Lifelong learners can start signing up for a slate of courses as VIU ElderCollege begins its spring session.
The program issued a release this week announcing 113 “eclectic and diverse” courses in the spring session.
“VIU ElderCollege had planned to return to in-person classes and only offer 56 courses on-line,” noted the release. “But the surge in COVID infections has resulted in many courses going back to Zoom in the spring session.”
The release added that a benefit of online learning is that there are opportunities to attract instructors from across the country and also expand the student base.
The VIU ElderCollege Saturday Speakers Series is returning starting this week with ‘Salish Sea Salmon: Resilience in a Changing Climate’ presented by Isobel Pearsall and Jason Hwang from the Pacific Salmon Foundation. They will talk about threats to Pacific salmon caused by warming rivers and streams and changes in flow patterns. The two-hour Zoom talk is Jan. 29 at 10 a.m.; admission is $13.
Most VIU ElderCollege courses run two to eight weeks, but there are also some one-day sessions, usually about two hours long. There are new one-day sessions this spring on slapstick comedy, gardening, travel, exotic birdwatching and more.
Other course topics include emergency preparation, meditation, cellphone photography and brain-boosting games.
VIU ElderCollege offers learning opportunities to adults 50 years old and up. Instructors, organizers and directors are volunteers and the program is supported by Vancouver Island University, so all course fees are for cost recovery.
Registration and fee payment can be done online. For more information or to register for courses, visit www2.viu.ca/eldercollege, www.facebook.com/eldercollegevancouverislanduniversity or call 1-866-734-6252.
editor@nanaimobulletin.com
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