Space is limited, so interested persons should apply as soon as possible. Application forms are available at the Teaching Resources Center in 17 Wellman or can be downloaded from the Web site at http://trc.ucdavis.edu/TRC/sitt/sittapp.html.

A major goal of the institute is for participants to acquire a new or expanded set of technological tools that they can use in improving the teaching and learning process at UC Davis.

The program is packed with morning plenary sessions and afternoon hands-on labs and lively discussion topics. The program is led by UCD faculty members, assisted by personnel from Information Technology and the Teaching Resources Center. The latter two units, along with the Office of the Provost, sponsor the week-long event running from Monday, July 26 through Friday, July 30. Faculty speakers and instructors will demonstrate and discuss how they use various forms of technology, from electronic communication with students to visual presentation of complex material in class.

The morning plenary sessions will run along thematic lines. The first day will provide an overview of technology and its potential role in teaching and learning. Speakers will describe the application of technology, from innovative uses of electronic communication to digital video disks.

The second day will focus on visual images -- how to develop and use them effectively in teaching. Participants will discuss image production, size and the aesthetics of visual design as they pertain to digital slides and Web pages.

The third general topic is electronic communication among students and between students and instructors. The use of email lists, virtual sections, and virtual office hours will be described and discussed by faculty who have experimented with these techniques. A panel, reflecting a range of opinion, will address the pedagogical aspects of using them.

The fourth day's theme is multimedia. Topics include the latest software offering visualization and sound effects to facilitate the communication of complex information -- for example, reconstruction and simulation of historical sites, three-dimensional presentations appropriate for planning and design, and molecular configurations important for biochemistry. Speakers also will describe how the Internet can be used for acquiring and disseminating information.

Friday's schedule includes assessment and evaluation of technological innovation. There will also be a panel discussion on where technology is taking us and what costs the journey might entail.

SITT participants have two options for the afternoons. They can opt to devote the lab sessions to developing a single project. The three choices are class Web pages, in-class presentations using PowerPoint, or setting up an interactive database.

For those who want to explore a broader range of technological offerings, there will be single afternoon lab sessions covering Web page construction using Netscape's Composer or writing simple HTML. Another session will cover the ins and outs of electronic communication -- email, listservs, downloading and uploading course rosters, transferring files, and related techniques. The campus postmaster will be present throughout the week to answer questions.

There will be opportunities to explore PowerPoint and Director, a similar, but more powerful program for creating multimedia presentations. Other sessions will cover scanning and use of images, for both on-ground and on-line use. More advanced sessions will introduce participants to video, sound, and three-dimensional aspects of media.

In addition to the hands-on laboratories, participants will also be offered a wide range of topics to explore in small discussion groups:

• Future directions in technology and teaching (including distributed learning) -- possibilities, limitations, realities.
• Use of the Internet as a teaching resource, including techniques for dealing with plagiarism.
• Redesigning courses to take advantage of technology -- is it worth the effort? Related to this topic are techniques for evaluating such efforts.
• Electronic communication techniques (e.g., virtual discussion groups and office hours, email lists, interactive Web pages) and the distribution of materials for students, including issues of access.

For more information, go to the SITT '99 Web site at http://trc.ucdavis.edu/TRC/sitt/ or contact Teaching Resources Center program coordinator Barbara Sommer at basommer@ucdavis.edu.