LTC Blog

News, ideas, and insights on all of the most talked-about K-12 edtech topics

Esports

Esports in Education: 5 Steps to Start a Club or Team

Ready to press “start” on your school’s esports program? Here are 5 steps you can take toward launching an engaging and stable esports club or team at your school:

Eric Santos
Eric Santos
Regional Educational Technology Coordinator | Chicagoland, Learning Technology Center
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CertificationMicrosoft

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

Lisa Schwartz
Lisa Schwartz
Regional Educational Technology Coordinator | West Central Region, Learning Technology Center
Accessibility

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.

Matt Jacobson
Matt Jacobson
Online Learning Coordinator, Learning Technology Center
Classroom IntegrationCode.orgComputer Science (CS)

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

Brian Bates
Brian Bates
Director of Professional Learning, Learning Technology Center
AccessibilityLegal Issues

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

Matt Jacobson
Matt Jacobson
Online Learning Coordinator, Learning Technology Center
AccessibilitySpecial Education

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

Matt Jacobson
Matt Jacobson
Online Learning Coordinator, Learning Technology Center
CybersecurityData PrivacySOPPA

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

Sam Fishel
Sam Fishel
Digital Content Specialist, Learning Technology Center
Computer LiteracyFamily and CommunityNetworkingProfessional LearningSocial Emotional Learning (SEL)Standards

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

Lisa Schwartz
Lisa Schwartz
Regional Educational Technology Coordinator | West Central Region, Learning Technology Center
AR/VRNetworkingProfessional LearningRobotics

“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,

Tim McIlvain
Tim McIlvain
Executive Director, Learning Technology Center
Digital CitizenshipGoogleGoogle ClassroomYouTube

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

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

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

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

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

Tim McIlvain
Tim McIlvain
Executive Director, Learning Technology Center
Classroom IntegrationGoogle Classroom

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

Emily Pool
Emily Pool
Instructional Technology Coach, Learning Technology Center
Professional Learning

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

Matt Jacobson
Matt Jacobson
Online Learning Coordinator, Learning Technology Center

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

LTC Staff
LTC Staff
Statewide Team, Learning Technology Center
NetworkingProfessional LearningTools

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

LTC Staff
LTC Staff
Statewide Team, Learning Technology Center
GoogleInformation Technology ManagementInstructional StrategiesSOPPASTEMTechnology Infrastructure

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

LTC Staff
LTC Staff
Statewide Team, Learning Technology Center
GoogleGoogle Classroom

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

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

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

Sam Fishel
Sam Fishel
Digital Content Specialist, Learning Technology Center

Prioritizing your Mental Health with Summer Self-Care

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

Holly Kelly
Holly Kelly
Regional Educational Technology Coordinator | East Central Illinois, Learning Technology Center

LTC Receives State Achievement Award from SETDA

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

LTC Staff
LTC Staff
Statewide Team, Learning Technology Center
Professional Learning

NOW OPEN – IETC 2021 Early Bird Registration!

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!

Tim McIlvain
Tim McIlvain
Executive Director, Learning Technology Center