Paranormal Studies

In the spring of 2006, CCPI developed a PS 101 and PS 102 program available to Central CA Valley residents and offered through the Cesar Chavez Community Center at the Fresno Adult School (www.fas.edu) located in downtown Fresno. The 101class is a six-week program offered twice a year, once in the spring and again in the fall with a basic hands on approach to those who are interested in learning the fundamentals of ghost hunting or for those who are interested in paranormal phenomena in general. The 102 class is an intermediate four-week course for those returning students, who wish to focus on the technical side of paranormal investigating.

During the 101 course, students will be divided into teams, similar to a paranormal research group like CCPI and learn how to research and investigate a supposedly haunted site. The 102 course is more in depth training in spirit photography, EVP and how our equipment operates and analyzing and classifying the data we collect. Both programs have a field trip to an investigation site planned midway through each course.

The PS 101 & PS 102 courses have limited enrollment and are on a first come first serve basis. Both courses are usually published first on line about 2 months before they begin and then published in the hard copy schedule mailed out to the community 2 weeks later. Class registration is through the School either on the website or in person and are the first and second in a series toward a third class that CCPI is developing in the near future to make a paranormal certification program. Look for the CCPI Certification Program in 2010.

Below is a syllabus for the PS 101 & 102 courses and is subject to change depending on circumstances and availability.

Paranormal Studies 101 :

Course Description: A 6-week course taking students into the world of what a real paranormal investigation is like with an emphasis on ghosts & hauntings by Jackie Meador, certified ghost hunter and Chief investigator for Central California Paranormal Investigators. (CCPI). This course will cover the investigators role, what they seek and where they go to search for unexplained anomalies and using scientific methodology, electronic equipment and research techniques to investigate and analyze evidence. An investigation to a haunted site is planned which may include an extra cost. Limited to 20 students.

Course Objectives: Students will learn how a paranormal investigation begins; from, the first meeting with the client, the preliminary investigation, researching the site, interviewing witnesses, scheduling the actual investigation date, putting a team together; to, what are the paranormal anomalies that investigators look for, how to record/photograph the anomalies, analyze the evidence and concluding with a written report and Team CD presentation.

Class Outline:

Week 1: Course Introduction and Overview – Who is CCPI? History of Ghost Hunting and its rise in popularity; Teams & responsibility of team leader; Field Investigation information; Basic Equipment

Week 2: Paranormal Investigation – Beginning the investigation process from initial contact with clients, the prelim interview, research to field investigation; Etiquette and Ethics

Week 3: Paranormal Anomalies – What are Ghosts? What PI’s look for, slide presentation of paranormal manifestations; Spirit Photography, EVP.

Conducting the actual investigation

Weekend Field Investigation Trip: TBA

Week 4: Class discussion of field investigation; analyzing evidence; writing the report; Making the CD; Class project: Anomalies; Documentary “The Haunted South”

Week 5: Team 1 & 2 CD presentations to discuss/analyze their evidence/findings from

the field investigation site; hand in copy of reports. DVD-Field Trip draft

Week 6: Teams 3 & 4 CD presentations; discuss/analyze their evidence, findings from the field investigation site; hand in copy of reports; Documentary, “Ghosts of Kentucky”; Summary, Wrap up.

Paranormal Studies 102 :

Course Description: A 4-week course concentrating on spirit photography and EVP by Jackie Meador, certified ghost hunter and Chief investigator for Central California Paranormal Investigators. (CCPI). This course is a follow-up to Paranormal Studies 101: Investigating Ghosts and Hauntings and will cover the specific areas of capturing paranormal anomalies using video, film/digital cameras and voice recorders. This course is for those students who wish to continue learning how to capture paranormal phenomena utilizing electronic equipment and testing current theories on paranormal evidence. A field trip is planned which may include an extra cost. Limited to 15 participants.

Prerequisites: Paranormal Studies 101, a film/digital camera, voice recorder and own or have access to a computer with CD burning capabilities is required. Students should bring their cameras and recorders to class as well as their binders from the 101 session.

Course Objectives: Continuing education about paranormal phenomena and a more in-depth focus on analyzing spirit photographs and electronic voice phenomena. Students will discuss samples of each type of paranormal anomaly and will gain practical experience from the class field trip. The objective is for the student to study the evidence by employing scientific methodology in analyzing paranormal anomalies reaching an inconclusive/conclusive finding.

Class Outline:

Week 1: Course Introduction and Overview –Class expectations; Teams & Team Leader Responsibility; Field Investigation information; Guest speaker: TBA

Week 2: PowerPoint Presentation of paranormal anomalies on film, digital and video cameras with class participation to discuss, analyze and classify.

Week 3: EVP Recordings – Presentation of actual EVP and how to analyze, classify and determine live vs. anomalous voices.

Weekend Field Investigation Trip: To Be Announced

Week 4: Team CD presentations of pictures and recordings from field trip with class participation in analyzing/classifying and discussing their findings; Team Reports due.