Upcoming Sessions

Our FAB students’ safety is important to us; therefore, we are taking precautions to make the in-person classes a safe and welcoming environment. In this environment, students will be able to enjoy face-to-face interactions with their faculty and classmates and the option to grab a coffee or a bite to eat before or after class. For those not able to join us in person, we continue to be your virtual home for learning!

Note: Walk-ins are not permitted. You may register via phone by calling 805-493-3290 at least 30 minutes prior to the start of the first course or lecture meeting. Persons will not be allowed into the learning space if they are not on the roster in advance.

Regarding in-person attendance:

• FREE, accessible parking at both campus locations (view location and parking details HERE)
• Large lecture room with ample space meeting Cal/OSHA guidelines
• Masks are recommended but are not required

Can’t get to campus for an in-person course? No problem! Attend the course virtually instead.

HyFlex Learning

Using the HyFlex learning model, in-person and virtual students can attend the same class simultaneously. A special “360-camera” will follow the instructor in the classroom, and students attending virtually will be able to see and hear the instructor and view the PowerPoint over Zoom (similar to our traditional virtual courses).

Mondays, 10am-12pm (Pacific)
Meeting Dates: September 30, October 7, 14, & 21
Choose to Attend Online via Zoom or In-Person in Thousand Oaks

Course Description:
The development and representation of the human form in art is one of the critical moments in the Canon of Art History. Realistic depiction in form marks the Classical time period in Greek art, and helps to establish the Renaissance with a renewed awareness of contrapposto.  As the history of art moves forward, representation of the human form also evolves becoming more expressive and more abstract. This class will look at the representation and evolution of the human form through sculpture. Starting with the breakthroughs of Greek art, we will see the human form become more and more realistic, and then reach a level of idealized perfection. The Renaissance brings about a renewed idea of the perfect human form. With the Baroque, realism and drama become the main goal of the human form. In the 19th century, rebellion leads to new forms of representation and expressionism. Finally, the 20th century brings new forms of personal depictions and new ways of interpreting the human form. 

Bio:
Katherine E. Zoraster is an Art Historian and a Professor of Art History at several local colleges specializing in Western art from the Renaissance to the 20th century. She graduated with a double major in English Literature and Art History from the University of California, Los Angeles. Following her undergraduate degree, she received a Master’s Degree with Distinction in Art History from the California State University at Northridge.

In addition to the courses Katherine teaches for other lifelong learning programs, she also works as an Art History Instructor for the full-time program at the Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Arts. Katherine also serves as a commissioner for the Burbank Cultural Arts Commission and volunteers at the Burbank Animal Shelter. In her free time, Katherine is an avid runner and travels extensively.

Mondays, 1-3pm (Pacific)
Meeting Dates: September 30, October 7, 14, & 21
Online via Zoom

Course Description:
After October 7th, the Israeli settlers have been frequently in the news. From being sanctioned by the US government, to being accused of stealing land, to involvement in violence (or being attacked), the settlers are a unique community within the West Bank (and previously Gaza). Through the lens of colonialism, the settlers are often seen as the enemies and perpetrators. Through the lens of Zionism and occasionally biblicism, the settlers can be perceived as heroes. But who are they? What is it that motivates them to live where they live? Why are so many people frustrated with them? This course will explore the Israeli settlers and attempt to dive deeper into their history, ethos, and opposition. 

Bio:
Jason Hensley, PhD (Holocaust and Genocide Studies), Dmin (Biblical Studies), teaches religious studies at a private school in Los Angeles. He is a fellow of the Michael LaPrade Holocaust Education Institute of the Anti-Defamation League, a higher-education ambassador for the Council on Foreign Relations, and the award-winning author of 12 books. His work has been featured in The Huffington Post as well as the BBC, and he has served as the historical advisor for a Holocaust documentary. Connect with him at jasonhensley.net. 

Tuesdays, 10am-12pm (Pacific)
Meeting Dates: October 1, 8, 15, & 22
Choose to Attend Online via Zoom or In-Person in Thousand Oaks

Course Description:
This course is Part 2 in an examination of the Beatles’ recording career in the studio. (This course can be taken independently of Part One.) The thrust is to look at the “revolution” of the Beatles as songwriters and as innovators in the recording studio, without which they would probably have been a colorful, but short-lived British pop band. Elements of the Beatles’ genius as songwriters, their curiosity about the recording process, willingness to experiment with things that had not been done before, and especially, the ingenuity of producer George Martin in shaping, expanding, and putting into practice the Beatles’ ideas, are what we will be devoting our class time to. In the process, we will be playing songs that many of you no doubt have committed to memory over the past half-century. It is hoped that this class will help you re-learn the songs, listening to them with a different ear by using a more analytical approach to how the records sounded.

The class will be dissecting each album, in chronological order, beginning with “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” and concluding with their final release, “Abbey Road.” In the final week, we will track the Beatles’ heritage as a group through post-breakup releases. 

Week 1:  Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)

Week 2:  Yellow Submarine / The White Album (1968)

Week 3:  Let It Be / Abbey Road (1969)

Week 4:  Post-Beatles Discoveries / Live Albums / Studio “Reunions” / Love (1970 – 2024)

Bio:
Cary Ginell is a Grammy-nominated writer and author of 12 books on American music. After a 30-year career in radio, he has spent the last 20 years as a public speaker, talking about music in classrooms, at conferences, and on cruise ships. Cary brings a lifelong passion for the recording industry to his work and is one of the world’s foremost authorities on his specialty, western swing. Cary previously served as President of the Association for Recorded Sound Collections, an international organization of music scholars and world-renowned institutions. He holds a master’s degree in Folklore from UCLA and a bachelor’s in Radio/TV/Film from Cal State University Northridge.

Wednesdays, 10am-12pm (Pacific)
Meeting Dates: October 2, 9, 16, & 23*
Choose to Attend Online via Zoom or In-Person in Thousand Oaks
*Note: The class on October 23 will be fully online with no in-person option

Course Description:
Unearth the ancient mysteries of Pompeii and its sister city, Herculaneum. Learn about the history of these ancient towns, their influence in the Roman empire, and a detailed account of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. We will see how the Roman Empire dealt with this natural disaster and its impact on the Roman economy. We will explore the discovery of these sites in the 1700s and the evolution of the archeological methodology and conservation efforts to preserve the treasures. Finally, we will seek to understand why Pompeii is still relevant to us today. 

In our first week, we will discuss the brief history of Pompeii and Herculaneum, including the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, Pliny the Elder and the rescue efforts, the aftermath and the Roman efforts to provide relief. In week two, we’ll discuss what daily life was like in Pompeii including examining design and architecture, economy, trade, and social structure. During week three we will look at Pompeii as a “party town” including its entertainment, leisure activities, religious practices, art and culture. We will conclude our four-week course by looking at the Pompeii of today – its discovery and excavation history, archaeological methods and challenges, conservation efforts, and recent discoveries.

Bio:
Scott Jones is a retired naval officer and businessman with broad experience in national security, foreign relations, and politics. Scott is also a docent at the J. Paul Getty Museum (Getty Villa) where he leads tours in the Greek and Roman Galleries, special exhibitions, Roman architecture, and Roan gardens. He teaches for a few lifelong learning programs in the area.

Wednesdays, 1-3pm (Pacific)
Meeting Dates: October 9, 16, 23, & 30 (No class on October 2)
Online via Zoom

Course Description:
From the comfort of your own home, you will visit the most famous museums around the world such as the Louvre, the Rijksmuseum, the Hermitage and the Metropolitan Museum as well as some smaller, lesser-known gems. We will examine the history of these fabled institutions and look at some of the highlights of their collections, perhaps discovering some hidden treasures along the way.

Bio:
Lee Rubinstein holds dual degrees in English and History with a minor in Art History from the California State University system. After years of working in the finance industry, getting her MBA, and spending time in the non-profit sector, she was lucky enough to get back to her first love—art. She has been a docent at the Getty Museum since 2012 giving in-person gallery tours to thousands of students. Additionally, during the pandemic, Lee gave over 300 virtual tours to museums around the country and even offered presentations to museums in Australia, England, New Zealand and Israel. She has shared her knowledge and love of art speaking at national docent conferences in Kansas City and Brisbane, Australia.

Closer to home, Lee created and runs a year-long, all-volunteer art program for the fourth grade in a Title I school. She has been doing this for over 15 years and believes very strongly that art is a critical part of any child's education.

A love of research has led her to create programs for lifelong learners all across the United States.

Thursdays, 10am-12pm (Pacific)
Meeting Dates: October 10, 17, 24, & 31 (No class on October 3)
Online via Zoom

Course Description:
For almost everyone, the very word "Motown" is synonymous with the great songs and artists of the 60s and 70s- not the auto industry! But why Detroit, and why those decades? In this class we will explore the historic relevance of that musical hub of success as we discuss the songs and bios of those great artists. No doubt Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, 4 Tops and Smoky Robinson need no introduction! It is unusual that one record company could produce these artists and so many more over those years. We'll also discover the behind-the-scenes people that made it all work. Come join us as we share those musical memories of Motown --- Detroit's other industry!

Bio:
Tony Moon has spent 60 successful years in the music business. Beginning in 1960, he joined the L.A. group Dante and The Evergreens, which was managed and produced by Lou Adler and Herb Alpert. He later moved to Nashville, becoming the guitarist and conductor for Brenda Lee. Tony also began playing on recording sessions and was Nashville's first rock independent music producer, working with five major labels. He scored several big hits for The Vogues, including "5 O' Clock World." Tony has won several awards as a songwriter and music publisher. His songs have been released by artists as diverse as Porter Wagoner, Willie Nelson, Vickie Carr, Pearl Jam, and The Beatles.

He currently administers several Music Publishing Companies and a New York Entertainment Company.

Thursdays, 1-3pm (Pacific)
Meeting Dates: October 10, 17, 24, & 31 (No class on October 3)
Choose to Attend Online via Zoom or In-Person in Oxnard

Course Description:
In this course we will discuss the historical context of GenAI (generative artificial intelligence) technology and how this context influences its evolution.

Week One: Where did artificial intelligence (AI) come from?
We will briefly survey the history of technology and our desire to build “smart mechanical systems” such as the Antikythera machine, the Mechanical Turk, the Analytical Machine and the Turing Machine. We will take a quick detour into cognitive science examining some theories about human information processing. We will use this context to discuss more recent inventions, such as perceptrons, Eliza, expert systems and deep learning networks.

Week Two: What is Generative AI (GenAI)?
We will discuss a basic view of a neural network and its biological correlates, which will help us to understand the concept of natural language processing and how machines understand words. We want to see how language plays a role in cognition. This will lead us to examining the big fuss around ChatGPT and exploring some known applications of GenAI in business, arts, healthcare, defense, and more.

Week Three: What’s next with Generative AI?
We will discuss several questions about Gen AI: Does GenAI continue to get better? What are ways to improve it? What should we expect in terms of the future of GenAI capabilities in 5 years, 50 years? We might even speculate when Star Trek science fiction becomes reality.

Week Four: What does Generative AI mean to us humans?
We will conclude by discussing our relationship with technology in general and generative AI more specifically. We’ll discuss the meaning of terms like “responsible AI” and “alignment”? I’d like to end with some philosophical questions relating to consciousness and what it means to be human in the context artificial intelligence. 

Bio:
Ram Prayaga has over 25 years of experience building and managing technology. Ram is currently the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for Atalan Tech, Inc and he is excited about their mission of improving the retention and well-being of our healthcare providers. Prior to Atalan and following a brief stint as an LAUSD high school math teacher, Ram was the founding Chief Technology Officer (Product and Technology) of mPulse Mobile, Inc. a successful health tech company. Ram is an adjunct faculty member with Cal Lutheran’s School of Management and truly enjoys the experience of learning from his students while sharing his knowledge and perspectives. Ram has a Computer Science/Math degree from the University of Bergen, Norway, and an MS in Computer Science from USC. He also completed about 3 years of graduate work in Cognitive Science at UCSD. He believes he plays soccer while others suggest he might just be chasing a ball…