Assistant Professor of Education Jane Johnsen was named 2003 Professor of the Year by members of the Ohio University Lancaster Campus Beta Beta Theta chapter of Phi Theta Kappa. She received a cash award provided by Ohio University Lancaster Campus and Len and Rosemary Hajost, owners of the campus bookstore.
Phi Theta Kappa is an international honor society whose members must maintain a 3.5 grade point average and have earned at least 12 credit hours applicable to an associate degree.
In addition to publishing her research, Johnsen has made presentations on topics ranging from television production and viewing to computers and technology at the Association of Educational Communications and Technology, American Educational Research Association, the National Survey of Student Engagement Authors Symposium and others. She also has taken the lead in a mentoring/partnership role with education majors and the Lancaster City Schools and serves on many campus committees, including the scholarship committee, advising, computers and technology and women in technology and science.
In announcing the award, BBT vice president J'dean Vollmer cited Johnsen's commitment to students' success during her 16 years as an employee at the Lancaster Campus.
"She teaches prospective teachers how to use technology in the classroom, but she is wise enough to see that technology can inhibit student and teacher autonomy," Vollmer said. "Dr. Johnsen has published several articles asking if the dominance of technology can harm a student's critical thinking skills."
Johnsen earned undergraduate degrees in English, theater and secondary English education at Wittenberg University and The Ohio State University, and graduate and doctoral degrees in instructional design, school media and technology, also from OSU. She and her husband, Don Renner, reside near Amanda, Ohio.
