"On Sunday night I couldn't believe that I had committed an entire week to learning about computers. I thought about just not showing up. I am so glad that I came. I have surprised myself and learned more in the last five days than I expected. I can't wait to apply some of this to my courses," institute participant in anonymous survey response.

This summer (July 17-21), a record number of UC Davis instructors participated in the seventh annual Summer Institute on Technology in Teaching (SITT). Sponsored by the Teaching Resources Center (TRC), SITT is a learning opportunity created for faculty by faculty. More than 60 instructors participated this year.

This institute provides a combination of presentations and hands-on labs for using technology in teaching. The presentations illustrated what others on campus are doing, and the hands-on labs gave participants a chance to acquire or perfect skills. The presentations covered topics from interactive Web-based modules to using technology to set the context in a classroom. The labs offered a range of topics mostly focusing on making the most of classroom presentations and Web page development. For a look at the agenda and offerings, see http://trc.ucdavis.edu/trc/sitt/.

Participants were not the only ones to gain from this "summer camp for grown-ups"; many of the facilitators say they got much out of the experience. Having the opportunity to present pedagogical thoughts and initiatives to peers helped clarify the next steps in the development of teaching tools. We look forward to seeing the evidence of this development at next year's SITT.

Between making connections with other faculty and tracking down that vital resource to help with an email account problem, no one left empty-handed. This year, SITT achieved a workable blend of showcasing new tools, considering new uses for old tools, and rethinking teaching objectives.

One new tool showcased was WebCT, a Web-based course management package available on a limited basis through the TRC and the Instructional Technology and Digital Media Center. (This quarter, recognizing the need for a course management tool, the Academic Computing Coordinating Council will be investigating whether to deploy WebCT on a larger scale. If the campus decides to make WebCT available to all instructors, an implementation plan will be developed.) For more information on WebCT, contact the TRC at 752-6050.

SITT is organized by the TRC with funding from the Provost and an enormous amount of support from the campus Information Technology organization. A great deal of thanks is extended to all the staff and faculty involved in this year's SITT.

The TRC provides a wealth of information about SITT on its Web site at http://trc.ucdavis.edu/trc/sitt/. There you can find the agenda for the event, online resources, and information from presentations made during the conference.

If you have suggestions or would like to be involved in SITT 2001, please contact the TRC at 752-6050.