners class and progressing to a
higher level throughout the year.
Our fall session begins just after Labor Day and ends prior to Thanksgiving.
The spring session begins mid to late January, there is a week break between
sessions for snow days, the B session ends in mid April. We know several
class groups have continued to meet after the formal sessions have ended.
The bridge groups are still enjoying a good card game, the memoir writing
group gets together frequently to compare notes, and the dream analysis
group has gotten together.
Fortunately, the stipend we have been able to pay our instructors has
continued to rise. To date we pay $200 for the 10 hours of instruction.
Several instructors prefer not to take the stipend, they teach just for
the love of teaching.
Most of our classes are held on the campus of JMU. This year we have
been allotted 2 trailers for our classes. Prior to the remodeling undertaken
by the university we had 2 dedicated classrooms plus an office adjacent.
Parking is nearby and parking permits are issued by the university.
A few classes are located in the instructor’s home or studio, others
are held on site. For example, the Foods of the Shenandoah Valley course
involved taking trips to the various food production sites, a dairy farm,
an orchard, a poultry operation, a nursery, and a creamery. The pottery
class - Immerse Yourself in Mud - was held in the instructor’s studio.
Vital Church Pipe Organs is being offered at different churches in Harrisonburg.
The Theater class attended plays in and around Harrisonburg and Staunton.
The recreation department of Augusta County has co-sponsored 2 classes
in their facility. We have held large classes at the Gilkerson Center
in Harrisonburg. The Judaism class has been held at the Temple in Staunton
and the Temple in Harrisonburg. The class offered on the Shenandoah National
Park was held at the park itself after an initial introduction in the
classroom.
In addition to classes we have many other activities to interest our
members. There is always a convocation prior to the beginning of classes
every semester. This gives us all a chance to meet the instructors, get
the syllabus for the class, as well as meet and greet each other. Following
the end of the second session of classes each semester we have an instructors
appreciation luncheon. Again, an opportunity to thank the instructors
as well as an opportunity to socialize as a group.
The social committee plans 3 day trips every semester. These trips are
usually on a commercial bus, itinerary planned by the bus company. Trips
have included taking the Golden Eagle train through West Virginia, a tour
of James Madison University itself, a trip to the Antitem Battlefield,
a tour of downtown Annapolis, a trip down the James River on the paddlewheel
boat, Annabelle Lee, with a tour of several James River plantations, tours
of some of the other civil war battlefields, and going to the theater
in Fredericksburg or Middletown. The cost is determined by the tour company.
The social committee also plans 4 brown bag lunches every semester. These
talks run the whole gambit of interest to our members, from travel to
fly-fishing. The brown bags are open to the community - not just LLI members
- and there is no fee involved. You bring a bag lunch and enjoy the discussion
topic. These last for approximately an hour and are held in our classrooms.
I hope I have given you some ideas for retaining instructors and recruiting
new instructors for your program. Also, perhaps an idea for a class or
another activity. It would be my pleasure to answer any questions following
the panel presentation.
|
|
August 29, 2008
Bookmark
this site
|