Focus Area

Computer Science & STEM

Resources, professional learning, and support for fostering robust computer science and STEM programs and knowledgeable educators.

Coding the Future: CS & STEM in K-12

Computer science and STEM education are vital for K-12 students in our tech-driven world. These fields foster critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity while providing essential skills for future careers. They go beyond coding and math, offering a foundation in complex systems, data analysis, and logical reasoning – skills valuable across all disciplines.

Early exposure to CS and STEM helps bridge the digital divide, giving all students access to technological literacy regardless of background. This not only equips them to navigate our digital landscape but also opens doors to a wide range of high-demand career paths. By introducing these concepts early, we’re preparing students to shape the future they’ll inherit.

At the Learning Technology Center (LTC), we’re committed to supporting educators in bringing CS and STEM to their classrooms. We leverage our statewide network of CS educators to make integrating these subjects both empowering and standards-compliant for all educators and school districts. Our team provides resources, training, and practical support to help teachers feel confident in incorporating CS and STEM into their curriculum. Whether you’re looking to start a coding club, integrate computational thinking into existing lessons, or explore advanced topics in computer science, the LTC is here to guide you every step of the way.

Standards & Support

The LTC provides support to implement and align curricula with both state and national computer science standards, ensuring high-quality learning experiences that meet educational and workforce demands.

Relevant Standards

Services
Resources
Events
Articles
Professional Learning

Code.org District Program

Year-Long
Variable

Professional learning programs for current and future computer science educators through the LTC’s Code.org Partnership.

Professional Learning

Code.org Workshops & Cohorts

Year-Long
Variable

Professional learning programs for current and future computer science educators through the LTC’s Code.org Partnership.

Database

Computer Science Resource Database

Vetted computer science resources geared toward a variety of grade levels, content areas, and use cases.

Professional Learning

CS PD Week

Summer
Varies

The LTC’s CS PD Week is a 5-day PD opportunity for new and experience computer science educators and administrators.

Professional Learning

Custom PD for Districts and Schools

Customizable

Customized edtech professional learning to meet the needs of districts and schools.

Database

Esport Directory

A database of K12 esport teams in Illinois.

Professional Learning

IETC Conference

November
$175+

The Illinois Education and Technology Conference, held annually in Springfield, brings together educators and tech experts to explore innovative teaching methods and leverage technology for enhanced learning statewide.

Service

ILTPP Purchasing Cooperative

Free

Save money and time through ILTPP cooperative purchasing contracts.

Database

Legal Reference Guide & Database

An introduction to the statutes, regulations, and rules that may apply to the use of technology in a school district.

Professional Learning

Regional Workshops and Events

Variable

Over 650 regional events and conferences on educational technology topics.

Summer Computer Science PD

Summer
Varies

Professional Learning

Webinars

Free

Register for our regular webinar series and view recordings.

Udacity

Online Course Portal. Our mission is to democratize education through the offering of world-class higher education opportunities that are accessible, flexible, and economical. Virtually anyone on the planet with an internet connection and a commitment to self-empowerment through learning can come to Udacity, master a suite of job-ready skills, and pursue rewarding employment. Learn to build a program, build a search engine, and build a social network. Some courses are paid, while others are free.

Unity

Teach your students on the same real-time 3D development platform and workflows used by professionals to create immersive experiences across industries. Free for educators.

UTeach > CSP, CSA, CyberSec.

UTeach Computer Science courses engage students in authentic learning through project-based instruction, an evidence-based approach that encourages problem solving, critical thinking, and group collaboration. Our personally meaningful curriculum keeps students excited and our comprehensive instructional materials provide both new and experienced teachers with everything they need to create a successful learning environment.

Vex Robotics

The VEX Continuum enables you, as an educator, to bring STEM, Computer Science, and robotics to life with your students in hands-on, engaging ways. With VEX, both teachers and students are creators, not just consumers, of technology.

Vex Robotics Competition

VEX competitions are also a great way to expose students to valuable soft skills like communication, collaboration and time-management in a fun and authentic way. The VEX Robotics competition prepares students to become future innovators with 95% of participants reporting an increased interest in STEM subject areas and pursuing STEM-related careers. Tournaments are held year-round at the regional, state, and national levels and culminate at the VEX Robotics World Championship each April!

Vidcode

Vidcode is an award-winning software that teaches middle and high school students computer programming through their favorite hobby: video-making. Vidcode is used by teachers across the country to teach JavaScript through full year courses and paired with math, art and science courses to teach code in a cross-disciplinary manner. On Vidcode, students can upload videos, code effects, and share with their classmates.

W3 Schools

The World Wide Web Consortium shares extensive studying tools and tutorials for web development. HTML, CSS, Java, Bootstrap, XML, examples, quizzes and more.

WeTeach > AP CSA

A College Board endorsed and ChromeBook compatible curriculum developed by a team of veteran CS teachers with almost 100 years combined computer science teaching experience. Full scholarships are available!

Wonder Workshop

Wonder Workshop’s robots, which include Dash and Dot, are ready to go, right out of the box. These responsive robots are packed full of capabilities that allow them to interact with students, their environment, and each other thanks to their multiple built-in motors, sensors, LEDs and audio capabilities. No Assembly Required: Our robots are truly easy to implement and include five free apps, which include in-app puzzles and challenges, across all subject areas. Grows With Your Students: Easy for beginners in kindergarten, and then scaffolds learning to higher grades through meaningful curricular and educational programs. Support of 21st Century Skills: Our robots encourage students to continue building critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration skills for tomorrow’s job market. Bring coding to life with Robotics for All Our products and apps teach students from kindergarten on up how to code, and with our five, free apps, students tackle a series of challenges and in-app puzzles that introduce the fundamental concepts of coding. Our unique Wonder app uses state machine programming and an original visual design to advance young students’ understanding of computer science. The Blockly app uses the most kid-friendly block based coding on the market to introduce students to programming. And Swift Playgrounds from Apple now powers Dash! Wonder Workshop has thoughtfully designed their product for education and introducing computer science concepts with our youngest students in mind, while allowing complex programming to occur to keep the oldest of students challenged and engaged.

Code Tribe

CodeTribe is an educational platform empowering middle and high school students to learn text-based programming through game creation, web development, and algorithm exploration. Teachers can assign tasks, track progress, and access Resource like lesson plans aligned with educational standards. The platform bridges block-based and text-based coding skills.

Drafter

Drafter is an educational web development library for Python. What does that mean?

As a student, you can use Drafter to learn and practice Python by creating a full-stack website.

Grid Garden (CSS)

CSS Animations

This CSS Animation course is for the curious CSS explorer! We will walk the evolution path of a civilization and conquer deep space. We will move, rotate and transform objects while learning the basics of object animation in CSS.

HTML Academy

This online academy is the “world’s deepest interactive course catalog” in HTML, CSS and Java Script for free. Choose from a variety of asyncronous courses to develop your skills.

30 STEM Links

30 STEM Links is two email newsletters a week with deeply researched and curated links. The links in each email provide useful STEM/STEAM content.

STARnet

In the STEM Activity Clearinghouse, librarians and library staff can find high quality, vetted STEM activities that are appropriate for library use. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math.

STEMCoding Project

We created the STEMcoding Project as an answer to this. We developed over two dozen “physics of video games” activities and other exercises that explore math concepts like our Pi day activity in order to show teachers and students how a single activity can align with relevant math, science and computer science standards (including data science).

Stencyl

Game Studio in a Box Stencyl isn’t your average game creation software; it’s a gorgeous, intuitive toolset that accelerates your workflow and then gets out of the way. We take care of the essentials, so you can focus on what’s important – making your game yours. Publish Everywhere With extensive platform support, you can rest assured that all players will have access to your game. Today, Stencyl supports: iOS (iPhone/iPad) Android Windows Mac Linux Flash HTML5 (experimental)

Computer Science Kickstart

Jan 6, 2025
Free

For this session, we’ll be diving into the Illinois Computer Science standards to gain a better understanding of the concepts as well as find cross-curricular connections.

We’ll then explore resources- unplugged, online, and physical computing (including robots) that can not only introduce students to the basics of CS and computational thinking but also support your content area instruction!

Sarah Phelps
Sarah Phelps
Program Manager, Computer Science and STEM, Learning Technology Center

SIU-Edwardsville STEM Field Trip

Jan 8, 2025
Free

Visit the SIUE STEM Center to see the equipment lending library, try some of the hands-on demonstrations, and talk with our STEM education staff about recent projects and opportunities to partner!

Emily Wonnacott-Stanley
Emily Wonnacott-Stanley
Community Outreach Coordinator, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Lisa Schwartz
Lisa Schwartz
Regional Educational Technology Coordinator | West Central Region, Learning Technology Center

CS & STEM Networking Meeting

Jan 15, 2025
Free

Calling all K-12 computer science and STEM educators! Join your peers from across the state each month for an informative, engagement-rich networking meeting centered on topics that matter most to you.

Sarah Phelps
Sarah Phelps
Program Manager, Computer Science and STEM, Learning Technology Center

Coding with Ozobots: A Hands-On Workshop for Educators

Jan 17, 2025
25

In this hands-on workshop, educators will learn the basics of Ozobots, including how they work and how to program them. K-12 students can code Evo two ways: screen-free with Color Code markers and online with Ozobot Blockly visual programming or Python. You’ll explore how Ozobots can be used to teach coding concepts like sequencing, loops, and conditionals, and how to integrate them into your curriculum.

Emily Flach
Emily Flach
Regional Educational Technology Coordinator | Southern Region, Learning Technology Center
Nathan Hack
Nathan Hack
Account Executive, Ozobot

Bring 3D Printing Into Your Classrooms!

Jan 24, 2025
40

Innovative problem solvers are using 3D printing in every industry, from medicine to construction to space exploration. Teach your students to design for the future by adding 3D printing to your curriculum!

Ben Sondgeroth
Ben Sondgeroth
Lead Regional Educational Technology Coordinator | Northern Illinois, Learning Technology Center

Tinkercad & Other Tech Tools to Engage Students with STEM Concepts

Jan 30, 2025
Free

Teachers (4th-12th grade) will learn how to incorporate Tinkercad into the math or computer classroom. They will design their very own object with TinkerCad, which will be printed using a 3D printer. Teachers will also discover other tech tools that enhance the teaching, learning, and application of STEM topics. Classroom teachers and technology teachers can attend this workshop together or individually.

Lisa Schwartz
Lisa Schwartz
Regional Educational Technology Coordinator | West Central Region, Learning Technology Center
Kelly Remijan
Kelly Remijan
Director of STEM Initiatives, ROE 40

CS & STEM Networking Meeting

Feb 11, 2025
Free

Calling all K-12 computer science and STEM educators! Join your peers from across the state each month for an informative, engagement-rich networking meeting centered on topics that matter most to you.

Sarah Phelps
Sarah Phelps
Program Manager, Computer Science and STEM, Learning Technology Center

AA 4054: Designing a Comprehensive [CS] Program for School Leaders

Feb 13, 2025
225

Participants will know/be able to…

Examine key concept areas of computer science as a content area, using technical terminology when appropriate
Investigate the differences between computer science and computer literacy
Determine the relevance a computer science education has to long-term student success
Evaluate their resource availability and compare it to the version they have for their computer science program
Create their computer science implementation plan

Sarah Phelps
Sarah Phelps
Program Manager, Computer Science and STEM, Learning Technology Center

The Makerspace Starter Kit

Feb 21, 2025
40

This workshop will provide you a structured protocol for planning, designing, and fully stocking your makerspace to best meet the needs of YOUR students at YOUR school. Rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, we’ll share the questions you need to be asking and the research you’ll want to complete in order to tailor the space to your needs.

Emily Flach
Emily Flach
Regional Educational Technology Coordinator | Southern Region, Learning Technology Center
Sarah Phelps
Sarah Phelps
Program Manager, Computer Science and STEM, Learning Technology Center

Bring 3D Printing into your Classrooms

Feb 21, 2025
40

Whether you’re brand new to 3D printing or you have one that’s not being used to its full potential, this workshop will give you the foundation you need. We’ll begin at square one of the 3D printing process and go from ideation to finished print, covering everything in between. You’ll then learn how 3D printers work, how to create and prepare models for printing, how to operate your printer and optimize its settings, and how to troubleshoot your printer when issues arise.

Ben Sondgeroth
Ben Sondgeroth
Lead Regional Educational Technology Coordinator | Northern Illinois, Learning Technology Center

Coding with Ozobots: A Hands-On Workshop for Educators

Feb 27, 2025
20

Ozobot’s Evo robots are tiny programmable robots that are a fun and interactive way to introduce coding to students of all ages. In this hands-on workshop, educators will learn the basics of Ozobots, including how they work and how to program them.

Emily Flach
Emily Flach
Regional Educational Technology Coordinator | Southern Region, Learning Technology Center

CS & STEM Networking Meeting

Mar 13, 2025
Free

Calling all K-12 computer science and STEM educators! Join your peers from across the state each month for an informative, engagement-rich networking meeting centered on topics that matter most to you.

Sarah Phelps
Sarah Phelps
Program Manager, Computer Science and STEM, Learning Technology Center

CS & STEM Networking Meeting

Apr 28, 2025
Free

Calling all K-12 computer science and STEM educators! Join your peers from across the state each month for an informative, engagement-rich networking meeting centered on topics that matter most to you.

Sarah Phelps
Sarah Phelps
Program Manager, Computer Science and STEM, Learning Technology Center

Take Coding to the Sky with Drones!

May 1, 2025
260

Come discover what it takes to bring drones into the classroom as a part of this hands-on workshop. Participants will have the chance to ask questions, code their own drone, and learn about essential drone terminology, safety issues, legal concerns, operational requirements, and drone model options. Participants will also walk away with a Robolink Codrone of their own to make implementing their newfound drone knowledge even easier.

Ben Sondgeroth
Ben Sondgeroth
Lead Regional Educational Technology Coordinator | Northern Illinois, Learning Technology Center

Roll into the Future: Sphero Bolt+ and the Power of Play

May 29, 2025
20

Get ready to roll into the future of education with Sphero Bolt+! This workshop invites you to unlock the power of play and explore the endless possibilities of this cutting-edge robotic ball.

Emily Flach
Emily Flach
Regional Educational Technology Coordinator | Southern Region, Learning Technology Center
Computer Science (CS)

CS PD Week 2025

Jun 23, 2025
400 – 1200

Join fellow K-12 CS educators for a 5-day learning experience centered on building prosperous computer science programs in every Illinois school district.

Sarah Phelps
Sarah Phelps
Program Manager, Computer Science and STEM, Learning Technology Center
Computer Science (CS) STEM

If AI Can Code, Why Should Students Learn Computer Science?

CS is so much more than syntax or writing loops. Here are six reasons to keep CS in the educational conversation right now + how CS prepares students for an AI-powered workforce.

Computer Science (CS) STEM

2024 State of CS Education in Illinois

This past year, Illinois has taken significant steps toward expanding K-12 student access to engaging CS education – statewide standards, funding, and professional learning opportunities.

3D printing STEM

LTC Announces Inaugural Illinois State Fair Butter Cow 3D Printing Contest Winner

The Learning Technology Center is proud to announce the winner of its first 3D printing contest. Learn about the winning student and how you can grab the miniature butter cow he designed as a souvenir at the 2024 Illinois State Fair.

Computer Science Professional Learning

Code.org Regional Partnership

Through our Code.org partnership, Illinois educators can obtain high-quality CS professional development and curricular resources – often for little-to-no cost. You can also develop the expertise needed make CS learning accessible at any grade level using their ever-growing library of projects and teaching tools.

More than two million teachers have brought CS learning to their classroom through Code.org. Learn more about how Code.org can help you and your district grow CS teaching capacity starting today.