Tag: courses (page 1 of 5)

Tips to help you achieve success in an online class setting

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!

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

Racial/Ethnic and Gender Inequalities in Health and Health Care

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

The environments where we live, learn, work, play, and pray shape our day-to-day lives and long-term health and well-being 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.”

This course lays a theoretical and empirical foundation for those interested in understanding how social factors (poverty, community context, work environments, etc.) affect the health and well-being of racial and ethnic minorities and other vulnerable populations in the United States. You will develop tools to analyze epidemiological patterns of health status by race/ethnicity, gender, and socio-economic status. In addition, you will learn 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.

This Summer School course addresses the following inequity concerns and how they relate to health:

  • In New Orleans, the life expectancy of residents from the poorest zip code in the city is 26 years lower than for residents of the wealthiest zip code.
  • The median net worth for Black Bostonians is $8.00 compared to White median net worth of $247,500.00.
  • In 2015, women working full-time earned 80% of what men working full-time earned, and if trends continue, white women will have to wait until 2056 to see equal work for equal pay.
  • Hispanic women will have to wait 232 years for the pay gap to close without active policy intervention.

If you are interested in understanding how these social and structural factors affect the health and well-being of racial and ethnic minorities and other vulnerable populations in the United States, then register for this summer’s Racial/Ethnic and Gender Inequalities in Health and Health Care course.

Session 2 of Brandeis Summer School starts July 6!
Online courses are filling very quickly this summer so be sure to register soon!

 

Course Details:

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

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

Summer Session 2: July 6 to August 7, 2020

Online: Mondays, Tuesday, and Thursdays

Time: 8:30am – 11:00am

Brandeis Graduation Requirement Fulfilled: SS

View the Full Syllabus here.

 

Questions?

Email us at summerschool@brandeis.edu

Pursue your Passion for the Arts this Summer!

Are you interested in exploring your creative side this summer? It is the perfect time to take a course in the arts with Brandeis Summer School!

Summer class options include:
FA 165A: Contemporary Art – ONLINE CLASS!

This course addresses art at the turn of the 20th century with attention to intersections of art and identity, politics, economy, and history. It will begin with discussions of art in the United States as New York City established itself as the capital of contemporary art and then move to consider art communities around the world that have become prominent as the art world, like politics and the economy, have become increasingly globalized.

ENG 21A: Young Adult Literature

Like myth, Young Adult literature brings us to the most elemental aspects of literary experience, and it does that in the most compelling and interesting way. It takes the experiences of young adults as seriously as they should be taken, and offers joy and consolation to its audience. In this course students will examine what is genuinely great about the work of Young Adult authors like J.K. Rowling, Suzanne Collins, Philip Pullman, and Lois Lowry. You’ll study how literature works, and in particular what makes narrative powerful.

ENG 79A: Screenwriting Workshop: Beginning Screenplay

There’s never been a better time to become a screenwriter. Breakthroughs in technology, production, and distribution have heightened the demand for good scripts. Whether you want to write a micro-budget indie or a Hollywood blockbuster, this course provides all the essential tools you’ll need. Learn the fundamentals – structure, story arc, character development – and develop the first act of your feature screenplay. You’ll also watch and analyze recent movies. You’ll never look at a movie the same way again!

FA 3A: Introduction to Drawing I

Through a solid understanding of its form and principles, students will be encouraged to instigate intuitive and open responses to perceptual and conceptual sources. Students will address the role of drawing as part of their creative process.

FA 178B: Seminar on Chinese Calligraphy: History and Practice

This seminar examines the art and history of Chinese calligraphy. The goal is to introduce students of different Chinese-language levels (not limited to native-speakers) to canonical works of calligraphy as well as the enthusiasm and creativity these works have generated through the ages. From anonymous oracle bones and stone inscriptions to famed masterpieces, such as Wang Xizhi’s “Lanting Pavilion Preface,” and from original renderings to copies of others’ compositions, this course showcases the kaleidoscopic range that makes calligraphy a visual-linguistic art form beyond “words.” The multifaceted functions of stylized writing—such as for political, religious, and expressive purposes—will also be explored.

ENG 180A: The Modern American Short Story

Short stories bring you to the heart of narrative in a way that no other kind of literature does. Novels, plays, and movies have time to do world-building, and therefore they can give you a sense of what’s unique about their world. But short stories have to be far more direct, have to interact with readers in their own world. Over 5 weeks students will explore many of these worlds as they read and discuss several short stories every class!

THA 130A-1 & 2: Suzuki

Developed by the Japanese theater artist Tadashi Suzuki, the Suzuki method of acting training develops physical strength, stamina, and agility while engaging the imagination and will of the actor. Through a series of walks, statues, and marches, students are taught to breathe and move from the core of their bodies. This training allows students to act from physical impulse, resulting in a deep and personal experience of language and the world of play. This class also counts as one activity course toward the physical education requirement.

View all of the Summer Arts Courses and Syllabi Online.

Enroll today! Space is limited!

 

Questions? Email us at: summerschool@brandeis.edu

Thinking about a Economics major or minor? Start your study with ECON 10a this summer!

ECON 10A: Introduction to Microeconomics is intended for all possible economics majors, minors, and for all other students who plan to take Econ 20 (Introduction to Macroeconomics) later in their academic career. This is the first economics course that economics students should take at Brandeis, and anyone contemplating a major or minor should start with this course.

The course will give you an idea of the range of behaviors that economists investigate, introduce you to the basic tools that we use to analyze economic behavior, and apply these tools to public policy issues. Perhaps most important, this course will introduce you to the “economic way of thinking,” an approach to decision making that applies to personal decisions, to the decisions of businesses, labor unions and other organizations, and to the larger choices that society faces.

This course satisfies the School of Social Science (SS) distribution requirement and the Quantitative Reasoning (QR) component of the General University Requirements. It is also the first course for any student considering a concentration or minor in Economics.

This course has two “broad” goals. First, it is hoped that everyone will come out of this course a more educated citizen, being able to use basic economic principles to critically evaluate the arguments for and against public policy proposals (various tax proposals, immigration reform). Second, this course should give students the theoretical tools necessary for success in subsequent economics courses.

Learn more about registration for the Brandeis Summer School here.

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