Lifelong Learning Collaborative Course Offerings
The Lifelong Learning Collaborative at Butler University improves and enriches the lives of adults by connecting Butler faculty and lifelong learners, both locally and around the globe. There are no tests, no grades, and no degree requirements, creating opportunities to explore new topics with others who share your intellectual curiosity.
Courses are designed for a variety of experiences: Minicourses offered over a week in four one-hour sessions, one hour courses offered either on zoom or on campus, and behind the scenes experiences. Take as many courses as you like, and as often as your schedule allows. Check back frequently for new course offerings.
Testimonial: “The instructor was engaging, went at a great pace, and answered all of my questions. What a wonderful learning session. Thank you!”
Minicourses
A series of four, one-hour courses centered on a specific topic.
January 25 and February 1, 8, and 15
7:00–8:00 PM
Online
Cost: $100 for series, $30 per single class
Register
Whether you are a true crime junkie, or someone just interested in the basics, this crash course will illustrate how real-life forensic science happens in the crime lab and will demonstrate how evidence from the scene of a crime gets examined by modern-day Sherlockian scientists in order to bring truth to a mystery. From blood spatter to DNA analysis to fingerprints and beyond, this course will present a light but interactive delve into the forensic sciences, where participants will be challenged to apply what they’ve learned to find clues and solve (fictional) cases presented at the end of each lecture!
January 25–Famous Cases that Forwarded the Field of Forensics
February 1–Body Fluid Identification and Blood Spatter
February 8–Interpreting a DNA Profile
February 15–Forensic Pattern Matching (Fingerprints and More)
Instructor: Ken Eilert
February 3, 10, 17, and 24
9:00–10:30 AM
On campus, Fairbanks Building
Cost: $120
Register
Whether you’re looking to get a date this Valentine’s Day, advance in your career, or have more exciting conversations with loved ones, Speaking and Storytelling is for you. This activity-driven mini-course will provide you with techniques to strengthen your speaking and storytelling abilities in a variety of settings: dinner with family, FaceTime’swith friends, social events, interviews, meetings and more. No public speaking experience is required. Come ready to listen, laugh, and be inspired by the stories of your peers.
Instructor: Carly Middleton
February 6, 13, 20, and 27
Noon–1:00 PM
Online
Cost: $100 for series, $30 per single class
Register
Does it ever seem like finding solid, reliable information on the internet is a mess? Finding the best information doesn’t have to be frustrating. Butler University Librarians will guide you through the process of identifying misinformation, navigating consumer health issues, and using basic and advanced search skills on Google, Google Scholar, and other publicly accessible databases. From the best restaurants to detailed scientific research, learn to untangle the knots using the strategies and skills of professional researchers.
February 6–Misinformation
Concepts and the psychology of misinformation
How to spot misinformation
How to find reliable popular website sources
How to identify bias in news
February 13–Consumer Health Information
Understand the basics of health literacy
Best practices when evaluating online health resources
Review reliable online health information resources
February 20 –Google
Identifying your information needs
What is Google and Google Scholar
Structure of Google and Google Scholar
Basic search strategies
Advanced search strategies
February 27–Databases
Identifying your information needs, part two
What is a database
Structure of databases
How to find publicly accessible databases
Basic database search strategies
Instructor: Jenni Burke
March 2 and 3
10:00 AM–Noon
On campus, Lilly Hall 328 Black Box Theater
Cost: $30
Register
Wear clothes you feel comfortable moving in and athletic shoes.
Calling all actors, directors, and theater lovers—learn how to fake fight! In this course, we will cover the fundamentals and techniques of unarmed stage combat, from pushes to punches, from shoves to (non-contact) slaps. Emphasis will be placed in the safe and proper execution of these techniques and more while also investigating how to create convincing choreography.
March 2—The basics: pushes, pulls, grapples, slaps, non-contact punches, introduction to choreography.
March 3—Contact punches, elbows, and kicks; choreography—geography of the fight. Show and tell—choreographing a fight with your partner and showing the class.
Instructor: Andres Lopez
March 5, 12, 19, and 26
9:00–10:00 AM
On campus
Cost: $120
Register
In this course, we will compare and contrast the way the French and the American live, work, interact, and see the world around them. By looking at daily life activities, the workforce, education, as well as the economic and political systems in both France and the United States, we will analyze how and why the French and the Americans are so similar yet so different. We will also learn to speak some very basic French to better understand, through their language structure and vocabulary usage, why the French think and behave the way they do. By the end of the course, students will be better able to understand and alleviate some of the misunderstandings and biases both countries have faced with each other throughout their shared history.
Instructor: Eloise Sureau
March 18, 20, 25, and 27
4:00–5:00 PM
On campus
Cost: $120
Register
Have you ever admired the straight posture of a dancer? In addition to intensive training, virtually all dancers do supplemental exercises to enhance their alignment and core stability. This course will be a gentle exercise class to introduce participants to some of the cross-training techniques dancers use to prevent injury and heighten body awareness.
Instructor: Cynthia Pratt
March 7 and 21, April 4 and 18
7:00–8:00 PM
Online
Cost: $120
Register
Love to read? Interested in revamping your knowledge of Greek mythology? This course is for you. Join a group of engaged readers to discuss novels that retell the stories of ancient Greek mythology. In a book club type setting, we will focus on untold stories or new perspectives on characters that are silent in the ancient sources. Each meeting will be devoted to a novel, and discussions will review the basics of ancient Greek mythology, introduce ancient source material, and delve into the characters and plot.
Books needed for class:
These are easy to find at the library or new/used on Amazon
A Thousand Ships, Natalie Hayne
The Silence of the Girls, Pat Barker
Ariadne. A Novel, Jennifer Saint
Circe, Madeline Miller
Instructor: Lynn Kvapil
March 28, April 4, and 11
4:00–5:00 PM
On campus
Cost: $75
Register
Writer Laurie Frankel’s book, This Is How It Always Is, is a novel about a family with five boys in which the youngest feels he’s something entirely different—a girl. It’s about the ways this is how it always is: Change is always hard and miraculous and hard again; parenting is always a leap into the unknown with crossed fingers and full hearts; children grow but not always according to plan. And families with secrets don’t get to keep them forever.
Participants will come together to talk about the book. Specifically, we will discuss topics and/or themes within this book that are important to society. By sharing our thinking, perspectives, and questions, we can build a richer understanding and make meaning of the experiences shared in this book.
March 28—Welcome and introductions; initial thoughts and reactions
April 4—Gender and identity/gender stereotypes; exploration of complex emotions/feelings shared in the story.
April 11—How do we (or society) view normal? Fitting in and/or belonging and examining our strategies/skills to create an inclusive learning environment; Discussion/Sharing of resources.
Instructor: Brandie Oliver
April 1, 3, 8, and 10
4:00–5:00 PM
On campus, Lilly Hall first floor
Cost: $120
Register
How did ballet start? Why are all the terms in French? When did female dancers first start dancing on their toes (en pointe)? These questions and many more are answered in this four-session course designed to give an overview of the fascinating history of the art of ballet. In this class we will cover the inception and institutionalization of ballet and it’s use as a political tool as well as a means of escapism and artistic expression. The class will include viewing sections of some of ballet’s “greatest hits” and introduce participants to dance luminaries throughout the centuries.
Instructor: Cynthia Pratt
April 3, 10, 17, 24
4:00–5:00 PM
Online
Cost: $110 for series, $30 per single class
Register
Cryptography is the science of secret messages. Participants will learn about a wide variety of cryptosystems, from Caesar’s cipher to quantum cryptography. Hands-on examples and secret messages will be sent! We will discuss the important role cryptography played in history, including the breaking of the enigma cipher by Alan Turing and his team during World War II.
Week 1 Classical Cryptography—We will learn, and practice, substitution ciphers and Vigenere, and their use up through the 1800s.
Week 2 Enigma, Alan Turing, and World War II—We will talk about encryption machines, the roles they played in WW2, and the work of Alan Turing and other cryptographers and the advent of the computer.
Week 3 Public-Key Cryptography—This is what we use today for the web, banking, passwords, you name it. We will learn how it works and talk about some ethical issues around strong cryptography. We will also talk about cryptocurrency and blockchain.
Week 4 Quantum—Quantum computers have the potential to break most public-key systems. We will talk about how, and what we plan to do about it.
Instructor: Jon Sorenson
One Hour Talks
A one-time session delivered in-person or online about a chosen topic.
January 25
7:00–8:00 PM
Online
Cost: $30
Register
Whether you are a true crime junkie, or someone just interested in the basics, this crash course will illustrate how real-life forensic science happens in the crime lab and will demonstrate how evidence from the scene of a crime gets examined by modern-day Sherlockian scientists in order to bring truth to a mystery. From blood spatter to DNA analysis to fingerprints and beyond, this course will present a light but interactive delve into the forensic sciences, where participants will be challenged to apply what they’ve learned to find clues and solve (fictional) cases presented at the end of each lecture!
Instructor: Ken Eilert
February 1
7:00–8:00 PM
Online
Cost: $30
Register
Whether you are a true crime junkie, or someone just interested in the basics, this crash course will illustrate how real-life forensic science happens in the crime lab and will demonstrate how evidence from the scene of a crime gets examined by modern-day Sherlockian scientists in order to bring truth to a mystery. From blood spatter to DNA analysis to fingerprints and beyond, this course will present a light but interactive delve into the forensic sciences, where participants will be challenged to apply what they’ve learned to find clues and solve (fictional) cases presented at the end of each lecture!
Instructor: Ken Eilert
February 8
7:00–8:00 PM
Online
Cost: $30
Register
Whether you are a true crime junkie, or someone just interested in the basics, this crash course will illustrate how real-life forensic science happens in the crime lab and will demonstrate how evidence from the scene of a crime gets examined by modern-day Sherlockian scientists in order to bring truth to a mystery. From blood spatter to DNA analysis to fingerprints and beyond, this course will present a light but interactive delve into the forensic sciences, where participants will be challenged to apply what they’ve learned to find clues and solve (fictional) cases presented at the end of each lecture!
Instructor: Ken Eilert
February 15
7:00–8:00 PM
Online
Cost: $30
Register
Whether you are a true crime junkie, or someone just interested in the basics, this crash course will illustrate how real-life forensic science happens in the crime lab and will demonstrate how evidence from the scene of a crime gets examined by modern-day Sherlockian scientists in order to bring truth to a mystery. From blood spatter to DNA analysis to fingerprints and beyond, this course will present a light but interactive delve into the forensic sciences, where participants will be challenged to apply what they’ve learned to find clues and solve (fictional) cases presented at the end of each lecture!
Instructor: Ken Eilert
February 6
Noon–1:00 PM
Online
Cost: $30
Register
Does it ever seem like finding solid, reliable information on the internet is a mess? Finding the best information doesn’t have to be frustrating. Butler University Librarians will guide you through the process of identifying misinformation, navigating consumer health issues, and using basic and advanced search skills on Google, Google Scholar, and other publicly accessible databases. From the best restaurants to detailed scientific research, learn to untangle the knots using the strategies and skills of professional researchers.
In this class you will learn:
Concepts and the psychology of misinformation
How to spot misinformation
How to find reliable popular website sources
How to identify bias in news
Instructor: Jenni Burke
February 13
Noon–1:00 PM
Online
Cost: $30
Register
Does it ever seem like finding solid, reliable information on the internet is a mess? Finding the best information doesn’t have to be frustrating. Butler University Librarians will guide you through the process of identifying misinformation, navigating consumer health issues, and using basic and advanced search skills on Google, Google Scholar, and other publicly accessible databases. From the best restaurants to detailed scientific research, learn to untangle the knots using the strategies and skills of professional researchers.
In this class you will learn:
Understand the basics of health literacy
Best practices when evaluating online health resources
Review reliable online health information resources
Instructor: Jenni Burke
February 20
Noon–1:00 PM
Online
Cost: $30
Register
Does it ever seem like finding solid, reliable information on the internet is a mess? Finding the best information doesn’t have to be frustrating. Butler University Librarians will guide you through the process of identifying misinformation, navigating consumer health issues, and using basic and advanced search skills on Google, Google Scholar, and other publicly accessible databases. From the best restaurants to detailed scientific research, learn to untangle the knots using the strategies and skills of professional researchers.
In this class you will learn:
Identifying your information needs
What is Google and Google Scholar
Structure of Google and Google Scholar
Basic search strategies
Advanced search strategies
Instructor: Jenni Burke
February 27
Noon–1:00 PM
Online
Cost: $30
Register
Does it ever seem like finding solid, reliable information on the internet is a mess? Finding the best information doesn’t have to be frustrating. Butler University Librarians will guide you through the process of identifying misinformation, navigating consumer health issues, and using basic and advanced search skills on Google, Google Scholar, and other publicly accessible databases. From the best restaurants to detailed scientific research, learn to untangle the knots using the strategies and skills of professional researchers.
In this class you will learn:
Identifying your information needs, part two
What is a database
Structure of databases
How to find publicly accessible databases
Basic database search strategies
Instructor: Jenni Burke
April 9
7:00–8:30 PM
Online and On Campus
Cost: $30
Register
In this talk we will explore the way prisons and inmates are perceived inside and outside the US with a particular focus on France. We will look at the way the French and the American differ (or not) when experiencing space, fear, power, and identity, and how these experiences translate into the way each culture views and treats its incarcerated population.
One-time offering via Zoom and in-person in Dugan Hall, room 218.
Instructor: Eloise Sureau – Department of Modern Languages
April 3
4:00–5:00 PM
Online
Cost: $30
Register
Cryptography is the science of secret messages. Participants will learn about a wide variety of cryptosystems, from Caesar’s cipher to quantum cryptography. Hands-on examples and secret messages will be sent! We will discuss the important role cryptography played in history, including the breaking of the enigma cipher by Alan Turing and his team during World War II.
Classical Cryptography—We will learn, and practice, substitution ciphers and Vigenere
Instructor: Jon Sorenson
April 10
4:00–5:00 PM
Online
Cost: $30
Register
Cryptography is the science of secret messages. Participants will learn about a wide variety of cryptosystems, from Caesar’s cipher to quantum cryptography. Hands-on examples and secret messages will be sent! We will discuss the important role cryptography played in history, including the breaking of the enigma cipher by Alan Turing and his team during World War II.
Enigma, Alan Turing, and World War II—We will talk about encryption machines, the roles they played in WW2, and the work of Alan Turing and other cryptographers and the advent of the computer.
Instructor: Jon Sorenson
April 17
4:00–5:00 PM
Online
Cost: $30
Register
Cryptography is the science of secret messages. Participants will learn about a wide variety of cryptosystems, from Caesar’s cipher to quantum cryptography. Hands-on examples and secret messages will be sent! We will discuss the important role cryptography played in history, including the breaking of the enigma cipher by Alan Turing and his team during World War II.
Public-Key Cryptography—This is what we use today for the web, banking, passwords, you name it. We will learn how it works and talk about some ethical issues around strong cryptography. We will also talk about cryptocurrency and blockchain.
Instructor: Jon Sorenson
April 24
4:00–5:00 PM
Online
Cost: $30
Register
Cryptography is the science of secret messages. Participants will learn about a wide variety of cryptosystems, from Caesar’s cipher to quantum cryptography. Hands-on examples and secret messages will be sent! We will discuss the important role cryptography played in history, including the breaking of the enigma cipher by Alan Turing and his team during World War II.
Quantum—Quantum computers have the potential to break most public-key systems. We will talk about how, and what we plan to do about it.
Instructor: Jon Sorenson
April 15
On campus, South Campus
9:00–10:30 AM
Cost: $30
Register
This is an introduction to the function and dysfunction of the heart. It is a unique organ having both muscular and electrical components. Unlike the fabled center of emotion, the human heart in conjunction with the lungs are the common denominators of life. Participants will learn cardiac anatomy, physiology, and the role of specific abnormalities such as heart failure and atrial fibrillation play in the disruption of function. Participants will also learn how to use a phone app to monitor their heart rhythms. Bring your questions and we will get to “the heart of it!”
Instructor: Michael Pauszek
Behind the Scenes
Expert-led educational tours.
March 5
4:30–6:00 PM
On campus
Cost: $30
Register
Ever wondered what it takes to operate a university campus? Look behind the scenes of a central utility plant, and the technology that powers it. The course includes a tour of the University’s central plant that provides heating and cooling to most of the campus, an overview of how those systems work, and how the ‘internet of things’ is being leveraged by University Operations to provide comfort to the campus while maximizing sustainability.
Instructor: John Lacheta
March 23
10:00–11:30 AM
On campus
Cost: $30
*Walking on uneven ground is part of this tour.
Register
Butler friends and alums have all walked the long hallways in Jordan or gazed at the stars from Holcomb Observatory or cheered on a team in Hinkle Fieldhouse. All these familiar places and many more on the Fairview Campus are named for the “Butler Greats” who devoted so much of their lives and fortunes to Butler University. Here’s your opportunity to follow clues about these Butler Greats to find their final resting spots in Crown Hill Cemetery. Through this exploration, you’ll learn the stories behind all the familiar names and become better acquainted with the history and beautiful grounds of this cemetery on the National Register of Historic Places. You will also have opportunity to see Indianapolis from the vantage point of its Crown Hill, so named because it was “the crowning hill among all hills in Marion County.” We will be driving through a portion of the 555 acres, stopping frequently to walk through specific sections in search of these “Butler Greats.
Instructor: Debbie Corpus
Solar Eclipse Viewing Festival
April 8, 2024
12:00–4:30 PM
Holcomb Observatory
Cost: Free
Come and immerse yourself in an exceptional free experience at the Eclipse Viewing Festival, set against the stunning backdrop of Holcomb Observatory’s lush green surroundings. Join us at this unique destination to revel in the splendor of this extraordinary celestial event, particularly if you’re a passionate astronomy enthusiast! This grand celebration will showcase a diverse array of captivating eclipse-related activities that you won’t want to miss. On the day of the eclipse, you can expect these unique offerings:
- More than a dozen telescopes, all equipped with solar filters for safe observation.
- Opportunities to safely witness solar activity, including sunspots.
- The availability of eclipse glasses to ensure your viewing safety.
- The presence of scientific experts who will be on hand to answer your questions.
- Engaging demonstrations showcasing various safe eclipse observation techniques.
- Fascinating planetarium shows (from now up to the day of the eclipse)
- A live stream of the eclipse directly from Holcomb Observatory.
We are proud to have a team of scientific experts and seasoned veterans of previous total solar eclipses on hand. They will provide valuable insights on what to watch for as totality approaches, and offer guidance throughout the entire event, from its inception to its conclusion.
April 10
12:30–1:30 PM
Cost: $30
Register for 12:30 start
We will take a leisurely stroll through the beautiful woods of the Butler campus and identify the wildflowers blooming there. We will learn what makes these short-lived plants unique, and the types of environments that support wildflowers. This is an opportunity to get out in nature, take a deep breath, and enjoy the beauty around us. Photography enthusiasts welcome!
The class will be capped at 20 participants.
Instructor: Marcia Moore