MCCTC Advisory Groups

Empowering Educators, Enhancing Learning, Shaping the Future

Our Vision: To foster a dynamic and innovative learning environment where technology is a catalyst for impactful education, streamlined operations, and the continuous growth of our students and staff. This hub is designed to be a resource for discovering, utilizing, and exploring the power of technology in education.

This voluntary group meets regularly to:

• Explore emerging technologies impacting education and workforce development

• Share best practices and innovative classroom strategies

• Provide input on technology purchases and infrastructure improvements

• Facilitate professional development and training opportunities

• Promote digital equity and responsible technology use

The group includes representatives from both high school and adult education programs, ensuring diverse perspectives and shared goals.

All Teachers and Staff are invited to join us. To stay up to date, email John Zehentbauer for details of the next upcoming meeting. john.zehentbauer@mahoningct.com

Current Member Directory

Resources

Professional Development

Helping educators stay current and confident with technology.

• MCCTC Professional Development Calendar (Coming soon for the 2025/2026 School Year)

• Ohio Department of Education PD Opportunities: Ohio Department of Education – Professional Development (Or search their site for specific technology PD)

• Ohio Educational Technology Conference (OETC): Ohio Educational Technology Conference

• Microsoft Educator Center: Microsoft Learn for Educators

• Google Education Training: Google for Education Training (Look for courses on Google Workspace, Classroom, etc.)

• ISTE Webinars & Virtual Events: ISTE Learning Events (Search for their webinars, virtual conferences, and professional learning courses)

• Cisco Networking Academy: Cisco Networking Academy for Educators (Offers courses in AI, Cybersecurity, Data Science, and more. Requires program participation.)

• IBM Training and Certifications: IBM Training and Skills (Many free courses available, especially in AI and data science)

• Codecademy: Codecademy for Schools (Offers courses in Computer Science, AI, Web Development, etc. Check for education-specific programs or free resources.)

• Common Sense Education: Common Sense Education: For Educators (Excellent for digital citizenship, but also offers webinars and self-paced courses.)

Classroom Technology Tools & Software

Technology that supports teaching and learning.

• AI Creation LLM: ChatGPT  |  Claude  |  Gemini  | Brisk

• AI Detection Tools: ZeroGPT  |  GPTZero  |  Brisk  |  Copyleaks  |  Grammarly  |  QuillBot  |  Sapling AI

• Interactive Lesson & Presentation Tools

  • Nearpod: Create interactive lessons with polls, quizzes, and virtual field trips.
  • Pear Deck: Turn Google Slides or PowerPoint presentations into interactive experiences.
  • Mentimeter: Engage audiences with live polls, word clouds, and Q&A sessions.
  • Kahoot!: Gamified quizzes and learning games for fun assessment and engagement.
  • Quizizz: Similar to Kahoot!, offering interactive quizzes and lessons with student-paced options.

• Collaboration & Communication Platforms:

  • Google Workspace for Education (formerly G Suite): Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Classroom, Meet, Drive for seamless collaboration.
  • Microsoft 365 Education: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, OneDrive for integrated productivity and collaboration.
  • Zoom: Video conferencing for virtual lessons, meetings, and parent-teacher conferences.
  • Padlet: Digital bulletin board for collaborative brainstorming, sharing ideas, and organizing resources.
  • Jamboard (Google): Interactive digital whiteboard for collaborative drawing, note-taking, and brainstorming.
• Learning Management Systems (LMS)
  • Canvas: Popular LMS for course management, assignments, and communication.
  • Google Classroom: Widely used for K-12, integrates well with Google Workspace.
  • Schoology: Another common LMS for managing courses and student learning.
• Digital Whiteboarding & Annotation:
  • Whiteboard.chat: Feature-rich online whiteboard for real-time collaboration.
  • OpenBoard: Free and open-source interactive whiteboard software for presentations and lessons.
  • Kami: PDF and document annotation tool, great for digital worksheets and assignments.

• Assessment & Feedback Tools:

  • Google Forms / Microsoft Forms: Create quizzes, surveys, and assessments.
  • Edpuzzle: Turn videos into interactive lessons with embedded questions.
  • Formative: Create interactive assignments, assessments, and get real-time feedback.

• Creative & Multimedia Tools:

  • Canva for Education: Easy-to-use graphic design platform for presentations, infographics, and more.
  • Flip (FKA – Flipgrid): Video discussion platform for student voice and engagement.
  • WeVideo: Cloud-based video editor for creating student projects and instructional videos.
  • Powtoon: Create animated videos and presentations.
• AI Note Taking Meeting Assistants
  • Fireflies.ai
  • Otter AI
  • Plaud AI
  • SlipBox AI (privacy – Notes Kept Locally)

Digital Citizenship & Online Safety

Supporting safe, responsible, and ethical technology use.

• Cyberbullying Prevention Resources & Reporting Procedures:

  • StopBullying.gov: https://www.stopbullying.gov/
  • Cyberbullying Research Center: https://cyberbullying.org/
  • STOMP Out Bullying®: https://www.stompoutbullying.org/
  • NetSmartz (National Center for Missing & Exploited Children): https://www.netsmartz.org/

• Data Privacy and Cybersecurity Best Practices:

  • Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) Overview: https://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html
  • Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) Guidance: https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/privacy-security/childrens-privacy

• Resources for Teaching Students About Online Safety and Privacy:

  • Common Sense Education: https://www.commonsense.org/education/
  • Google’s “Be Internet Awesome”: https://beinternetawesome.withgoogle.com/
  • FBI Safe Online Surfing (SOS): https://sos.fbi.gov/
  • SchoolSafety.gov – Online Safety Resources: https://www.schoolsafety.gov/resources/online-safety

Emerging Technologies & Trends

Keeping an eye on what’s next.

• 5 Questions To Ask Before Adopting an AI Tool
  • A crucial checklist for any educator considering new AI tools, helping you evaluate their potential benefits, challenges, and responsible integration.
• Artificial Intelligence in Education
  • Provides professional learning resources and practical guidance on artificial intelligence for educators.
• How Augmented Reality Glasses Could Support Learning

  • Discover how AR can enhance engagement, improve retention, and personalize learning by overlaying digital content onto the real world.\

• Top Trends Shaping the Future of Education
• • Get a concise overview of key educational technology trends like AI literacy, personalized learning, and hybrid models that are shaping the future of teaching.

• EdSurge Podcast
• • A weekly podcast about the future of learning, featuring frank and in-depth conversations with educators, innovators, and scholars on the latest edtech trends.

Tech News