As we approached our transition to a distance learning model, one particular struggle arose out of the pressure to a) learn about new tools and methods and b) stay connected as a broader community of faculty and staff. Teachers in particular were feeling overwhelmed by both intentional sharing from administrators as well as spontaneous sharing by early adopters and fearless colleagues who combed the internet for apps and “best of” lists.

In order to meet the twin goals listed above, we settled on the “In the Spotlight” email that we send out on Tuesdays and Fridays. It is managed by a senior academic administrator and a member of our advancement team (who now has bandwidth given our new distance learning environment). All employees were encouraged to share anything they wanted, including educational resources, health tips, humorous or musical performance clips, or even local food sourcing recommendations.

We created a static, three-part structure: one or two teaching tips max, a number of health/wellness or other community life suggestions, and links to the shared folders of resources that have been previously shared. We chose a subject line that could be repeated and would be easily searchable for the folks who like to save and come back to information in emails.

“Spotlight” has been received positively by both faculty and staff but we will continue to seek feedback to make sure we evolve. Sending the “Spotlight” twice per week was the right amount as we transitioned. Now that we are seven weeks into distance learning and settling in, we are contemplating adjusting the frequency.

Attached is a sample version (with links turned off).