‘Brandeis University’ Articles at Brandeis Summer School Blog

Tips to help you achieve success in an online class setting

June 29, 2021 / BrandeisGPS / Comments Off

Guest Contributor: 
Angela Rose Self, Brandeis University, Candidate for Bachelor of Arts, Anthropology, 2022

Brandeis made the switch in the Spring of 2020 to have classes be fully online, which continued into the 2020-2021 academic school year. I was worried at first about making the switch to online courses, as were many of my peers. However, I am happy to say that I have thoroughly enjoyed online courses and the flexibility they brought to my schedule. Instead of having to commute to classes everyday, I was able to spend the extra time studying and tackling my coursework. Also, I now had time to pursue my hobbies that I had little time for before. My professors adapted smoothly to the online format and made the classes engaging. As someone who is naturally quiet in class, the online format allowed me to participate more as I had time to collect my thoughts and express myself through the “chat” function in Zoom, instead of having to speak up in front of the entire class.

Here are my tips to help you achieve success in an online class setting:

Make a dedicated work space

Now that your home is also the classroom, it is important to make separate spaces for each. Not having separated spaces can make it difficult to transition out of work, especially during periods of rest. I would highly recommend that you dedicate an area of your home, be that a desk, room, or whatever else is available, solely to schoolwork. This can help create a better work-life balance.

Take screen breaks

Staring at a computer screen can be taxing and is something that both my professors and classmates experienced. To avoid the “Zoom burnout,” take breaks from screens between courses and schoolwork. This can include going on a walk, talking to your family, or anything else that gets you away from a screen. Additionally, I have found that this helps me to be more productive during the times that I am working.

Treat online class as you would the classroom

Learning from home, while it can be an amazing experience, does pose some challenges. For instance, there is easier access to distractions (like your phone!) that you normally would not have in the traditional classroom. To eliminate those distractions, I suggest putting them in a drawer or somewhere out of sight for the duration of the class. This can make it easier to focus on the material being discussed. Also, dressing as you would for a normal class can help to create that work-life balance I mentioned earlier. While it can be fun to attend class in your pajamas, long-term I found that getting dressed for class helped me to separate school from other aspects of my life.

Overall, as a student who has taken many courses over Zoom, I recommend to anyone hesitant about taking an online class to do it! Classes are much more flexible and the ability to learn from anywhere can be freeing.

If you are interested in taking an online course this summer, view the Brandeis Summer School website for more details!

Study Racial/Ethnic and Gender Inequalities in Health and Health Care this summer!

May 24, 2021 / BrandeisGPS / Comments Off

The environments where we live, learn, work, play, and pray shape our day-to-day lives and long-term health and wellbeing in complex ways. Dr. Anthony Iton, Senior Vice President for Healthy Communities at the California Endowment, famously said “tell me your zip code and I’ll tell you your life expectancy.”

The Racial/Ethnic and Gender Inequalities in Health and Health Care course lays a theoretical and empirical foundation for students interested in understanding how social factors (poverty, community context, work environments, etc.) affect the health and wellbeing of racial and ethnic minorities and other vulnerable populations in the United States. During this course, students will develop tools to analyze epidemiological patterns of health status by race/ethnicity, gender, and socio-economic status.

Taught by Jessica Santos, this class is designed to address current theories and critiques explaining disparities in health status, access, quality, conceptual models, frameworks, and interventions for eliminating inequalities. If you would like to learn more about how structural factors (racism, segregation, gender hierarchies, dominant cultural norms within health systems and organizations, and their intersections) contribute to health disparities, and how policies and practices inside and outside of the healthcare system are advancing health equity, then you don’t want to miss this course! Register here.

No prerequisites are required to take this course and all students are encouraged to enroll.

Course Details:

HSSP 114B: Racial/Ethnic and Gender Inequalities in Health and Health Care

With Jessica Santos, Ph.D. – view biography here.

Summer Session 1: June1 to July 2, 2021

Online: Mondays, Tuesday, and Thursdays

Time: 11:10am – 1:40pm

Sage Class Number: 2024

Brandeis Graduation Requirement Fulfilled: SS

Online courses are filling very quickly this summer so be sure to register soon!

Questions?

Email us at summerschool@brandeis.edu

A young happy college female student sitting on sofa at home, using laptop when studying.

20 new classes added for this summer!

May 18, 2021 / BrandeisGPS / Comments Off

Registration for the Brandeis University Summer School is open and we’ve added 20 new classes!

2021 Summer Session Dates

Session I – June 1 to July 2, 2021
Session II – July 5 to August 6, 2019
Extended Session O – June 1 to August 9, 2021

View our full academic calendar.

As many Brandeis students are still unable to travel, we also want to remind you that Summer School classes will be entirely online this summer. There will be two models of online instruction:

Session 1 (Tuesday, June 1 – Friday, July 2, 2021) and Session 2 (Tuesday, July 6 – Friday, August 6, 2021) will offer five-week courses via “remote learning,” through which students engage with instructors and classmates by utilizing Zoom for synchronous meetings, as well as LATTE.
Extended Session O (Tuesday, June 1 – Monday, August 9, 2021) will offer a number of 10-week “Zoom-based remote learning” classes and 10-week asynchronous online classes. Asynchronous classes use a common structured calendar of readings, assignments, and interactions with classmates.

Learn more about online classes and how they are conducted

How To Register

If you are a Brandeis student there is an additional step to enrolling in summer. Brandeis students must activate their student record in Sage before they can enroll. Visit the detailed, step-by-step instructions on how to register in Sage.

If you are a Visiting Student who normally attends another college or university, welcome! Visiting students can follow these instructions to create a new Brandeis student record and enroll.
Some courses have already filled to capacity and are running wait lists. So be sure to select your classes and register in Sage soon!

We hope you’ll join us for a class this summer!

We’re offering a variety of courses this year to help you fulfill degree requirements and explore new academic interests. Many students use summer to focus on challenging courses like Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, and Economics. Some students also use their summer term to work on a second or third major, or lighten their course load for a future semester when they will be studying abroad or working at an internship.

Whatever your reason is, the Brandeis Summer School offers you the chance to study and connect with our talented faculty and fellow students in small classes!

EXPLORE | EXPERIENCE | EXCEL

Remember to subscribe to our e-mail list to be notified of the latest class schedule updates and registration deadlines.

Students attending class outside on the Brandeis University campus.

Fall Semester Update

August 7, 2020 / BrandeisGPS / Comments Off

Guest blog contributor: Angela Self

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Dear Members of the Brandeis Community,

Brandeis University has announced a comprehensive plan to safely reopen campus for the fall semester. The COVID-19 Task Force, which included faculty, staff, and students, consulted with local, state, and national public health and medical experts to develop this plan for the university’s fall semester. Below we have highlighted important plan information that is of particular interest for our students here at Brandeis Summer School.

Available Facilities

There are facilities available to students on the Brandeis University campus. These include the library, gym, and mailroom, among many others. While these are available to the Brandeis community, there are strict health and safety measures that are required for all of those who enter campus. Access to these facilities are subject to change, and we will keep you updated as the semester progresses.

Health and Safety Measures

Based upon public health best practices and accommodations for individual community-member needs, the university is implementing the following policies and procedures to create an on-campus environment that is as safe as possible:

High Frequency, Universal Testing: Brandeis will provide high-frequency, mandatory COVID-19 testing to all on-campus community members. There will also be mandatory testing multiple times per month for all students, faculty, and staff who either live on campus or who come to campus several times per week, regardless of symptoms. This will enable Brandeis to quickly identify and contain any instances of infection on campus.

Public Health Protocols: The university will institute a suite of public health measures, including symptom monitoring, mandatory face masks/coverings indoors and outdoors, public hand-sanitizing stations, and mandatory physical distancing. They will also ask all individuals who return to campus to sign a community commitment to follow such protocols.

Cleaning Enhancements and Building Modifications: The university is also taking actions, such as enhanced cleaning protocols and changes to foot-traffic flow through buildings and on-campus pathways, to ensure that all campus spaces and buildings support the health and safety of students, faculty, and staff.

These are just a few of the many health and safety measures that are being implemented across campus.

Resources

For more information regarding the reopening of Brandeis this fall semester, please visit the following links:

Letter from the President

Campus Health and Safety Measures

Fall 2020 Plans Webpage

COVID-19 Task Force Report

Staying Sane During Quarantine

June 28, 2020 / BrandeisGPS / Comments Off

These past weeks have proved to be trying times for the global community. The transition to an online world has left many scrambling for a sense of normalcy. Many find themselves worried about the safety of their loved ones, especially if they are in the high-risk category. Others are trying to maintain their regular study and work schedule during a pandemic. So, how do we keep our sanity during this unprecedented global lockdown?

Brandeis University student and GPS blog writer, Angela Self, compiled a list of some helpful tips to stay sane during quarantine:

1. Stick to a routine

Being stuck inside can make the days blend together and amplify negative emotions. Creating a sense of structure during these uncertain times can help to soothe nerves. Take some time out of your day to figure out all of the activities that were important to you before the global pandemic. Did you go to the gym everyday? Try to workout at home (there are plenty of free workouts on youtube). Create a detailed schedule and stick to it. Be sure to include when to wake up, shower, work, exercise, and most importantly, when you can relax. Hopefully this will help to create some semblance of normalcy.

2. Limit your news intake

It is important to keep up-to-date with information regarding the Coronavirus, especially when it concerns regulations or guidelines for public interactions in your area. But obsessing over the latest Coronavirus news can be unhealthy and detrimental to your mental health. Consider limiting your news intake to just one or two times a day. Also, remember to check the reliability of your news source. One of the best sources of information about the Coronavirus is the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Another great resource for mental health coping strategies during these unprecedented times is NAMI (the National Alliance on Mental Illness), which we encourage everyone to read.

3.Stay physically active

WHO, otherwise known as the World Health Organization, strongly recommends that everyone finds a way to stay physically active during self-quarantine. It’s important to our health and well-being to avoid remaining sedentary. Try taking a few breaks during your day to go on short walks, even if it’s just around your house. And get outside if you can! Just remember that if you plan on exercising outside, to do so by abiding by the CDC guidelines.

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