Blog

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, the Learning Technology Center (LTC) is proud to host the Digital Literacy Conference, a timely virtual gathering centered on one of education’s most relevant topics. We want you to be part of this conference’s team of presenters, so submit a proposal today!

No matter how you look at it, today’s educators are busy people. The LTC understands this dilemma, which is why we offer a variety of free, self-paced online courses covering topics from Google Forms and Google Drive to Microsoft Teams and Keynote for Mac. You can learn more about and participate in these courses over on our Online Courses hub!

Google Educator certifications are among the most popular today, particularly in this era of remote and hybrid learning. But how exactly do you become “Google Educator Certified”? You’ll find the answer and more in this handy guide to becoming Google Educator Certified.

Today is Safer Internet Day, an occasion to recommit to best practices for protecting digital identity. In the spirit of this important celebration, we’re featuring a special collection of resources and recommendation geared toward helping all students grow their digital literacy and master internet safety.

In recognition of Data Privacy Day, the LTC team has gathered some of our most popular data privacy and cybersecurity resources into one place. Check out each of these overviews, online classes, and more if you’re planning to upgrade your district’s data protection policies to comply with SOPPA.

Back on Friday, January 15, the Learning Technology Center wrapped up a first-of-its-kind conference centered on education’s most recent evolution. The Remote Learning Conference marked a major leap forward for collaboration in Illinois’ edtech community, with educators from around the Prairie State gathering to share their hard-earned knowledge from the past year of distance learning.

The 4th annual SecurED Schools conference concluded back on Thursday, January 14. Though this year’s gathering was held virtually, technology leaders from around Illinois still participated in plenty of insightful conversations about the future of cybersecurity and data privacy.

This year, the Learning Technology Center is expanding its popular Instructional Technology Coaching Program. Learn more about this program and its cost-effective benefits for district-wide technology integration.

The old “sit-and-get” method of professional development isn’t suited to the needs of today’s educators. Micro-credentials are the solution because their offer teachers greater agency while they grow their competency in classroom-ready skills. Read on for a special opportunity to join the LTC’s micro-credential pilot program!

In 2021, the Learning Technology Center remains committed to fostering collaboration within Illinois’ edtech community. That’s why we’re proud to announce our redesigned online Community!

2020 has brought a lot of unexpected changes, from the way we learn to the way we speak. We’ve rounded up some of the words that took on new meaning for remote learners and educators alike this year.

Certifications have become an increasingly popular option for professional learning in the education field. The LTC has scoured the internet for the best certifications and collected them here, in our new Educator Certification Collection.

The Learning Technology Center of Illinois (LTC) is proud to announce its recent acceptance into the Google Cloud Partner Program.

In this episode, host Colleen Kaplan sits down with Susie Allison, creator of the popular Busy Toddler Instagram account, to talk about all things toddlers and preschool. Susie, an early childhood education expert and advocate, focuses on bringing hands-on, play-based learning back to families and classrooms using simple activities.

The 27th annual Illinois Education and Technology Conference (IETC) wrapped up on Saturday, November 21. This year marked the conference’s first venture into the virtual realm, with all sessions, workshops, and networking held online. Read on for highlights from this first-of-its-kind professional learning experience.

In recognition of this year’s renewed focus on social justice, Computer Science Education Week 2020 has centered its annual celebration of computer science learning on helping students build a more just society using their CS skills. These resources can help your classroom join in this celebration, with free materials available for primary- and secondary-level students.

During this holiday season, the SPARK program wants to offer you a gift – 12 great resources for facilitating successful remote learning in your home. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to check back daily for new resources!

In this episode, host Colleen Kaplan sits down to discuss the intersection of parenting and social media with Leah Plunkett, law professor and author of “Sharenthood: Why we should think before we talk about our kids online”.