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Omnilore is a program of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI)
at the California State University Dominguez Hills (CSUDH). The
program is centered on study discussion groups, which meet at
classroom facilities in Redondo Beach. A learning community of
approximately 300 seniors organizes Study/Discussion Groups that are
conceived, planned and directed by the members. There are no tests,
nor grades. Membership is open to all who seek intellectual
stimulation and the challenge of shared inquiry.
About
Study/Discussion Groups form the core of the Omnilore program. A
Study/Discussion Group consists of between eight and sixteen members
who gather informally at meeting rooms at the Franklin Center
(click here for map)
to discuss a given subject. There is no instructor, but members act as
coordinator.
An aerial photograph of the Franklin Center with Rooms 7 & 8 outlined
in red is
available here.
The essential concept is that of peer learning and teaching - we teach
each other! The curriculum is self-determined and limited only by the
imagination of the membership. As a self-governed organization,
members propose subjects they would like to know more about. A
committee reviews these suggestions and selects about twenty of them.
Members then choose the subjects that interest them from this list and
if at least eight people chose the same subject, a group is formed to
study it. Within the group, each member participates by choosing a
topic related to the subject under study, doing research on it and then
presenting the information to the group. The group then discusses the
topic. In this way, all members of the group benefit from the study
of every other member. Some Study/Discussion Groups are structured
around a book, which all members read and discuss as part of the
meetings.
The Omnilore Program consists of three trimesters a year, each four
months long. Study/Discussion groups meet for two hours twice each
month, 8 meetings for a total of 16 hours. Annual dues entitle a
member to any number of courses.
Omnilore is governed by officers elected by the members, and many
members volunteer to serve on committees. It has no full-time paid
staff. Omnilore is part of the
Osher Lifelong
Learning Institute (OLLI) at CSUDH
.
In addition to Study/Discussion Groups, Omnilore also offers other
educational and enriching experiences. We have forum luncheons,
field trips, special interests groups, and hiking.
Curriculum
The Study/Discussion Group is the core of our program. Each
trimester a list of stimulating topic choices proposed by members and
the Curriculum Committee is offered to the membership for
consideration. Those topics generating the most interest are then
offered as courses for study and discussion. The following is the
list of courses that will be held in our current Trimester. Some
topics were so popular that two or three sessions are being held.
All courses meet at the Franklin Center in Redondo Beach in either
Room 7 or Room 8, with the exception of the Lecture Series, which is
typically conducted at CSUDH in the Extended Education Lecture Hall.
Morning classes are usually held for 2 hours between 9am and noon
and afternoon classes between 1pm and 4pm. The exact time of each
class is set by the participants.
Fall 2008 Course Offerings
(Click here to get a detailed description of all courses)
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THE FABRIC OF AMERICA
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1st & 3rd Tuesday, p.m. – Room 7
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HOW CULTURE SHAPES NATIONS
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1st & 3rd Thursday, p.m. – Room 8
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THE U.S. CONSTITUTION, APPLYING IT TO AMERICA’S PROBLEMS
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2nd & 4th Friday, p.m. - Room 7
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MAKING A DIFFERENCE
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2nd & 4th Tuesday, a.m. - Room 7
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BEYOND THE EPIC: THE LIFE AND FILMS OF DAVID LEAN
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2nd & 4th Wednesday, p.m. - Room 7
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THE RISE OF THE DOCUMENTARY MOVIE
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2nd & 4th Wednesday, a.m. - Room 7
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GENETIC GENEALOGY - 1
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1st & 3rd Tuesday, a.m. - Room 8
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GENETIC GENEALOGY - 2
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1st & 3rd Monday, p.m. - Room 7
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KAREN ARMSTRONG AND A HISTORY OF GOD
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2nd & 4th Tuesday, p.m. – Room 7
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WATER AND THE POLITICS OF WATER
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1st & 3rd Thursday, a.m. – Room 7
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STUMBLING ON HAPPINESS - 1
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2nd & 4th Friday, a.m. - Room 7
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STUMBLING ON HAPPINESS - 2
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1st & 3rd Tuesday, p.m. - Room 7
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THE HISTORIES – BY HERODOTUS
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2nd & 4th Thursday, p.m. - Room 8
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2008 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION ISSUES
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2nd & 4th Thursday, a.m. - Room 8
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THE THOUSAND YEAR WAR IN THE MIDEAST - 1
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2nd & 4th Tuesday, a.m. - Room 8
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THE THOUSAND YEAR WAR IN THE MIDEAST - 2
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2nd & 4th Wednesday, a.m. - Room 8
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LANGUAGE – WHAT A DIFFERENCE A WORD MAKES
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2nd & 4th Wednesday, p.m. - Room 8
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THE TRILLION DOLLAR MELTDOWN
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1st & 3rd Wednesday, p.m. – Room 7
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STUDYING AND ENJOYING POETRY (Part 2)
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1st & 3rd Monday, a.m. - Room 7
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SHAKESPEARE: ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE …
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1st & 3rd Thursday, p.m. - Room 7
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SHORT STORIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD (Part 2) - 1
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2nd & 4th Monday, p.m. - Room 7
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SHORT STORIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD (Part 2) - 2
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2nd & 4th Thursday, p.m. - Room 7
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MODERN SYMPHONIES
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2nd & 4th Tuesday, p.m. – Room 8
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THE WRITING MIND - 1
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1st & 3rd Wednesday, p.m. - Room 8
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THE WRITING MIND - 2
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2nd & 4th Thursday, a.m. - Room 7
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CULMINATING ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE HIGH BAROQUE
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CSUDH Campus
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Coming Attractions
If you would like to peek ahead and see what classes will be
held next trimester
Click Here
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browser's Return Button to return to this page.
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Membership
Do you have a mind that's not ready to retire? Then we are definitely
for you!
Omnilore is open to all who seek the intellectual stimulation and
challenge of shared inquiry.
We have about three hundred participants taking part in the college-level learning experience (without tests or grades!).
Our self-directed courses meet twice a month (two-hour sessions) for
four months.
Membership Benefits:
- Members may enroll in multiple Study/Discussion Groups per
term.
- Members may participate in additional OLLI @ CSUDH activities
that include Computer Talks meetings, and a Hiking
Club.
- Forum luncheons are open to OLLI members and their guests.
These quarterly luncheons feature a variety of interesting
speakers. (Please note: there is an additional fee for the
luncheon).
- Members receive a bimonthly newsletter that presents a
calendar, a member profile, a booklist, and several
interesting, informative articles.
- Upon joining Omnilore, members receive a California State
University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) Student ID, which allows
them to use the university library.
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Members are invited to participate in the OLLI lecture series
at CSUDH taught by University faculty each fall and
spring.
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Members receive notifications and updates on CSUDH campus
events including speaker series, department symposia, and
cultural events.
JOINING IS EASY!
Membership Facts:
- The Omnilore membership year runs from September 1 through
August 31. The spring classes start the first week of January,
the summer classes begin the first week of May, and the fall
classes commence the first week of September.
- The annual membership fee is
$120, or $180 per couple.
Membership can begin throughout the year and the fee will
be prorated accordingly for new members.
- Omnilore is run by volunteers. A Board of Directors and
Standing Committees keep the organization running smoothly.
Members propose course offerings.
- Members are expected to be active participants in their
Study/Discussion Groups. Giving a presentation in the courses
one takes is a requirement.
- Prior to joining, new members are required to attend an
orientation session, "Introducing Omnilore," to fully
understand the organization and to receive tips on "How to
Succeed as an Omnilore Member."
- Prospective members are urged to "sit in" on an Omnilore
session before joining the organization. We want to make sure
that we are the right "fit" for you!
If you want more information about Omnilore membership, please call
(310) 540-6011 or contact the membership chairperson at e-mail
address
Membership@Omnilore.Org.
Please leave your name and mailing address, so that we may send you
our current curriculum and other relevant information.
For the next Omnilore Orientation session date,
click here.
For information about becoming a member of OLLI @ CSUDH, please contact Jim Bouchard, Director, Lifelong Learning (310) 243.3729
jbouchard@csudh.edu.
For information about OLLI @ CSUDH Open House dates, visit
www.csudh.edu/extendeded/lifelong/.
Events
There are many ways to learn. While our Study/Discussion Group
format is the core of our program, Omnilore also offers a variety of
other ways to enrich its members and provide learning opportunities.
Quarterly Forums
The Forum, one of the special events held each quarter, provides an
opportunity for Osher Lifelong Learning Institute members to gather in a social setting,
usually at the Los Verdes Country Club in Palos Verdes, to enjoy a
special luncheon followed by a stimulating lecture presentation. The
event is organized by the Forum Committee. Past forums have featured
college professors, scientists, researchers, newspaper editors,
musicians.
Forums give members and their guests an opportunity to meet and
socialize outside the regular classroom sessions. The fourth Forum of
the year is actually our General Membership Annual Meeting where, in
addition to a wonderful lunch and a stimulating speaker, we also
elect our officers for the coming year.
(Click here for current Forum Announcement)
For further information or to make a reservation for attendance,
please e-mail
Forum@Omnilore.Org.
Special Interest Groups
Sometimes a group of members decide they would like to dedicate some
time to study a specific interest in an ongoing manner, outside the
structure of a study/discussion group, so they will form a "Special
Interest Group." Several such groups are described below.
Computer Talks
The Computer Working Group is a
Special Interest Group devoted to helping all members
improve their computer skills. The Group
sponsors a series of
"Computer Talks" covering computer skills that most
seniors want to know. The talks take the form of casual mini-workshops. They are 45 minutes long followed by a 15-minute questions/answer
period. No registration is necessary.
Whenever a Talk is being offered, it is always scheduled on the 4th
Thursday of the month from 12 noon to 1 pm in Room 7. Look on the
Announcement Page
for information about the next Computer Talk.
The Computer Working Group maintains
an
archive of all former Computer Talks.
We encourage you to visit the archive (in the members
only portion of the website), and take a look all the useful documentation and
training presentations provided there.
Hiking Group
A healthy body contributes to a healthy mind. Some members enjoy
meeting together informally to hike. On the third Friday of each
month, members explore the various trails on the Palos Verdes
Peninsula. After an hour and a half hike, they share a picnic lunch
at a local park. Once a year the group takes an Urban Hike and
explores some part of Los Angeles City. For information about the next
hiking event, look for information on the
Announcement Page.
The picture on the left was taken by Hal Simmons on the group's May
2008 day walk/hike in Long Beach.
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