The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at CSU Channel Islands brings the intellectual stimulation of college learning to area seniors (50 or better!) who wish to extend their learning experiences in a university atmosphere.  More information on OLLI can be found at http://ext.csuci.edu/community-ed/osher/.

As an example of OLLI curriculum,  Origami Memory Gymnastics (OMG)  provides origami instruction logically and analytically.  The mental deliberation, finger movement, and creative play are memory gymnastics.  They activate prefrontal cortex that controls memory and cognitive function.  In addition to origami art, OMG facilitates the discussion of emerging research on dementia intervention and prevention. 

Origami art has been used in clinical therapy for Alzheimer, autism, and other neurological conditions.  It has been advocated by neuroscientists to maintain brain fitness and make memories stick.

To celebrate the National Park Service’s centennial anniversary, Channel Islands National Park (CINP) commissioned local artist BiJian Fan to create sculptures of channel islands wildlife.  16 outdoor sculptures are installed in the native plant garden at CINP’s visitor center.  They highlight the wildlife and habitat on the channel islands.  An opening reception is on April 9, 2016.  There will be a native plant sale, artist presentations, and children's activities throughout the day.  The public event is free.

Art connects public to national parks emotionally.  It spreads the America’s best idea visually.  It also engages public in preserving national parks for the future generations.

To address gender inequality in learning, CSU Channel Islands will host the  8th Annual Conference for Social Justice in Education on April 16, 2016.   Origami Math Genius (OMG) will be showcased as an inquiry based curriculum to meet girls’ needs in math education.  The conference is free to public, registration is required.  Conference information can be found at http://education.csuci.edu/justice-conference/.

Gender inequality in math participation remains significant in education and workforce.  The girl’s math problem is not innate math skills, but rather the contexts in which students learn math -- the contexts give girls less encouragement and less confidence in their math abilities.  Gender differences in math confidence and achievement disappear by simply changing the way math is taught.

When math is taught as inquiry-based learning, all students achieve at higher levels and girls participate more in math and science.  Girls have a greater need for understanding than boys; girls have higher levels of anxiety when they do not understand.  Girls prefer hands on experiences, project based curriculum, relevant application and collaboration opportunities.  Math education must meet girls’ needs too.

OMG integrates origami art and math in K-12 education.  Art is a gendered subject, it attracts girls overwhelmingly.  Learning math through origami art suits girls’ interest and delights them.  It harmonizes with their way of learning and unleashes their potential.  It also infuses math with a sense of artistry that girls can identify with.  Studies showed that teaching math through origami has significant effect on math achievement.

OMG visualizes math concepts embedded in origami.  It develops spatial reasoning and engages students in relevant origami tasks to acquire mathematical skills.  It also fosters collaboration and encourages diverse approaches to solve mathematical problems. 

The showcase of OMG curriculum will demonstrate teaching math through hands-on and participatory origami projects.  It highlights girls’ needs met in OMG teaching.  It also discusses bringing OMG to schools through teachers’ development.

The National Park Service turns 100 on August 25, 2016.  Channel Islands National Park (CINP) celebrates the centennial anniversary throughout the year. 

On April 9, CINP will host a special opening of artworks and signs in the native plant garden at the Robert J. Lagomarsino Visitor Center.  CINP will showcase 16 sculptures of channel islands wildlife created by artist BiJian Fan.  The sculptures are installed in the garden to highlight the wildlife habitat and its preservation.  There will be a native plant sale, artist presentations, and children's activities throughout the day.  The public event is free.

Art connects public to national parks emotionally.  It spreads the America’s best idea.  It also engages public in preserving national parks for the future generations.