Online Learning   

Come along on a remarkable visit to Uganda and Rwanda. In addition to great safari-game viewing, we will visit Murchison Falls where the Nile River is forced through a narrow gorge creating a phenomenal waterfall. Learn about the Rwandan Tutsi genocide and the attempts at reconciliation and forgiveness. Finally, we'll go for a trek and visit a family of mountain gorillas at 9,000 feet in the Volcanoes National Park.

Take a national park tour with full-color photos, stories, park information, animal sightings, and vacation planning information about the following national parks: Sequoia, Kings Canyon, Yosemite, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, Glacier, Zion, Bryce Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands, Acadia, Great Smoky Mountains, Olympic, Rocky Mountain, and Badlands, as well as Mount Rushmore National Monument. This armchair tour will leave you wanting to head immediately to that national park!

In the years following the end of World War II, American aviation benefited from the infrastructure created by the needs of the military services. General aviation experienced a rapid growth of light aircraft production and operations. The airline industry benefited from a worldwide network of airports and trained personnel. The military embraced the performance of jet engines and the concept of long-range strategic airpower. This was a period of peaceful uses of aviation, with personal participation by the instructor.

Catastrophic volcanic eruptions around the globe have impacted our world through changes in paleoclimate, geography, fauna and flora, and, later, human life. We will study several of these historic volcanoes, their origin and magnitude, and the changes wrought by their eruptions. Can we predict future eruptions?

No previous Tai Chi experience is necessary. All the movements are slow and gentle, and no martial arts applications will be taught or practiced in this study group. These methods may help lessen body pain, correct spinal misalignment, cultivate a sense of internal energy, and rest the mind. Participants can wear comfortable roomy or stretchy clothing and some soft tai chi shoes or socks to wear on their feet.

A scintillating review of current themes in the media will be discussed in each class. Class members present a topic, discuss it, then open the floor for discussion and debate. Poetry, literature, scientific discovery, and educational progress are examples of the issues addressed. Special guests are welcome to present.

How do you know what colors to use and which ones to mix when working on a painting? Having an understanding and some experience with color helps artists make informed decisions and choices in developing their paintings. Using watercolors, participants will explore different color schemes and how they can affect the mood and impact of a painting. Each week will feature a different color scheme, a color exercise, and/or a painting.

How do you financially plan for yourself or a loved one to transition into a retirement community, skilled nursing home, or assisted living facility? How do you pay for it? Should you consider long-term care insurance? What happens when you run out of money? What happens if you have few or no assets prior to entering a facility? In this class Steven Cliadakis from OLLI sponsor Altum Wealth Advisors will cover some of the basic financial considerations involved in transitioning to one of these facilities.

We will look at four films that document the struggles of the soviet people. Mr. Jones (2019) is based on the true story of the British journalist Gareth Jones who uncovers the truth of the devastating famine ('Holodomor') in 1933 Ukraine. The Way Back (2010) is about four prisoners who escape from a Soviet gulag in WWII. Bridge Of Spies (2015) is set during the Cold War and tells the story of lawyer James B. Donovan who is entrusted with negotiating the release of Francis Gary Powers in 1960 in exchange for Rudolf Abel, a convicted Soviet KGB spy held by the US. K-19: The Widowmaker (2002) focuses its story on the 1961 tragedy of the Soviet Hotel-class submarine K-19.

This class will discuss four questions based on papers from the second half of the twentieth century. Each proved to be an important contribution to its area. The first three are by American philosophers; the fourth British. After Warhol: what is art? ("The Artworld" by Arthur Danto); What is consciousness? ("What is it Like to be a Bat?" by Thomas Nagel); AI: Can machines think? ("The Chinese Room" by John Searle); Is there free will? ("Freedom and Responsibility" by Peter Strawson).

This class is for people who have studied some French in the past. We study basic French grammar, usage, pronunciation, and vocabulary. The focus is communicating with others in written and spoken French.

The class is reading Le Chien Jaune by Georges Simonet. The class reads aloud, followed by translation into English, with some discussion of vocabulary, grammar, and the plot.

On parle français dans cette classe, sans traduction (si nous avons de la chance). On doit avoir l'envie d'entendre et de parler mieux le français, et peut-être un jour le parler couramment. Il n’y a pas de textes.

Let go of stress and come home to yourself. Over millennia, the sages of the Himalayan Yoga Tradition developed highly effective methods of movement, relaxation, and meditation. In this study group you will learn foundational practices from the Himalayan Yoga Tradition. Each session will have three phases: gentle movement and breathing, deep relaxation, and meditation. Members can expect to leave this class refreshed. Please note that the movements taught in this study group are not acrobatics. They are suitable for people with no yoga experience. If you've attended yoga classes and found them to be too strenuous or otherwise challenging, this study group is for you.

Chico State's tradition of academic excellence goes back more than 130 years. Numbering over 1,000, Chico State's graduate students are often doing exciting and relevant work of their own. This class will give you a chance to hear some of them talk about their original research, centered around their theses.

Immigration is a major topic of national discussion. The goal of this class is to inform participants what US immigration is all about. We will include the various types of immigration, its history, its challenges, and its benefits. We will use professionals from various parts of the country who are involved in different aspects of current issues as well as firsthand experiences of refugees and asylum seekers. This class will provide a comprehensive unbiased picture of the current situation.

This class will be a refresher or training on essential skills for instructors. We'll talk about pedagogy and best practices, and might do some (voluntary!) demonstrations of various skills and practices. You'll walk away with some practical tools to use in the classroom and some concrete training in the craft of leading an engaging class session. This class is for anyone who already teaches OLLI classes, who might want to teach in the future, or who just has an interest in the topic.

This introductory class will provide an overview of Hinduism, the religion of India that originated about 3000 years ago. It will include a brief history about the origin of Hinduism and the contributions to it from different sources, the religion of Hinduism and its many components, the different philosophies that underpin the religious practices, including the non-dualism of Vedanta; and the interactions between Hinduism and Judaism, Christianity, Islam. Also covered in the class are the rituals, practices, customs and festivals related to Hinduism.

If you can't draw, know that it's not your fault. You weren't taught properly. First published in 1979, Betty Edwards' Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain applied brain science to drawing instruction. Using her teaching techniques to bypass our internal barriers and connect us to our innate ability to draw, we learn we can do more than we believed. If you want to start exploring art classes but still draw like a child, start here. Stick-figure level drawing skill is perfect and welcome.

Knitting with others is a wonderful learning environment. This class is designed to give knitters who have mastered the basic stitches of knit and purl a chance to work on a project of their choosing while we chat and share ideas online with other knitters. All levels of ability are welcome! Gale contributes to the class by offering tips and suggestions for patterns, yarn, and tools based on her years of knitting experience.

Representatives from various local news organizations will join us to discuss their processes and the challenges and opportunities for local news agencies. Bring your questions!

Classical music has been with us for centuries. While there are many modern and contemporary styles of music that have developed, some composers now specialize in film scores. Specifically, many of the Hollywood composers in the 20th century were European classical music composers who met the film industry's need for orchestral music. This class will present the evolution of films and film music. We will discuss the various styles of this genre and the composers who are responsible. This multimedia presentation will familiarize you with films and film scores. It will be both informative and entertaining.

My Neighbor's Voice (MNV) is committed to encouraging respectful conversations about the things that matter most. Using MNV Listening Cards, we focus on universal community questions ranging from American culture to civic rights and responsibilities, spiritual thought to health and environment, and more. During class, we have a moderated listening practice with our cards. Each participant takes turns answering questions and listening to their neighbor answer a related question. At the end of several listening rounds, we open the forum up for free discussion on the topic of the day.

Each week the class will read poems by an individual poet, a collection of poems on a specific subject, or a collection of poems in a specific style. A wide range of poets and poetry will be presented, from classic to contemporary. We will discuss poetry from the perspective that the poet creates the work but the reader activates it.

This class will discuss favorite science fiction authors, their books, and the human, political, and scientific issues they raise. The books and authors will be chosen by Sydney from suggestions by participants. This is a fun, free-flowing gathering of science fiction enthusiasts. Please join us and bring your ideas, insights, and suspension of disbelief.

Writing was invented about 5,500 years ago. Not long after it probably occurred to people that they would want to keep some things they wrote private. From then until now – from teenager's diaries, to personal financial data and medical records, to national defense secrets – there has been an 'arms race' between those who want to keep secrets and those who want to steal them. This class explores that history from wax tablets in the Classical era to sophisticated computers in the 21st century.

Join us for a collaborative read of the last, and perhaps least well-known or understood, of Shakespeare's major tragedies. You'll be encouraged, but not required, to join in the discussion. This class is for beginners and Shakespeare veterans alike. You will want your own copy of the play, but any good standard edition will do. Email Jack (jdayer@ucdavis.edu) for guidance.

Have you ever, like many of us, found yourself wanting to be an author? Join our discussion as we begin with your initial idea and follow various routes to publication. We will consider many different genres and formats (fiction, non-fiction, poetry, textbook, technical, essays). By the end of our interactive session, you will have the tools to research your idea and transform it into words. Hopefully, you will then be prepared for the hard part: getting your work published. We will discuss various avenues to do so, and the challenges associated with each. We will also consider different avenues to market your work. Bring your ideas, your problems, and your enthusiasm to write!

This class will introduce you to basic foundational skills in establishing a composition for a photo, using the rule of thirds, and considering the values in a photo. This content will be followed by an introduction to the many photo editing tools available on an iPhone and how to use them with the photos you have taken. If you have taken this course previously, you are welcome to take it as a refresher.

To understand the arts is to know the mind and spirit of the people. In this class, we will explore Japan's artistic history through its profound and elegant creations. We will explore Japan's best contributions to the visual arts from prehistory, the earliest Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines, and sculpture and paintings until the time of the last feudal ruler. In so many creative fields, Japan's artistry has greatly influenced artists in our modern world. It is important to identify and credit those absorbed influences.

In 1825 the State of New York officially opened the Erie Canal with wild celebrations. Building this waterway was an incredible undertaking that included many obstacles, but "Clinton's Ditch" became an overnight success. Now the Erie is 200 years old. Is it still relevant today? We will discuss this and other topics in this class.

We will continue to explore the new developments in medicine and biotechnology and how they impact our health and well-being.

The Victorians made a spectacle out of death. They both feared it and were fascinated by it. The hothouse atmosphere of romanticism combined with growing urbanization and increasing life spans contributed to a culture of death that demanded elaborate public and personal displays of inconsolable loss. Our own rituals of death and mourning directly descend from the practices put in place by the Victorians.

Start your Tuesday with music and songs. Join us in a fun, informal sing-along. Bring your voices and/or musical instruments. The operative word is "fun." If you like music, you will like this class. All levels welcome!

Join the class leader as she discusses her recent visit to Tunisia. When visiting North Africa, tourists often visit Morocco but rarely add Tunisia to their travels which means they often miss a unique opportunity. She will discuss her perceptions of the modern country as well as share her research of its history with special focus on Tunis and Carthage. Videos and her own photos will assist with our understanding of the complex history and culture of the country.

Vaccination is a major successful public health measure. Smallpox is gone; polio is on its way out; and the incidence of the childhood diseases that the older of us had is way down. We'll look at the history of many infectious diseases, their causes, and their vaccines; how the immune system works' and how vaccines work (in cooperation with the immune system). We may digress into other public health issues, and we'll spend a day or so on the connection between vaccines and autism (spoiler: there is none). Let's agree to avoid politics!

This class will cover a brief history of OLLI sponsor California Water Service, its service areas, and the customers it serves. You'll learn how the water people drink is produced, and how it is sampled on a routine basis. We'll dive into how a water main is installed and tested and how it becomes part of our larger water distribution systems. We'll also talk about investing in infrastructure and Cal Water's Water Main Replacement Program.

It was a time of radical change, a time of violence. England was under siege internally and externally. Being on the wrong side, politically or religiously, could result in torture and death. Into this confusing and disordered world strode a young married man who had left his home of Stratford-upon-Avon to attempt his hand at playwriting for the London stage. His name was William Shakespeare. Join us for a discussion of the TV show Will, described as "Shakespeare on sex, drugs, and rock and roll."

Many people living in the West are very comfortable buying and ordering California wines, especially those from Napa Valley and Sonoma. However, there are more than 150 different officially recognized growing regions in California. In fact, the oldest grapevine in the state is in Los Angeles. In this class, we will explore some of the state's less well-known wine growing regions, especially those of Southern California, with the same curiosity and excitement as we do some of the more famous northern appellations. An optional recommended wine list will be sent out 24 hours before each class for any participants who wish to purchase any of the wines, grapes, or styles we will be discussing that week.