Learning Technology Center

10/15/2026

MagicSchool is packed with AI tools for educators. But which ones are worth your time? ⏱️

Join the next Tech Trek to explore five popular MagicSchool tools and choose one tool that’s immediately relevant to your classroom.

🥾 PLUS dedicated demonstrations and time to experiment with each feature on your own pace

📆 October 20 | 3:30 PM

🔗 https://www.ltcillinois.org/event/tech-treks-top-teacher-tools-in-magicschool/

10/14/2026

COMING UP later this month ⤵

Supercharge your classroom with streamlined differentiation and screen-free CS activities – all featured during October’s FREE webinars! ⚡ 🙌

Tune in live to learn with hosts Patricia Ferris (LTC) and Nate Herkert (Porta CUSD 202) as they demonstrate how to:

⏩ Use Google Gemini to adjust instructional materials in minutes
⏩ Design targeted scaffolds tailored to your grade level and subject area
⏩ Demo hands-on, offline activities and games that mirror real coding logic

📅 Supercharge Your Classroom! Differentiate & Scaffold with Gemini | October 22
📅 Think Like a Coder, Without the Computers | October 27

🔗 REGISTER | https://www.ltcillinois.org/services/webinars/

10/14/2026

10/14/2026

Artificial intelligence can’t replace teachers, but it is changing how students learn.

In the latest episode of Can’t Shelve This, Janette and Leah are joined by Emily Flach (Learning Technology Center) to discuss AI’s growing presence in schools, from literacy and student privacy to research and critical thinking.

Together, they explore how we can keep learning human-centered in an increasingly AI-powered world.

🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

10/13/2026

Eager to be here at ? That makes two of us! 🙌 🙌

IETC is your opportunity to reach new heights, discover new perspectives, and come back down the mountain with practical strategies for achieving tech-powered excellence.

Still need a little nudge? Convince your principal or supervisor to send you on the journey with this letter highlighting IETC’s school-wide impact 📨

🔴 REGISTER NOW | Closes October 30 (three weeks away)

🔗 https://www.ltcillinois.org/ietc/make-your-case/

10/06/2026

🙌 Happy Instructional Coaches Appreciation Day! 📚

Today and every day, instructional coaches throughout Illinois school districts are doing what they do best: helping teachers find their voice, refine their craft, and reignite their vision for classroom success.

💙 To all of Illinois’ coaches – thank you. Whether you’re modeling new skills, analyzing data, or working one-on-one with a teacher, your dedication to supporting your colleagues is both cherished and essential.

10/06/2026

Ready to elevate your coaching practice? Get a leg up from your peers at an upcoming Edtech Coaches networking meeting! ↗️

Led by the LTC’s nationally-recognized edtech coaches team, each meeting is a chance to:

🎉 Share insights and successes
🤔 Troubleshoot challenges
👭 Collaborate on best practices for integrating instructional technology

📆 Upcoming meetings (online): October 7, November 4, December 2

🔗 https://www.ltcillinois.org/network/edtech-coaches-network/

10/05/2026

PROPOSAL DEADLINE 🕘 💬 Now’s the time to be *prompt*. Hi AI! Session proposal submissions close in ONE WEEK, on October 12.

You’ve worked alongside AI as it has transformed teach, learn, and lead. Now, share your real-world experiences in conversation-sparking session on:

⏺️ AI fundamentals
⏺️ AI-powered tools and resources
⏺️ Developing AI use policies
⏺️ AI in CS & STEM
⏺️ Developing AI literacy
⏺️ Differentiating learning
⏺️ Automating admin tasks

🔴 LAST CHANCE to earn FREE attendance as a lead presenter

🔗 https://www.ltcillinois.org/hiai/rfp/

10/01/2026

Supercharge your classroom with streamlined differentiation and screen-free CS activities – all featured during October’s FREE webinars! ⚡ 🙌

Tune in live to learn with hosts Patricia Ferris (LTC) and Nate Herkert (Porta CUSD 202) as they demonstrate how to:

⏩ Use Google Gemini to adjust instructional materials in minutes
⏩ Design targeted scaffolds tailored to your grade level and subject area
⏩ Demo hands-on, offline activities and games that mirror real coding logic

📅 Supercharge Your Classroom! Differentiate & Scaffold with Gemini | October 22
📅 Think Like a Coder, Without the Computers | October 27

🔗 REGISTER | https://www.ltcillinois.org/services/webinars/

09/30/2026

Free curriculum rarely changes a classroom on its own. Teachers need time to try it the way their students will.

This spring we teamed up with Dot Foods Charitable and Youth Engineering Solutions (YES) at the Museum of Science to do exactly that for teachers in West Central Illinois. Dot Foods Charitable funded the work, YES led the hands-on engineering workshops, and LTC connected with districts across the region.

A big thank-you to our own Lisa Schwartz, who recruited the teachers and helped choose YES as the partner. As Lisa put it: "You can't just say 'Here's free curriculum.' They've got to be immersed in it."

The results:

50 teachers from more than 30 Illinois districts
Up to $3,000 per school for classroom engineering kits
More than 1,500 students learning with these units this year

We're proud to be part of it! Read the full story from YES:
https://yesblog.mos.org/working-together-to-invest-in-teachers-a-model-for-expanding-hands-on-stem-learning

See how Dot Foods, the Learning Technology Center, and YES partnered to support 50 Illinois teachers, bringing hands-on STEM learning to 1,500+ students.