WHAT WORKS? WHY? HOW? OLLI National Conference November 13, 2012 Ruth Flexman, Ph.D. University of Delaware

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Delaware Wilmington 240 courses per 14-week semester 2,100 members founded 1980 Dover 28 courses per semester per 10 week semester 125 members founded 2010 Lewes 60 courses per semester per 10 week semester 475 members founded 1989

Arsht Hall, University of Delaware Wilmington Campus

- Wilmington and Lewes offer Summer Courses - Wilmington offers about 20 Extra Curricular Activities - Lewes offers a 4-week Wednesday series in January -Wilmington and Dover offer Special Events during lunch weekly Additional Offerings

Strong connections are the key to making curriculum work for effective lifelong learning programs - Connections to subject matter - Connections with old and new friends - Connections between brain cells - Connections to community

- Connections to subject matter - Connections with old and new friends - Connections between brain cells - Connections to community Strong connections to subject matter make curriculum work for effective lifelong learning programs

Concentration is intense as the instructor demonstrates techniques for working with stained glass.

Watch your step. T’ai Chi promotes focus and balance.

Making strong connections effective lifelong learning programs - Connections to subject matter - Connections with old and new friends - Connections between brain cells - Connections to community

Connections with old and new friends - Value of community of learners -Speed-connecting for finding friends with common interests

Effective Teaching Methods -Prepare accurate information in interesting formats -Stimulate minds to process information, generate questions and find answers - Offer training and assistance to instructors

Instructors Meeting and Luncheon

PowerPoint can be Forceful

…or

How to make a bad PowerPoint presentation Try to put as much information on each page as you can Never fret about legibility. Font and size take care of themselves. If you can read it on your computer, your audience can see it on that big projection screen Make sure that you show the entire text of your lecture so you can read it verbatim to insult your audience while you bore them Show all quotes in full detail on the screen while you read them Be sure to point repeatedly to every line with your laser, jiggling it for emphasis Whenever you want to confuse and bore your audience even more resort to diagrams Let the screen dominate your lecture - people may forget whom to blame Keep the room totally dark at all times to make sure that you remain invisible Never break the routine and speak directly to your audience When moving on to a new subject either – Leave the previous slide on to distract them Or -- Repeatedly Repeatedly turn on the room lights

PowerPoint Presentation Tips Limit a slide to a few points Font: Arial or Calibri, (28-36pt) Show essentials, tell the story Highlight text, spare the laser Keep diagrams clear and direct

TECHNOLOGY ENHANCES LEARNING PROGRAMS - Online catalog describe courses and give instructor’s bios - Facebook presents new opportunities for connecting. - Age-related hearing and vision losses receive assistance - Internet can expand instructor’s knowledge - Internet can enhance presentation of information

- PowerPoint makes information visual as well as auditory - Online courses and videos can augment live presentations - Videos from the web enhance presentations TECHNOLOGY ENHANCES LEARNING PROGRAMS

Making strong connections is the key to the art and science of effective lifelong learning programs - Connections to subject matter - Connections with old and new friends - Connections between brain cells - Connections to community - Connections to resources

neurogenesis - human brains create new neurons neuroplasticity - experiences change the brain Adult brains can generate new nerve cells and connections to other neurons. Stimulation with novel, new and complex behaviors changes brains. - Physical exercise is good for the body. -Mental exercise is good for the brain! -Now you can use it - not lose it Use it or lose it?

Making strong connections is the key to the art and science of effective lifelong learning programs - Connections to subject matter - Connections with old and new friends - Connections between brain cells - Connections to community

Did you see where that red winged black bird just landed?

Yo Ho Ho and a bottle of tea. An excursion on Delaware’s colonial ship, the Kalmar Nyckel, is one of the many extra activities enjoyed by our members.

Concert Band Performs in Community Setting

Strong connections make curriculum work for effective lifelong learning programs - Connections to subject matter - Connections with old/new friends -Connections between brain cells - Connections to community