Blog

Month after month, Google continues to roll out updates and improvements designed to enhance their users’ experience – including those of students and teachers in the education sphere. Take some time to learn about their latest updates and how they can help your classroom collaborate more effectively while utilizing Docs, Sheets, Drive, and Sites.

In just under a month, educators and technology leaders from across Illinois will gather together to learn and explore while forming the connections that allow our statewide edtech community to flourish year after year. It’s all happening at IETC 2021 – and you’re invited! Learn more about what to expect in our conference preview!

LTC Coach Emily Pool recently learned a thing or two about collaboration while overhearing a conversation between her daughter and her friends. As it turns out, there’s only one way to qualify “done” chicken and five ingredients you can add to any collaboration to make it both successful and fulfilling.

To kick off the back-to-school season, we’ve just launched an assortment of new online courses on Google Classroom, Microsoft Teams, and more. We’ve also refreshed several previous favorites, so now’s a great time to check out the LTC’s growing collection of free, self-paced online courses.

The LTC has grown over the summer and welcomed in 10 new team members – including a new RETC and an assortment of new Instructional Technology Coaches. Together, they possess 150+ years of experience in the education field – an impressive total that speaks to their exceptional capacity to work with and support today’s educators. Take some time to meet them and discover what they’re most excited for in their new role.

With the new school year fast approaching, you might be wondering – where can you go to ask questions, share knowledge, and download free edtech resources? That’s right – the LTC Community is the place to be to grow your professional learning network this fall. Join today to take advantage of this new hub for collaboration and problem-solving!

Whether you’re in the classroom, supporting educators, or striving to keep your district’s IT infrastructure humming, the LTC wants to help you start out the next school year with as much access to high quality professional learning as possible. That’s why we’ve taken the time to collect some of our most popular resources from the past fiscal year and package them together for easy navigation.

Back on June 22, 2021, Google revealed a roadmap of its upcoming product and software updates during its The Anywhere School online event. That roadmap featured a cornucopia of exciting developments, including useful enhancements for Google Classroom, Google Workspace for Education, Chrome OS, and more. Check out our update digest to learn about how your classroom can utilize these fresh upgrades during the upcoming school year.

Happy New (Fiscal) Year! Despite SOPPA compliance day arriving on July 1, numerous schools throughout the state are still in the process of getting their new data privacy frameworks up and running. ISPA is still here to support your efforts. Check out this month’s update summary to learn more!

Copyright, fair use, public domain – these are all terms that may sound familiar to you as an educator. But do you fully understand their impact on how you share physical and digital resources with your students and colleagues? Our guide to navigating copyright in the education sphere can bring you up to speed on this important legal topic.

With summer starting, now is a great time for all educators to perform a mental health check-in. Along the way, you should also consider adding new self-care routines to your life, both now and for the next school year. Check out this guide to learn more about self-care and the many ways it can help bring balance to your personal and professional life.

The Learning Technology Center of Illinois is proud to announce that it has been awarded the State Achievement Award for Professional Learning by the State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA). This award recognizes the LTC’s ongoing efforts to serve all Illinois schools and educators as part of its Professional Learning Statewide System of Support.

The future of edtech is here. Now’s your chance to harness technology’s renewed classroom potential by learning from and networking with your peers at IETC 2021. Register today to take advantage of early bird pricing!

This summer, Illinois’ new SOPPA amendments will come into force, requiring districts to meet new standards for managing and protecting student data. But what role will teachers play in this process? Learn more in this timely guide!

On May 11, 2021, the FCC announced a finalized rule set for the administration of the Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF), a $7.1 billion appropriation derived from the larger $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan stimulus package passed in March 2021. Learn more about the ECF, its eligibility requirements, and its E-Rate application process in this new program brief.

Starting May 12, 2021, eligible households can apply to receive up to $50 off their monthly home internet bill through the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program. Read on to learn about how schools and district can utilize this program to increase at-home internet access for their students.

The 28th annual Illinois Education and Technology Conference (IETC) is on its way, bringing with it an immersive hybrid experience geared toward the professional learning needs of all educators, IT staff, and administrators. Make 2021 the year you share your voice by submitting a proposal for IETC!

Many schools in Illinois and around the US are interested in purchasing new Chromebooks. But which Chromebook model is best? Which model offers the best value? You’ll find answers and more in this guide to choosing the right Chromebook for your school or district.

The Illinois State Board of Education opened the window for this year’s teacher license renewal cycle on April 1, 2021. Check out our guide full of important reminders and resources geared toward helping you renew your teaching license in no time.

Big news! The Digital Literacy Conference agenda has just been released! In it, you’ll find an assortment of engaging sessions on many of the most important aspects of digital literacy. Check out these session previews now and make plans to attend this unique professional learning opportunity!

This year, Google is premiering a brand-new certification that is geared toward helping schools and districts build and sustain their edtech integration over the long-term. Check out this guide to learn more about the Google Certified Coach program, including its benefits for tech coaches and school districts alike.