Brainstorming: How to keep our curriculum fresh!

The Southern Regional Conference for Institutes for Learning in Retirement was held at the Bryant Conference Center, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa. July 27-29, 2011.

At the conference Dan Campbell, the former Director of OLLI at the  University of South Carolina, Beaufort (USCB) lead a brainstorming session. Dan had run a similar session at last year’s Southern Regional Conference and by popular demand was asked to run the session again.

The OLLIBAZAAR is the result of these Southern Regional Brainstorming sessions and has been created as a venue for OLLI staff and members to share ideas and resources on curriculum planning.

A Facilitated Brainstorming Session run by Dan Campbell.

When You Care Enough To Share Your Very Best from OLLI NRC on Vimeo.

The Southern Regional Conference for Institutes for Learning in Retirement was held at the Bryant Conference Center, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa. July 27-29, 2011.

Here are the additional brainstorming ideas that were suggested during the session:

• Research on Aging: Access to surveys to correct/clarify misconceptions about aging.
• Online courses: Broadcast to other OLLIs that you have made an online course available.
• Eckerd partners with McDill AFB and CENTCOM presenting lectures on international, cultural and history issues.
• Real time sharing of classes (experiment with WebX or another application).
• Learn more about videoconferencing/compressed TV/video from those who already utilize these at their OLLIs.
• Would like to see list of courses offered in the last 3 years (not just current) to get program ideas.
• University of Alabama offers what they call “encore” courses,  i.e. classes that were popular in the past.
• Propose meetings of smaller sub-groups (e.g. all OLLIs in the state of South Carolina) to discuss shared programming, resources, etc –  in SC could also discuss how to leverage coverage/partnerships with ETV/PBS in the state.
• LSU would like to see a 1 page fact sheet on each OLLI that summarizes its program, this would be useful at conferences.
• Knowing what resources already exist – making contact with other OLLIs via AskOLLI (for questions). Visiting the national resource Center website more often. Making use of the OLLIBAZAAR!

Filed under: Brainstorming, OLLIBAZAAR, Southern Regional Conference for Institutes for Learning in Retirement