4 End-of-Year Tech Tips to Prepare for Summer
Summer break is nearly here! But before you close your laptop and hit the beach, take some time to review these timely tech tips from our team geared toward helping you get your digital devices and resources in order. #4 is such a great idea!
Lead the Conversation! Submit an IETC 2022 Proposal
Proposal submission is now open for IETC 2022! This is your chance to share your unique perspectives on tech integration strategies, instructional practices, tech infrastructure, and more with 800+ attendees. Plus, there are great benefits in it for you – including free admission. Here’s a quick rundown on what you need to know to submit a proposal for this year’s illuminating conference.
Share What Works in Digital Literacy @ #DigLitCon
Mark your calendars! The LTC-hosted Digital Literacy Conference is returning this fall, offering teachers, administrators, technology coaches, and library media specialists a focused opportunity to discover what works in digital literacy. Submit a proposal today for your chance to connect with like-minded educators focused of fostered the next generation of productive digital citizens.
Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert (MIEE): Is it worth all the hard work?
Many educators overlook the Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert certification because their school uses Google or Apple products. But MIEE has a lot to offer all educators, regardless of which apps they use. Here are 8 reasons you should earn MIEE, plus 1 big takeaway from our MIEE journey.
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3 Ways You Can Add Digital Accessibility to Your Classroom Today
As it stands, some digital learning tools and communications are not effectively accessible by default. Fortunately, there are numerous ways that teachers like you can make their classroom’s digital content more inclusive for all learners. Here are 3 ways you can make your digital classroom more accessible right now.
Bring Computer Science to Your Students with Code.org Trainings & Free Curricula
Right now, computing is one of the fastest growing professions in the United States. But in order for today’s students to make the leap into the field, their teachers must lay the right groundwork. Code.org’s resources and low-cost trainings are precisely what you need to help start your students toward a fruitful CS-powered future.
Illinois’ New Digital Accessibility Law – What Education Leaders Need to Know about HB 26
Effective August 1, 2022, HB 26 requires 3rd party curriculum content to achieve Level AA accessibility conformity, as outlined in the World Wide Web Consortium’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (W3C WCAG). Learn more about these new state guidelines and what you can do to bring your district’s digital media into compliance.
3 Tips for Making Digital Learning More Accessible
While digital learning has opened new opportunities for students to grow, not all students can engage with digital content by default. These 3 tips can help you make your digital learning content more accessible to learners with physical or cognitive disabilities.
Stay Ahead of Tomorrow’s Digital Threats at SecurED Schools
At SecurED Schools, you can take the first step toward addressing new vulnerabilities and securing your district’s digital future. Take a peak at this year’s schedule, which includes over 40 local, state, and national experts discussing the latest tools, policies, and best practices for data privacy and cybersecurity.
Pack your Bags for these 2022 Education Conferences!
Whether in-person or virtual, conferences are a great way to network with fellow educators and learn a lot about the latest education developments and best practices. There are numerous education conference on the calendar for 2022, both in state and across the national. This handy guide will help you choose the events that are right for you.
“Keeping it real with real educators” – Takeaways from IETC 2021
The 28th annual Illinois Education and Technology Conference (IETC) wrapped up on November 19 after three days packed with exploring edtech’s latest integration strategies and best practices. Read up on highlights from this year’s conference, including two nationally-recognized keynotes and access to post-conference resources.
Embrace Enhanced Security & Accessibility with New Google Classroom & YouTube Updates
As we roll through the final months of 2021, Google continues to put out fresh updates that can help your classroom hit the ground running next semester. Read all about their upcoming security and accessibility improvements for Classroom, YouTube, and more in our latest Google updates digest.
Collaborate Efficiently with Updates for Google Docs, Sheets, and Drive
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.
Harness EdTech’s Renewed Potential at IETC 2021!
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!
5 Keys to Cooking Up Collaboration in the Classroom
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.
Return to the Classroom with New LTC Online Courses
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.
Welcome Our New LTC Team Members!
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.
Start the New School Year in the LTC Community
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!
Catch Up on the LTC’s Top Resources and Services
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.
Learn Safer and Easier with Updates for Google Classroom, Workspace & Chrome OS
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.
ISPA/SDPC Update – July 1, 2021
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!
Navigating Copyright and Fair Use as an Educator
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.