Taken from the fall 2006 course catalog of the Center for Learning
in Retirement at Rock Valley College in Rockford, Illinois.
New Discoveries in Biology and Human Behavior –
In easy-to-understand lectures, the class will view the Teaching Company’s
DVD presentation of “Biology and Human Behavior: The Neurological
Origins of Individuality” with Professor Robert Sapolsky of Stanford
University. Dr. Sapolsky explains the current state of knowledge in
neurology and endocrinology. He analyzes how these findings are relevant
to human behavior and pathologies. This class is a great “primer”
for Dr. Robert Henry’s class “Whole Brained Thinking.”
Home Composting – Learn the basics of composting
for homeowners, including discussion of materials, procedures and equipment.
This presentation will increase your understanding of why composting
can be valuable to your home landscape and help reduce yard waste, as
well as improve soil quality.
Does it Pay to Buy Organic? – Nearly two thirds
of U.S. consumers bought organic foods and beverages in the past year,
despite higher prices. What does “Organic” really mean and
what are the benefits and the disadvantages of buying organic? This
session will give a non-biased approach to organic foods and take a
look at why it’s one of the fastest growing areas of the supermarket.
Wind Energy: Past, Present, Future – Jack Ferry,
a Boone county retired engineer, lends his objective knowledge of wind
energy with his experience of living in Europe and his study of the
issue. Wind power is widely used in Europe. Why isn’t it more
widely used in the US? Jack has slides of various wind energy projects,
as well as specifications for various types of wind energy turbines.
You will learn about the construction and limitations of turbines, the
economics of a wind farm and the problems involved in completing a project.
You will hear of the 2000 year history of wind power. If there is interest,
arrangements will be made to travel to a wind farm near PawPaw, Illinois.
Whole-Brained Thinking – Learn how to recognize
differences in how one thinks. Thinking styles and how they relate to
relationships. Topics discussed will be left and right cerebral thinking
and how this applies to personal, work and social experiences. To better
understand “Whole Brained Thinking,” consider attending
“New Discoveries in Biology and Human Behavior.”
History of Science: Physical Sciences in the 1800s
– The 1800s saw a rapid development of concepts in physics, electromagnetism,
heat, light and thermodynamics, all of which promoted scientific materialism
and other cultural conflicts. This course is a DVD series from The Teaching
Company and is the final in a series by Professor Frederick Gregory,
University of Florida. Discussion will follow Dr. Gregory’s lecture.
My Favorite Universe – In this class, Professor
Neil DeGrasse Tyson, an astrophysicist from Princeton’s Hayden
Planetarium, takes you on a spirited and intellectually engaging journey
through the cosmos and all its history, from the Big Bang to the most
likely ways in which Earth and perhaps the entire universe might end.
His lectures (A DVD series) are entertaining. Even though you will be
entertained, you will be learning good science.
Stem Cell Research – What are stem cells? What
do they do? We will examine their role in our development and their
potential applications. You will understand the controversy surrounding
the experimental use of embryonic stem cells.
Weather 101 – Everybody talks about the weather,
but nobody does anything about it! After attending this class by popular
meteorologist and TV personality Eric Nefstead, you will be able to
speak with authority about the weather.
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