Professional Learning

Custom PD for Districts and Schools

The State Leader in EdTech Professional Learning

A significant part of the LTC’s mission is to provide forward-thinking, impactful, technology-related professional learning to all Illinois school districts, schools, educators, and school personnel. Our regional services teams and subject matter experts provided 750+ professional learning events to 24,000 participants during the 2020-21 school year. All of our professional learning events are customizable to meet the unique needs of the target audience, and we frequently work with whole counties, district, school, and school-level teams.

We are committed to providing the highest quality professional learning experiences possible. We utilize knowledgeable presenters and facilitators with extensive and diverse EdTech expertise. Presenters range from our own highly-trained and experienced LTC staff members to local and national practicing educators and experts. And since the LTC is an Illinois State Board of Education program, our professional learning programs are free or low cost to Illinois school districts.

Common Types of Professional Learning Experiences:

  • In-Person and Virtual Workshop
  • In-Person and Virtual Networking Events
  • Sessions at State Conferences
  • Summits and Conferences
  • Online Courses and Microcredentials
  • Webinars
  • Year-Long Professional Learning Series and Capacity Building Programs
  • Informational Presentations (Board Meetings, Parent Nights, etc.)
  • Customized Professional Learning Experiences

Interested in Scheduling PD?

Contact our Regional EdTech Coordinators to schedule onsite or regional professional learning opportunities.

Ben Sondgeroth

Lead Regional Educational Technology Coordinator | Northern Illinois

Holly Kelly

Regional Educational Technology Coordinator | East Central Illinois

Lisa Schwartz

Regional Educational Technology Coordinator | West Central Region

Eric Santos

Regional Educational Technology Coordinator | Chicagoland

Joe Cipfl

Regional Educational Technology Coordinator | Southern Region

Recent Additions to PD Catalog

To help you plan, we also have a list of previous events in our PD Catalog.

AA #3777 Resilient Pedagogy for Remote Learning: Designing Instructional Programs to Withstand Disruption

Resilient pedagogy combines course design principles with teaching strategies to withstand sudden changes to learning environments whether due to snow days, emergencies, or global pandemics. While remote instruction may not be the desired choice for teaching and learning, it can be implemented successfully to reach all learners including those who do not thrive in traditional settings. When programs are designed for remote learning, educators can use in-person instruction to reinforce strategies or checks for understanding. Keeping these design principles in mind, educators can create an academic program that can withstand the absence of a brick and mortar classroom.

Duration: 3 Hours Direct Contact/3 Hours In-Direct Contact

AA #3778 Student Data Privacy for School Leaders

This academy will prepare participants to develop a plan of action to be leaders in data privacy at their districts. Participants will develop an understanding of current state and federal student data privacy legislation, how to assess current data privacy policies and practices, examine relationships with third-party technology providers, support and empower district employees, and communicate with stakeholders how student data privacy is being protected. Throughout the sessions, participants will review best practices in student data privacy from state and national organizations supporting student data privacy. Participants can feel confident drafting policies and procedures for their districts after reviewing sample and exemplar policy and procedure examples provided throughout the session. Upon completing the academy, participants will have an action plan to help guide their work to improve student data privacy in their districts.

Duration: 6 hours Direct Contact (Can be modified for virtual delivery)

AA #3779 Digital Citizenship in Action: Empowering Learners to Nav. the Intersection of Tech. and Humanity

In this course, leaders will learn about the history and current state of digital citizenship education. Leaders will then critically evaluate the explicit, implicit, and null curriculum around digital citizenship in their schools. Throughout the course, participants will dive deep into each of the six competencies of a digital citizen by growing in their own competency knowledge, examining resources to bring into their schools, and considering how each competency can be further supported. Leaders will finish the course by developing an action plan to improve digital citizenship education that addresses immediate, short-term, and long-term goals.

Duration: 6 hours Direct Contact (Can be modified for virtual delivery)

AA #1788 Connected Leaders: Leveraging the Power of Social Networks for Professional Growth

By leveraging social media, educational leaders can connect with experts across their communities and the world to expand their perspectives, build relationships, and create opportunities for student learning. Face-to-face networks provide leaders with opportunities to engage local peers in deeper conversations about the educational landscape. Understanding the social media landscape will also equip leaders to help professional staff as they integrate these powerful tools in their instruction. This course will provide the knowledge and skills required to become connected leaders by focusing on multiple social media platforms (Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, etc.) and productive face-to-face networking opportunities (EdCamps, PLNs, etc.) to help them leverage the power of social networks for professional learning and community engagement.

Duration: 6.5 hours

AA #1841 Growing a Culture for Effective Technology Coaching: The Principal-Coach Partnership

Technology coaches help ensure high-quality, ongoing, job-embedded professional learning for educators, and a strong partnership between technology coaches and principals is critical to ensuring coaching success. The principal-coach partnership depends on a common, forward-thinking vision for technology and instruction; a culture of collaboration, innovation, capacity building, and empowerment; clear definitions, roles, and responsibilities; shared ownership and accountability for professional growth; and meaningful planning, policies, and implementation. This six-week online session will explore these topics and provide specific strategies to create and/or strengthen the technology coach/principal partnership, and ultimately, the coaching program. Three times during the course, participants will meet in a 60-minute synchronous video conference. Weekly, they will complete required reading(s); and post and respond to a weekly “slow chat Tweet” based on a guiding question. The course is designed to be a joint learning experience between the principal and technology coach(es), but it can be taken by the administrator or coach alone.

Duration: 6 hours

AA #3014 Leading Future Ready Schools

Future Ready administrators are the foundation of a successful Future Ready Schools and are critical to sustainable growth in student outcomes. For personalized learning to thrive, administrators must create a culture of innovation that brings together students, teachers, other administrators, parents, and the community to share a vision for an improved learning experience. The Future Ready Framework is a research-based planning tool for digital learning, visioning, planning, and implementation focused on personalized student learning.

Duration: 6 hours

AA #1921 Personalized and Digital Learning: Systems for Transformation

Personalized and Digital Learning: Systems for Transformation will prepare district leaders to plan and implement personalized learning in their schools. Participants will be guided through a planning process to produce a road map for transforming schools. Key questions that will be addressed include: What supports do teachers need to transition to personalized learning? What systems need to be in place for a successful personalized learning transition? How do I plan for sustainability of personalized learning initiatives? These questions and more will be explored through online resources, on and offline activities, online and face-to-face discussions, group activities, presentations, multimedia explorations, and hands-on experience with technology tools used in personalizing learning. Throughout the day, participants will be working on a Personalized and Digital Learning Road Map which will serve as a final product and help participants plan and implement the transition to personalized learning in their schools.

Duration: 7 hours

AA #3835 Frameworks for Successful Technology Integration in Schools

Districts that have success with technology integration have done so through planning and alignment to district goals. To ensure consistency and equity throughout classrooms it is important to implement a technology framework that aligns with district goals and allows teachers to integrate technology at the stage they are most comfortable at. This academy introduces participants to several research-based frameworks that are used with technology integration: SAMR, TPACK, Triple E Framework, and the Four Shifts. Participants will examine and assess each framework to determine which aligns with their district’s vision and mission. Participants will be asked to confer with stakeholders to determine if a technology framework is needed and if so create a timeline for implementation which includes how staff will be trained in the framework adopted by the district. Participants should obtain access to their district School Improvement Plan prior to beginning the online academy.

Duration: 6 hours

Cybersecurity for Administrators (on EdLeaders Network)

This course is designed to help administrators understand common cybersecurity threats and appropriate responses. This course will also provide foundational best practices to secure student data. Through this course, you will develop a collection of cybersecurity resources and policies for your school or district. This course was created in partnership by Ed Leaders Network, Illinois Department of Innovation & Technology, Illinois Principals Association, and the Learning Technology Center.

Duration: 3.0 PD Credits (On Demand)

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

    Ben leads the LTC’s RETC team and facilitates ongoing professional learning events for teachers, administrators, and technology staff in northern Illinois.

    Joe Cipfl
    Joe Cipfl
    Regional Educational Technology Coordinator | Southern Region, Learning Technology Center

    Joe develops and leads professional learning programs, trainings, and resources related to curricular integration, digital access, and technology infrastructure in southern Illinois.

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

    Lisa develops and leads professional learning programs, trainings, and resources related to curricular integration, digital access, and technology infrastructure in western Illinois.

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

    Eric develops and leads professional learning programs, trainings, and resources related to curricular integration, digital access, and technology infrastructure in the Chicagoland region.

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

    Holly develops and leads professional learning programs, trainings, and resources related to curricular integration, digital access, and technology infrastructure in central Illinois.