FROM AMANDA ATKINS ON AUGUST 31, 2020

FROM AMANDA ATKINS ON AUGUST 31, 2020

Good Afternoon LifeLong Learning Instructors,

We trust you have been receiving information on the status of the LifeLong Learning Institute at Immaculata.

Just to recap:

• Due to the Covid 19 pandemic there will be no in person classes for LLI this fall. 
• While the University is hoping for a return of LLI to campus in the future, for now it is cutting back on all staff support at least until January of 2021. 
• That means Amanda has been furloughed and will not be serving in any official capacity as our director, at least for now.
• However she has, on her own, committed to working with LLI members, advisory board, and instructors to help “keep the lights on” for this next challenging phase of our LLI experience.
• In particular the online lunchtime Zoom lectures that many of you have volunteered for will be held as planned September 9^th through Nov 18^th.
• The weekly chat on Monday mornings that Amanda hosts is also still being held as well as weekly emails and probably newsletters.
• All communications regarding these events and others will NOT be through Immaculata offices or emails but through this Gmail account by which you are receiving this email. 'neverstoplearning00@gmail.com'

Any questions about the above should be directed as a reply to this email to Amanda or to members of the LLI advisory board whose contact emails are also listed in the cc field above.

That’s where we are for now. 

AND NOW THE ASK …………………………..

What this email is asking of you, our valuable and irreplaceable instructors, is to consider helping to keep our LLI community together and active during these next few months by volunteering to instruct/ facilitate classes.

What does that mean?

Method:

• Yes these classes will have to be online via Zoom.  Don’t panic yet, we have help for you to make this work and help you understand how this works.
• We will be holding at least two online Zoom introductory sessions for potential instructors to explain and show you how to get on to Zoom to run a class.
• Here are the links and times for these classes. If you have used Zoom before you just have to click on the link at the appropriate time.
• Instructor Zoom session 1:  Wednesday,  September 9, 1pm (right after the first lunchtime Zoom talk)
• https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3097707832
• Meeting ID: 309 770 7832

• Instructor Zoom session 2: Friday September 11, 4pm 
• https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3097707832
• Meeting ID: 309 770 7832
• If you are not sure how to  get on Zoom to attend these classes we are prepared to talk you through via phone or email and help you get on Zoom.

So, how to get help for first time Zoomers?  Just reply to this email and let us know when you are available to talk via phone to one of our volunteers. Also check out the attached information which gives some information on Zoom and how to use it.  Click. Here for a document or check out this YouTube video  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIYudDeULlw

Compensation/ costs:

• There will be no compensation for teaching these classes since they will be free to members and will have no direct association with the University.
• To minimize cost to instructors you will not need to sign up for a paid Zoom account as we have several that we can use to get you onto Zoom for your class each week.

Timing:

• We hope to begin classes the first week of October and continue until early December -  5 to 10 weeks duration.
• Since these are online we do not need to schedule facilities so you can pretty well teach when you want to although our usual times of late morning and early afternoon should probably be adhered to.
• As usual your class can be 5 or 10 weeks.

OR…since we are online and free we have much more flexibility both in duration of each class and the number of weeks you want to teach.  This may be a good time to try something you were thinking of that you couldn’t see as a 5 or 10 week class.  Try 3! , try 7! Experiment! Also pick a class duration that suits your subject.  An ART class might take longer.  A presentation class might be less than an hour.  You choose!

• We will not have a formal catalog but simply an emailed brochure which we hope to get out to our LLI members by the fourth week of September.
• To meet this schedule we will need your course proposals back by September 15^th.

What you need to do:

• Try to join us on one of the instructor Zoom introductory sessions listed above
• If you need help to get onto Zoom for these meetings email 'neverstoplearning00@gmail.com' and we will contact you to help you get set up.
• Fill out the Course Proposal Form which is attached here. https://forms.gle/1Mz2pEZGvuwxBKBn9
• Once complete just click submit and we will get back to you to confirm we have received  your submission and with final scheduling details. 

That’s about it.  We really hope you will take a leap of faith (Yes this will work!) and teach a class this fall.  Although it will not replace our in person classes on the beautiful Immaculata campus it does work.  We have been holding a number of experimental Zoom classes this summer and for the most part they went well.  It is certainly a different experience but it does afford us the opportunity to pursue our love of lifelong learning and keeps faces and contact with our friends and associates in our lives.

Thank you for your help! We look forward to working with you.

KEEP THE LLI LIGHTS ON !!!

Sincerely,  

Amanda Atkins 

And the LLI Advisory Board