Almost everyone at NC State takes Learning in a Technology-Rich Environment (LITRE) for granted now. As a flagship university for science and technology, of course we investigate ways to use the Web and other digital media to enhance our teaching and learning! But just 10 years ago, many perceived the Web as a mere novelty for use in teaching, and some saw online courses as potentially disruptive to sound pedagogy and academic excellence.

In May 2008, thirty-nine participants from nine colleges within North Carolina State University gathered for a week-long, intensive study of tools and strategies for incorporating technology into the classroom. Hosted by NC State’s Distance Education and Learning Technology Applications (DELTA), the tenth annual Summer Institute for Teaching and Learning with Technology empowered faculty members and support staff with the use of instructional technology techniques and tools.