THE ABCs OF CREATING AND
PRESENTING A 9-WEEK STUDY GROUP
Robert Allen – Roosevelt University (Schaumburg)
Institute For Continued Learning
ICLRU
• 13 Years Old
• iclru.org
• Member Led
• Grown to 600+ Members
• Core is the 9-Week Study Groups
• Also – Lectures, Trips, Lunch-Time
Activities (Plato’s Place)
9-WEEK STUDY GROUP MODEL
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Coordinator Led
Volunteers
2 hours – once per week for 9 weeks (Summer/Winter – 5 weeks)
Coordinator picks topic and develops content
9:30am – 11:30am ---- 1:00pm – 3:00pm – M-F
27 last Fall
EXAMPLES OF TOPICS
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World War II
Oriental Brush Painting
Classic Films
8 Great Sports Movies
Geology in America
Classical Music and Hymns
The Consciousness Universe Theory
The Power of Shakespeare’s Writing
The 20th Century
Secret Societies
MY TOPICS OVER THE YEARS
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History of Illinois
History of Chicago
Genealogy
Investing 101
Radio and TV Quiz Shows
Old Time Radio
The 20th Century
Secret Societies
SELECTING A TOPIC
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Feedback – tied to evals
Previous topics
Other LLL groups
Library
Interest
Information available
Entertaining
Videos
INFORMATION AVAILABLE
• Internet
• Library
CREATE THE STUDY GROUP
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Outline / List of Topics
Break into 9 segments
Flesh-out some details for each week (sub-topics)
Create a detailed outline for Week 1
Create Script – Summarized Script – Create Power
point for Week 1
• Timing
• Create Weeks 2-9
• Create “Summary Of Study Group”
SECRET SOCIETIES:
Coordinators: Jim Kacena and Bob Allen
Tuesday 9:30–11:30
We will study over 30 organizations whose activities and inner functioning are often
concealed from non-members. Some are covert groups that hide their activities,
but maintain a public presence. Our examination includes the conspiracies, secrets,
activities, evils, rituals, membership and power of these groups. Some are no longer
active (but, then again, maybe they are). A few of these are: Skull and Bones;
Freemasons; Rosicrucians; Illuminati; and International Society of Idiots, as well
as the Black Hand, Cosa Nostra, and Opus Dei.
DEVELOPING WEEK 1
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Overview of the 9 weeks
More detailed topical outline of week 1
Handout / Subjects
Cautions – time / content / involvement
E-mail handouts – script summary
Create Initial Script
• Use Wikipedia
• Summary
• Details
• Supplement with other sources
• Books
• Magazines
• On-line resources
WIKIVERSITY
wikiversity.org
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Separate script into separate sentences
Create initial power point
Minimize words on slides
Pictures – use Goggle - Images
Add pictures to power point
HOSPITALERS
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Western Christian Military Order
Initially formed to defend an Amalfitan hospital in Jerusalem
Founded around 1023 – First Crusade
Aim was to provide care for poor/sick pilgrims
Moved to Rhodes after Islamic conquest
Next moved to Malta
IDENTIFY VIDEOS
• Prefer 3 to 8 minutes
• You Tube
• DVDs
• Schedule tied to
subject
PARTICIPANT INVOLVEMENT
• Spaced repetition
• Various methods of delivery
• Verbal
• Visual
• Participating
QUIZ
• Questions and Answers
• Create power point slides
• Use custom techniques
1) Who created “Peanuts”?
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c.
d.
Troy Donahue
David Stern
Charles Schultz
Thelma Ritter
2) “I can’t remember if I cried;
When I read about his widowed bride…”
Don McLean
“But something touched me deep inside;
The day the music died.”
INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF IDIOTS
Question: Can I join the Society?
Answer: Yes, if you don’t have a ~, !, @, # or
? in your surname.
CREATE WEEKS 2 THRU 9
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Topics / Order / Script / PP / Video / Etc.
Review timing
Do in advance
Review / revise day before study group
MARKET STUDY GROUP
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ICL Brochure
E-mail to past participants
Word of mouth
Space issues
Stand-by / Past participants
OTHER SUGGESTIONS
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Evaluations
“It’s a Great Day for ICL”
Summarize Learnings
Activity tied to “Learnings”
Breaks
Music
• Before session
• During Session
SECRET SOCIETY FACTORS:
Name
Secrets
Rituals
Hand Shake
Purpose/Mission
Membership
Levels/Hierarchy/Degrees
Dress/Clothing
Symbols
Pledge
$$$
Own building / lodge / meeting place
Numbers
Oath