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Health and Better Living | ||||||
| Title | Instructor | First | Weeks | Starts | Ends | Fee |
| Your Deceptive Mind IV | Putzeys | Mon, 8/31/20 | 5 | 10:00 AM | 11:00 AM | $12.50 |
| Discover the science of cognitive biases and critical thinking and become a savvier, sharper critical thinker in your professional and personal life. This course includes additional lectures in the course of the same name from The Great Courses. | What You Should Know About Stem Cells | Kelly | Thu, 9/10/20 | 1 | 10:30 AM | 11:30 AM | $2.50 |
| The topic of Stem Cells is hot in today's medicine. But do you really know what they are - where they come from - and how new techniques and strategies show promise for healing? This presentation is taken from my current book Stem Cells (published by Greenwood Press, 2019). In this session, I will explore the potential use of stem cells in the various systems, heart, lungs, urinary, bones, and muscles, etc. Also, I will caution that the Food and Drug Administration has approved only 15 procedures and that there are scrupulous people who are taken advantage of unapproved procedures. Florida is the capital of clinics that have been cited and closed down. Also, we will talk about stem cells in veterinary medicine - horses, and your pet dog or cat. | ||||||
History and Geography | ||||||
| Title | Instructor | First | Weeks | Starts | Ends | Fee |
| Winston Churchill Early Career Through WWI | Hautanen | Tue, 9/1/20 | 4 | 1:30 PM | 2:30 PM | $10.00 |
| Here we will explore Winston Churchill in the period from his entry into politics through the First World War. What issues did he face in his public and personal life? How did he rise so meteorically? How did the memories and legends of his family drive him? This course will make use of multiple Great Courses series, some focused directly on the man, others on major historical events of the time. | Eurasian Steppe Nomads: The First Indo-European Speakers | Holloran | Wed, 9/2/20 | 4 | 1:30 PM | 3:00 PM | $15.00 |
| The First Indo-European Speakers were the pastoral steppe nomads who tamed horses, invented the wheel, and spread their language throughout Europe and Asia. The course starts with an overview of steppe geography, the evolving steppe way life, and the war that persisted for six thousand years. This course is the first in a series of four about Eurasian Steppe Nomads. The series explores how the powerful militarized nomadic peoples impacted eventual development of the modern world for six thousand years up to the early 1900s. They interacted with and often conquered much larger, powerful sedentary civilizations in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and East and South Asia. The European Steppe Nomads courses are based on key lectures from 65 in several of The Great Courses. These courses also include online videos and materials for home study. Attendance at all courses in the series is desirable, but new students can join any course. | Science Biographies - Maria Merian | Pealer | Thu, 9/3/20 | 1 | 10:00 AM | 11:30 AM | $3.75 |
| My Science Biographies courses will describe aspects of the lives of scientists based on one biography about each that has appealed to me. This class will be about Maria Sybilla Merian based on biographies by Kim Todd and Joyce Sidman; Maria was a renown painter and naturalist who lived in the late 1600’s. Her diligent scientific study coupled with her beautiful paintings created our understanding of the metamorphosis of butterflies and moths. She led an extremely unusual life for her time. | Winston Churchill Between The World Wars | Hautanen | Tue, 9/29/20 | 4 | 1:30 PM | 2:30 PM | $10.00 |
| Let us examine this fascinating period in the life of Winston Churchill. He reached great heights of fame and power, and was then relegated to what he called the political wilderness. Money troubles and near death experiences followed him as usual. This course will make use of multiple Great Courses series, some focused directly on the man, others on major historical events of the time. | European Steppe Nomads - The Huns | Holloran | Wed, 9/30/20 | 3 | 1:30 PM | 3:00 PM | $11.25 |
| The Huns were preceded by several militarized confederations of pastoral steppe nomads. Atilla the Hun successfully united the Hun tribes and led them in the conquest of the lands across the frontiers of the Roman Empire. The European Steppe Nomads courses are based on key lectures from 65 in several of The Great Courses. These courses also include online videos and materials for home study. Attendance at all courses in the series is desirable, but new students can join any course in the series. | Eurasian Steppe Nomads - The Turkish Speakers | Holloran | Wed, 10/21/20 | 4 | 1:30 PM | 3:00 PM | $15.00 |
| The Turk tribes initially emerged from the Mongolian Steppes. They evolved while spreading west across the steppes, becoming ascendant and then being replaced by another. While ascendent, they impacted the sedentary civilizations to the south, frequently replacing the Iranian languages of the Middle East and Central Asia. In the process, they spread Islam to what is now Turkey, Pakistan, and India. They also had a profound effect on the development of Moslem Civilization in the Middle Ages. The European Steppe Nomads courses are based on key lectures from 65 in several of The Great Courses. These courses also include online videos and materials for home study. Attendance at all courses in the series is desirable, but new students can join any course in the series. | Greece & the Balkans - Birth of West and Battleground of East | Coffey | Thu, 10/29/20 | 4 | 10:30 AM | 11:30 AM | $10.00 |
| Southeast Europe, the area known as the Balkans, has been a battleground for empires for centuries and a cauldron of civilizational clashes of East and West to the present. The Balkan area has diverse religions, cultures, languages, and geopolitics. Greece was the birthplace of democracy and progenitor of western culture. At the other extreme, the Balkans was the battleground of the violent breakup of Yugoslavia into 8 separate states. Although only a fraction of Europe's population, the Balkans have been a large part of Europe's fractures. Lectures will be presented live via Zoom and lecture notes will be emailed in advance and posted on coffeynotes.com. | Eurasian Steppe Nomads - The Mongols | Holloran | Wed, 12/2/20 | 3 | 1:30 PM | 3:00 PM | $11.25 |
| This course begins with Chinggis (often pronounced Genghis) Kahn successfully uniting the Mongol tribes and starting a series of conquests in the early Thirteenth Century. His sons and grandsons finished these conquests. The Mongol Empire eventually covered most of Eurasia, becoming the largest contiguous empire in history. His grandson Qubilai (often pronounced Kublai) Khan through his conquests of China founded the Yuan Dynasty that replaced the Song Dynasty. He eventually ruled a united China and 1/6 of the land area of the Earth in the late Thirteenth Century. The European Steppe Nomads courses are based on key lectures from 65 in several of The Great Courses. These courses also include online videos and materials for home study. Attendance at all courses in the series is desirable, but, new students can join any course in the series. | Italy and the Italians Among Us | Kelly | Thu, 12/3/20 | 1 | 10:30 AM | 11:30 AM | $2.50 |
| What can one say about the great country of Italy-except that it only became a real country in 1871? Before then it was an interesting collection of powerful city states- such as Venice, Florence, Milan, etc. The contributions of Italy to world culture are amazing and overwhelming. I have visited Italy three times - in different parts of the country - so I will take you overland to see some of these cities and the Italian countryside. But why then did so many citizens from this land immigrate to the USA. Beginning in 1870 to 1920 floods of people from Italy arrived on our shores. They were the poor and disenfranchised; many became successful. Here are some of the names you may companies that you may know founded by Italian immigrants from Italy: Ghirardelli Chocolate Company, Progresso, Planters Peanuts, Contadina, Chef Boyardee, Italian Swiss Colony wines and Jacuzzi. | Romania and the Romanians Among Us | Kelly | Thu, 12/10/20 | 1 | 10:30 AM | 11:30 AM | $2.50 |
| Us Bucharest, the capital of Romania, was once known as the Paris of the East. It was the culture center of the Slavic world. But the sad history created conditions in which many Romanians - especially Ashkenazi Jews - left the country. There are many Romanians among us - mostly in New York, California, Florida, and spread throughout the country. I will take you to this interesting country that I have visited twice. We will also go to that mysterious place called Transylvania - you may even meet Dracula. | ||||||
Literature and Language | ||||||
| Title | Instructor | First | Weeks | Starts | Ends | Fee |
| Introductory Spanish | Nelson | Fri, 9/4/20 | 8 | 1:00 PM | 3:00 PM | $40.00 |
| This 8 week course will introduce you to basic vocabulary and grammar within real life situations, such as basic conversations, shopping and bargaining, ordering in a restaurant and talking about our families. No previous Spanish knowledge is needed. Communicative activities will be emphasized via our zoom class. | Language Families of Asia | Holloran | Fri, 10/2/20 | 5 | 10:30 AM | 12:00 PM | $18.75 |
| This course explores the language families of Asia. In it, we will follow Eurasian Steppe Nomads as they spread several of these language families across Eurasia. The course is based on lectures by Professor John McWhorter from his The Great Courses Language Families of the World. We will supplement his lectures with information from other sources. | ||||||
Science and Technology | ||||||
| Title | Instructor | First | Weeks | Starts | Ends | Fee |
| Tour the History, Art, and Culture of Washington, D.C | Crawford | Wed, 9/2/20 | 4 | 10:00 AM | 12:00 PM | $20.00 |
| From your living room take a tour of the Nation's Capital from its origin to its present cultural features. Along the way you will get insights from one who grew up in (and later escaped from) the big city. The course is based in part on video lectures by Richard Kurin, Ph.D.,Undersecretary of Culture at the Smithsonian Museums from one of the Great Courses: Great Tours: Washington, D.C. | The Search for the Causes of Dark Matter and Energy | Holloran | Fri, 9/4/20 | 4 | 10:30 AM | 12:00 PM | $15.00 |
| This course follows the Summer Term course, The Evidence for Dark Matter and Energy. In this course, we will review the unsuccessful results of recent research into the causes of Dark Matter and Dark Energy. The expected Dark Matter particle has eluded physicists for almost 40 years. Now, new explanations are being considered for the evidence of Dark Matter and Energy. This course will be primarily based on video and printed online resources about the latest theories and experiments. | Mac 101: The Essentials | Davis | Tue, 9/8/20 | 1 | 10:00 AM | 11:30 AM | $3.75 |
| The essentials are things you may not know or knew and have forgotten. It does not matter if you are a beginner or a long-time Mac user, there are always new things to learn (or re-learn). Mac 101 will help you understand the key features of the Mac. You will learn how to organize and find files, how to use built-in apps to perform basic tasks, and how to configure the computer for better performance. You will learn how to protect your important files and what to do when trouble strikes. Class participants will get links to useful resources and there will be ample time for questions and discussion. | Science Surprises | Pealer | Tue, 9/15/20 | 1 | 10:00 AM | 11:00 AM | $2.50 |
| For biology enthusiasts, this monthly class will be whatever videos, articles, websites I have found interesting. It is sort of an in-person blog instead of an online blog! | FREE Institute for Human Machine Cognition Update | Zink | Thu, 9/17/20 | 1 | 10:00 AM | 11:00 AM | $0.00 |
| Laurie Zink, IHMC Development and Community Outreach Director, will explain important research this non-profit organization does, primarily in Pensacola and now in Ocala. IHMC took over and rehabilitated the old downtown Ocala Library. Each year it has hosted eight Evening Lectures with nationally-known speakers that are free to attend, if you get your ticket request in early. Laurie will provide an update of the extent to which the Evening Lectures are being impacted by the COVID-19 Pandemic. Laurie will also demonstrate how to view online Evening Lectures recorded in Ocala and Pensacola. IHMC also has important science-based education programs for the youth in our community | Leonardo da Vinci and the Italian High Renaissance I | Pealer | Tue, 9/22/20 | 3 | 10:30 AM | 12:00 PM | $11.25 |
| /"Leonardo da Vinci is the one of the most recognized figures in history…/" This course covers his early life and works, as well as the context in which he lived, 1452-1519, known as the High Renaissance. This was a time of intellectual advancement, geographic exploration during which there was much political instability and intrigue. It is based in part on lectures from one of The Great Courses: Leonardo da Vinci and the Italian High Renaissance by Professor George Bent from Washington and Lee University. | Special Abilities and Limitations: Prodigies and Autism | Stephens | Thu, 10/1/20 | 4 | 10:00 AM | 11:30 AM | $15.00 |
| Do you or do you have relatives that have uncommon cognitive capabilities? During this course will examine the autism spectrum and the types and nature of child prodigies. How do such unusual personalities develop? We will look at genetic factors and how the brains of these individuals appear to differ from most human brains. We will look at the common links between the behaviors of those diagnosed as autistic and as prodigies. | Mac 102: Tips and Tricks | Davis | Tue, 10/13/20 | 1 | 10:00 AM | 11:30 AM | $3.75 |
| Once you have mastered the essentials, it is time to learn a few tips and tricks to get more from your computer. Mac 102 will provide you with tips, tools, and techniques to help you use your Mac more effectively. You will start by learning how to use System Preferences to personalize your computer. You will learn to use several Mac utilities, get information about security, and learn how to avoid problems. Class participants will get links to useful resources and there will be ample time for questions and discussion. | Tech Topics | Davis | Mon, 11/2/20 | 1 | 1:00 PM | 2:30 PM | $3.75 |
| Tech Topics may include short presentations about hardware and software, tutorials, and Zoom tips. It is like meeting in a coffee house. Come to talk about your computer problems. You may get answers, you may not! Ah well, that is life. | Language and the Mind | Holloran | Fri, 11/6/20 | 5 | 10:00 AM | 11:30 AM | $18.75 |
| Modern technology has permitted new insights into how the mind processes language. Furthermore, we now know much more about why children easily learn even the most complex of native languages. We also know why many adults find learning a language very difficult. This course uses lectures from one of The Great Courses of the same name by Professor Spencer Kelly of Colgate University, supplemented with other online resources. | Mac 103: Organization and Productivity | Davis | Tue, 11/10/20 | 1 | 10:00 AM | 11:30 AM | $3.75 |
| Ready to learn how to get more from your Mac? Mac 103 will give you tips to help you organize your Mac and will introduce you to the productivity apps included in all computers. Learn how to find and remove clutter and how to use utilities to improve the performance of your computer. Learn how to use Notes as a Personal Knowledge Library. Get introduced to Pages, Numbers, and Keynote and see examples of how they can help you with various chores. Class participants will get links to useful resources and there will be ample time for questions and discussion. | Leonardo da Vinci and the Italian High Renaissance II | Pealer | Tue, 11/17/20 | 3 | 10:30 AM | 12:00 PM | $11.25 |
| /"Leonardo da Vinci is the one of the most recognized figures in history…/" This course completes his life and works as well as the context in which he lived, 1452-1519, known as the High Renaissance. This was a time of intellectual advancement, geographic exploration during which there was much political instability and intrigue. It is based in part on lectures from one of The Great Courses: Leonardo da Vinci and the Italian High Renaissance by Professor George Bent from Washington and Lee University. | Mac 104: Maintenance and More | Davis | Tue, 12/8/20 | 1 | 10:00 AM | 11:30 AM | $3.75 |
| There comes a time in the life of every computer when problems strike. Mac 104 will give you tips on avoiding problems and how to fix them when they occur. You will learn how to back up your files, maintain your computer for best performance, and fix problems. Class participants will get links to useful resources and there will be ample time for questions and discussion. | ||||||
Special Event | ||||||
| Title | Instructor | First | Weeks | Starts | Ends | Fee |
| Fall Term Kickoff and Senior Learners, Inc. Annual Meeting | Pealer | Tue, 9/1/20 | 1 | 10:00 AM | 11:00 AM | $0.00 |
| The 2019-20 Fiscal Year for Senior Learners, Inc., ends on August 31, 2020. Under our Bylaws we must hold an annual meeting once a year to elect the Board for the next Fiscal Year. As a result of the Coronavirus Pandemic, our Annual Meeting this year must be held on line using Zoom. After the short Board Meeting the Fall Term instructors will introduce themselves and their courses. | Saint Augustine and the Nights of Lights Festival | Kelly | Mon, 12/14/20 | 1 | 1:30 PM | 2:30 PM | $2.50 |
| Saint Augustine has been billed as the oldest city in the United States. It also has one of the most spectacular shows of holiday lights. Called the Night of Lights, the display begins the Saturday before Thanksgiving and ends the first of February. Locals say the time to go is very early at the first or in January. Tourists from many countries come to see the lights; it is well-publicized in travel brochures. We will also visit some of the spectacular old places that also are decorated - the Lightner Museum, Flagler College, and their famous haunted cemeteries. Saint Augustine is said to be the most haunted place in the United States, with ghosts of Native Americans, Spanish settlers, Englishmen, Pirates, and even some modern ghosts of Henry Flagler. Visiting the old fort is a must. This might be a place you would like to go and take those visiting relatives with you. | ||||||
the Arts | ||||||
| Title | Instructor | First | Weeks | Starts | Ends | Fee |
| How to View and Appreciate Great Movies II | Sullivan | Mon, 8/31/20 | 4 | 1:30 PM | 3:00 PM | $15.00 |
| Are you interested in viewing movies with a more critical eye? Professor Eric Williams of Ohio University has prepared a series of lectures for The Great Courses, which we will be watching together online. This course is the second in a series of three. Its lectures are an exploration of individual production areas involved in movie making. | The Craft of Drawing - Functions of Design and Layout | Thomas | Thu, 9/3/20 | 4 | 1:00 PM | 3:00 PM | $20.00 |
| The Craft of Drawing/Functions of Design and Layout Session is developed as a logical progression focusing on the principles of establishing unity, balance and creating a focal point. We will work with dividing the picture plane to use the entire space to the best advantage, exploring ways to create a center of interest. This session will introduce using thumbnail drawings to develop value studies as a way to compose your drawing. Get ready for One-Point Perspective. Materials: Sketch paper, or copy paper, or news print; graphite pencil or charcoal pencil – eraser optional. | Watercolor Still Life | Craggs | Wed, 9/30/20 | 6 | 10:00 AM | 12:00 PM | $30.00 |
| We will learn to use the four basic principles of color effectively. These are hue, value,intensity and temperature. Learning to use these principles effectively will achieve greater expression in our painting experience. | The Craft of Drawing and Color Theory | Thomas | Thu, 10/1/20 | 4 | 1:00 PM | 3:00 PM | $20.00 |
| The Craft of Drawing and Color Theory is the continuation of Sessions One and Two. You will create detail drawings to use as under drawings for value and color studies. This session will introduce the color wheel, the structure of color and monochromatic, complementary and analogous color themes using acrylic paint. Materials: Acrylic paint primary and secondary colors (yellow, green, blue, violet, red and orange), small flat and round brush; any heavy weight paper for wet mediums (acrylic, water color, illustration board…). Note: We will be working in a 6 x 6 or 6 x 8 format size, in order to get through the exercises in the allotted time. | How to View and Appreciate Great Movies III | Sullivan | Mon, 10/5/20 | 4 | 1:30 PM | 3:00 PM | $15.00 |
| Are you interested in viewing movies with a more critical eye? Professor Eric Williams of Ohio University has prepared a series of lectures for the Great Courses, which we will be watching together online. This course is the third in a series of three. Its lectures focus on idea of character, including leading and secondary character development. | In Search of Pablo Picasso | Kelly | Tue, 10/20/20 | 1 | 10:30 AM | 11:30 AM | $2.50 |
| Sometimes - a painting will evoke emotions and strong responses. That is the way I felt when I presented the painting Guernica to a group of students. The painting in black and white depicts the aftermath of the Nazi bombing of the town Guernica, Spain in 1937. They became engrossed in this work - that is probably the most famous painting in the world. So in this session we will look at the life of Picasso - whose father was also a painter and artist. Pablo’s first words were "piz piz" - he wanted a pencil (in Spanish lapiz means pencil) to draw. | In Search of El Greco | Kelly | Tue, 10/27/20 | 1 | 10:30 AM | 11:30 AM | $2.50 |
| Our bus stopped on a pinnacle overlooking the city of Toledo, Spain. We were told this view is the inspiration of one of the most famous landscape paintings of all times - View over Toledo. It was then inspiring to visit the Museum and see this painting - by a Greek with a very long name. His comrades shortened it to El Greco - meaning "the Greek." Born on the Isle of Crete, which was ruled by Venice, he made his way to Spain and claimed Toledo as his hometown. There, he developed a unique style of expressionism and cubism. | The Craft of Drawing Color and Light | Thomas | Thu, 10/29/20 | 4 | 1:00 PM | 3:00 PM | $20.00 |
| The Craft of Drawing Color and Light is our final session in the series. You will work to develop your personal paint palette, mixing color for a specific composition that gives accurate and compelling expressions of your individual color style. Materials: Acrylic paint primary and secondary colors (yellow, green, blue, violet, red and orange), small flat and round brush; any heavy weight paper for wet mediums (acrylic, water color, illustration board…). Note: We will be working in a 6 x 6 or 6 x 8 format size, in order to get through the exercises in the allotted time. | The American Journey: Pioneering American Artists and Musicians | Satterfield | Fri, 10/30/20 | 3 | 1:30 PM | 3:30 PM | $15.00 |
| This course will explore visionary Americans who created masterworks in art and music during the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. Participants will have the opportunity to learn about the lives of pioneering figures that helped shape our country’s musical landscape, as well as look at examples of their art and listen to recordings or their music. | In Search of Andy Warhol | Kelly | Tue, 11/3/20 | 1 | 10:30 AM | 11:30 AM | $2.50 |
| Have you ever thought that a can of tomato soup can be exciting? What about it as a subject for great art? This movement of pop art may leave some people snickering or scratching their heads- huh? But for Andy, a very sickly young boy, such objects became very interesting. At school, he showed so much interest in art and drawing that his teachers suggested he take weekend classes at the nearby Carnegie Museum of Art. He later studied art and design at Carnegie Institute of Art - and there became known for an unusual art style. I will take you to his museum in his hometown of Pittsburg, and we will take a look at some of his designs that may make you take a look at what is important and what is not important in life. | For Love of Film: Potpourri | Smith | Mon, 11/9/20 | 4 | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | $10.00 |
| Join us for For Love Of Film: Potpourri. Based on the book club model, the assigned movies will be discussed using prepared questions at the beginning of each class. The next film will be introduced at the end of the hour followed by a film short. I will be selecting well reviewed movies that are free to Amazon Prime members. You will need to provide your own popcorn and brownies for the class. See you at the movies! | ||||||
*Senior Learners, Inc., sponsors events offered by non-profit organizations, such as the CF Foundation and its Appleton Museum, which the Board considers will be of interest to our students.
| info@seniorlearners.org (352) 239-8780 |
Senior Learners, Inc. 3001 S.W. College Road PMB No. 210 OCALA FL 34474-4415 |
IMPORTANT Please do not contact CF personnel about any Senior Learners, Inc. courses. Senior Learners, Inc. is independent of CF. We have the use of a classroom and support the CF Foundation with donations. If you have any questions about our courses or operations, please contact us: info@SeniorLearners.org, (352) 239–8780.
NOTE: The views of our instructors and students are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Senior Learners, Inc. This position is also true for videos, handouts, and other instructional materials used in our courses, and for events that we may sponsor in conjunction with other non-profit organizations.