Krause gift to create Pedagogy Innovation Lab

By Annemarie Mountz

For more than a decade, Gay and Bill Krause have played a crucial role in enhancing the College of Education’s impact on students, faculty and, in turn, learners at every level who ultimately benefit from their work. With their most recent gift of $1.2 million to create the Pedagogy Innovation Lab (PIL) and establish a program support endowment, they will extend the capabilities of the Krause Studios for Innovation into the area of hands-on creative activity and embodied learning.

“The Krause Studios and Pedagogy Innovation Lab will allow the College of Education to introduce our next generation of teachers to new and emerging technologies and approaches to teaching and engaging their students,” said Gay Krause. “Educated students are critical to an educated democratic society, increasing the potential for peace around the world.”

The Krause Studios for Innovation have become a vital hub for teaching and learning in the college — a place for collaboration and shared experiences among students and faculty, for new ideas and experimentation in pedagogical practices and for new uses of technology.

“This new gift will enable us to renovate a 1,400-square-foot space adjacent to the existing Krause Studios, creating a vibrant and versatile classroom that supports the discovery of new pedagogies through making and other creative activities, and provides funding to sustain the PIL during its critical first years,” said Kim Lawless, dean of the Penn State College of Education. “We are deeply grateful for the generosity and vision that have informed Gay and Bill’s philanthropy and for the trust they have placed in us to fulfill their aspirations for the field of education.”

The PIL will lay the groundwork for new research on the integration of makerspaces into K–12 and higher education, new opportunities for partnerships between the Penn State College of Education and like-minded organizations, and new handson experiences that will shape the ways in which students imagine the pedagogical possibilities of makerspaces — and how they ultimately realize those possibilities with their own students.

“Helping teachers leverage technology can prepare students for the digital world they will face in their future careers, and incorporating technology in the classroom can ignite a passion for learning and encourage students to explore new subjects,” Gay Krause said. “Technology can break down barriers and enable students of all abilities to access education on an equal footing.”

She said technology provides instant feedback to students, allowing them to track their progress and improve their performance in real-time, and can streamline administrative tasks, giving teachers more time to focus on creating engaging lessons and interacting with their students.

“By leveraging technology to engage students, we can break down traditional stereotypes about education and demonstrate that learning can be exciting,” she said.

The space will include the kinds of equipment common to makerspaces, such as 3D printers, a laser cutter and woodworking equipment that will allow students to design and build real objects, taking an idea from concept to physical reality all in one space. A one-button podcast studio will provide students with the means to create within the audio and video realm. The PIL will also include several elements to facilitate classroom teaching, presentations and collaboration, such as a whiteboard/glassboard, wallmounted touch-screen monitors, and a retractable stage for spokenword and other performance-based presentations.

“What sets the PIL apart from a typical makerspace is its pedagogically oriented design,” Lawless said. “That is, we have designed it as a space that has the affordances of a makerspace, but that can be used and arranged flexibly to explore pedagogical practices of making and creative activity within a classroom setting. The room will flex to meet the needs of teaching and learning in the moment, transcending the traditional notions of the space and place of technology.”

Drawing on her years of experience as a teacher and principal, Gay Krause established the Krause Center for Innovation at Foothill College in Los Altos Hills, California, in 2000. Under her direction, the center has offered professional training to more than 23,000 educators in the effective use of classroom technology and more engaging, high-quality instruction in science, technology, education, arts and math (STEAM) and related subjects.

Bill Krause has been a Silicon Valley executive since the early 1970s. As president and CEO of 3Com, he guided the data networking company from a venture capital-funded start-up to a publicly traded, multinational enterprise with assets in excess of $1 billion when he retired. He now is president of the private investment firm LWK Ventures.

Gay Krause named Distinguished Alumna

By Annemarie Mountz

Gay Krause, executive director of the Krause Center for Innovation (KCI), is one of eight Penn State graduates selected by the Penn State Board of Trustees to receive the Distinguished Alumni Award this year. The award is the University’s highest honor presented to its alumni, and it salutes the achievements of outstanding alumni whose “personal lives, professional achievements and community service exemplify the objectives of their alma mater.”

“It is truly an honor, especially since there are so many University graduates from whom to have been selected,” Krause said. “I am earnestly grateful to be receiving such an important award.”

Krause earned her bachelor of science in elementary and special education from the College of Education and her master’s degree in counseling psychology from the University of Virginia. She holds credentials in administration from the University of San Francisco and San Jose State University.

“Throughout her career, Gay Krause has dedicated herself to ensuring that educators have access to, and training in, cutting-edge technology to help them succeed in their schools. We are fortunate to have been able to partner with her and her husband, Bill, in pushing the boundaries of what is possible in educating students,” said Kim Lawless, dean of the Penn State College of Education.

Through her vision of innovating education, Krause empowers teachers to deepen learning and to engage and inspire students by leveraging technology.

“As a former teacher, she is aware of the array of challenges that teachers face in the classroom, and she understands that today’s teachers are shaping the minds of youth in positive directions — many of whom may go on to become our nation’s next generation of exceptional educators,” Lawless said.

In addition to other initiatives, the KCI partnered with the California Community Colleges Maker Initiative to create a makerspace designed and equipped to amplify KCI’s creative approach to professional learning.

Krause also was honored in 2013 as a Penn State Alumni Fellow for her outstanding professional accomplishments.

Eric Ian Farmer

Education: Ph.D. in educational leadership (2016).

Current position: I work as a State College-based singer/songwriter as well as a music instructor focusing primarily on songwriting and live performance at Eagle Rock School & Professional Development Center in Estes Park, Colorado, a small independent school for students from across the U.S. who might not otherwise graduate from high school.

Although I did not study music, it has always been with me (church youth choir, high school musicals, a capella groups). In general, the doctorate has helped me to have the confidence to pursue what is in my heart. Specifically, one aspect of the methodology I used for my dissertation is that the researcher, while interviewing someone, is to listen not only to a story but also for a story.

Now, my goal with students in a songwriting context is for them to not just listen to a story from, for example, their own past, from the news, or from history, but also to listen for a story – one that might shine a light on where there’s hope but also where there is a need for hope – and then craft that story into a song that an audience might receive without resistance and want to hear again and again.

Advice to current students: Even though my journey since graduation falls outside the beaten path of graduation, I am grateful to still be supported by my College of Education relationships. My humble advice: (1) Building relationships with faculty, staff and students is worth the time. (2) Your path during school and/or post-graduation might evolve differently than you anticipated. Learn what you can from those changes. (3) You might know, upon arrival, which professor(s) you want to lead you through the dissertation process. However, the professor(s) you work best with might be different from the one(s) you initially wanted to work with. Give yourself ample time to sort that out. (4) If circumstances allow, stay in the State College area throughout the program because I think that helps to increase your chances of graduation.

Nancy Palladino Houle

Education: M.S. in vocational technical education (2005) and Ph.D. in workforce education and development (2007).

Current position: I am the executive director of the Minuteman Technical Institute, an adult education workforce training program focusing on career technical education (CTE) and upskilling for unemployed/underemployed students 18 and older.

Two years after earning my undergraduate degree, I accepted a position as the state director of Rhode Island VICA (now SkillsUSA). I fell in love with career and technical education during my first CTE school tour. I had finally found my place.

I spent four years in that position, then applied to Penn State’s Vocational Technical Education Department, where I served as a graduate assistant. The experiences afforded me during my time with the department formed the foundation for my work in workforce development.

Upon graduation from Penn State, I accepted a position with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. I made a few other stops along the way before coming to my current position.

I do not have a “traditional” CTE background. My degrees allowed me to create a pathway into CTE. There also is a tremendous sense of pride that my degrees give me: pride in the Penn State experience, pride in having learned from professors who were connected to and invested in their student’s success, pride in belonging to a great group of WFED alumni.

Advice to current students: (1) You are in one of the best fields of education there is. Stay connected to CTE students … you need their energy. (2) Network wherever you go, and stay in touch with your adviser and cohort group. (3) Don’t be afraid to write a grant or two. You never know what they will bring to your school or program. (4) If you’re writing your thesis, stay with it. Invest in some nice, absorbent towels, though ... they work better than tissues.

Dear College of Education alumni,

In my work, I regularly see teachers, counselors and others in the field of education not considering themselves educational leaders unless they are in a manager or principal type role; however, this can’t be further from the truth. The Penn State College of Education has been producing some of the strongest educational leaders for years.

Classroom teachers, equity advocates, professors, principals and counselors have never had more pressure on their shoulders to help advocate for change to support the needs of our changing world. I have seen incredible leadership in our students, alumni, volunteers, and even those friends indirectly connected to our college. It’s truly amazing to see the power behind our college on and off campus, near and far from University Park.

As we continue pushing through 2023, I hope the new year ushers you in with an entirely fresh mindset. The opportunity to reflect on the success of our college and industry continually provides me with a fresh breath.

Even when pressured by challenges of COVID-19, our college can celebrate so many accomplishments in the past three years, including increasing enrollment in teacher preparation programs; providing professional development and continuing education to the education workforce across the commonwealth; and developing exciting new programs that address critical needs of the workforce in the state, to name a few.

Similarly, the Alumni Society Board continues to support our alumni and college by pushing for more equitable representation on our board and ensuring future years will be the same. This year we implemented our updated elections process that encourages participation from our entire alumni base. We will be expanding our support offerings for our alumni and students, and hope to continue innovating our practices to better serve current and future graduates.

Our board has big plans in 2023 and we will continue pushing forward to change education by educating for change. I encourage you to do the same, no matter your role. Push boundaries, educate for change, and continue being the leaders that live within us all.

It has been a true honor and pleasure to serve on this board in support of our alma mater, and I’m looking forward to supporting you as president in 2023-2024.

I urge you to reach out and contact Stefanie Tomlinson, assistant director of Alumni Relations, at skt2@psu.edu, if you want to continue your leadership journey with the Penn State College of Education.

For the glory,

Jonathan Klingeman ’08 jtk187@gmail.com

Nominate outstanding alumni for excellence awards

College of Education alumni are honored with awards from the college’s Alumni Society as well as from the Penn State Alumni Association. The College of Education Alumni Society supports awards in several categories:

• Alumni Excellence. This is the highest honor bestowed upon alumni of the College of Education, recognizing careerlong, sustained excellence of contribution and achievement in the nominee’s profession.

• Outstanding Teaching. This award recognizes an exemplary individual in a full-time teaching capacity in the education profession.

• Leadership and Service. This award recognizes those alumni who have distinguished themselves in their chosen profession, in or out of the field of education.

• Outstanding New Graduate. This award recognizes recent graduates who have distinguished themselves in their new careers.

• Service to Penn State. This award recognizes those alumni and friends who have made significant contributions of time and talent to the college and/or the University.

• J.E.D.I. (Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion). This award recognizes alumni who showcase exemplary insight and fortitude in workplace and/or community diversity.

Nominations are accepted throughout the year, with recipients chosen each spring.

For information, and to submit a nomination, visit https://ed.psu. edu/alumni-giving/alumni-societyawards online.