Motivating and inspiring – that’s how one attendee described the 2024 Summer Institute on Teaching and Technology or SITT. Held over the course of two half days in mid-September, the virtual event brought together nearly 90 faculty, staff, graduate students, and former employees to discuss ways to improve the teaching and learning experience at UC Davis.

Nearly 40 departments were represented at SITT 2024. IET had the largest number of attendees for the second year in a row, followed by the Library and the Center for Educational Effectiveness.

“SITT always reminds us that we have such a great and engaged campus community,” said Dr. Andy Jones, Academic Associate Director of Academic Technology Services (ATS).

With 13 live presentations and 16 on-demand talks and interviews, attendees were immersed in thoughtful discourse about some of the biggest topics in higher education – generative AI, accessibility, engagement, and inclusion. The most attended live sessions, which you can rewatch by clicking the titles below, included:

• “Accessibility in Action: Practical Strategies for Inclusive Teaching” by Miriam Markum and Katie Healey
• “Centering Student Perspectives on Education and Generative AI: Aligning Assignments, Assessments, and Expectations” by Erica Bender, Kem Saichaie, and Jenna Vest
• “New tactics to enhance an old practice: Facilitating student presentations with new technology” by Heather J. Hether

SITT 2024 saw the return of the virtual format via Zoom for live presentations. Dr. Jones and Dr. Margaret Merrill, Senior Instructional Design Consultant for Academic Technology Services (ATS) helped keep attendees engaged with a series of poll questions during each presentation and relevant links. Zoom chat also provided a platform for robust conversations, insightful comments, and suggested solutions to classroom problems. SITT organizers also hosted an informal social event on the last afternoon of the two-day conference, offering another way for presenters and attendees to connect.

“One of the biggest things we hope everyone takes away from SITT, is that they have a community among other faculty AND among our staff that they can turn to for support, encouragement, and great ideas for their teaching,” Merrill said.

Along with a feeling of community and support, SITT organizers wanted to guide attendees on a deeper dive into GenAI, focusing not on fear or avoidance, but how to harness its power for the greater good. To that end, about half of the live and on-demand talks and interviews focused or touched on AI. Topics ranged from using GenAI to support learning, improving research and writing, and leading students in critical thinking about the rapidly developing technology. One attendee said SITT helped them think about how they want to approach AI in the classroom.

“I plan to set clear expectations for students on how to effectively and responsibly use GenAI in my classes, ensuring they understand its potential as a tool for learning while maintaining academic integrity.” 

With a collaborative and open format, SITT 2024 provided a safe, open space to discuss classroom challenges, innovative ideas, and promising results. Attendees expressed excitement about both the topics covered and the way the content was delivered.

“I have learned a lot. I think the time of the speakers is well balanced with the allocated time for questions.” 

“All of the topics and presenters were outstanding. I learned new things from each presentation.” 

Looking ahead

While the dates for next year’s event haven’t been set yet, organizers say it will return in mid-September to celebrate SITT’s 30th anniversary. In the meantime, there are several upcoming events that will dive deeper into some of the main topics covered at SITT 2024. Click the links below to learn more and register.

• Faculty Forum about the use of iClicker and other Student Response Systems – 10/18/2024
• Discussing Online Learning & Collaborative Education (DOLCE) with Cam Hostinar (about student engagement) – 12/1/2024
• Faculty Forum about authentic effective assessments in the age of GenAI – 11/15/2024

You can also rewatch or catch up on SITT 2024 content on The Wheel’s website. 

• Live talks and recordings
• On-demand content