2008 Educational Technology Graduate Award

Congratulations Kathryn A. Klonowski!

Every year, COE faculty select students who have shown outstanding achievement in the area of their study. The outstanding student selected by the Educational Technology faculty and her peers for 2008 is Kathryn A. Klonowski from Cleveland, OH. Congratulations! Your hard work and dedication are an inspiration for all Ed Tech students and faculty.

Kate Klonowski is a language arts and journalism teacher from Cleveland, Ohio.  She received her undergraduate degree in English and Secondary Education from the College of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio, attended several graduate schools for enrichment in journalism and literature, and has since instructed in many different public and private schools in Ohio and North Carolina.  Currently, she teaches reading to incarcerated male youths in a detention facility in Cleveland.

When considering a degree program for her masters, Klonowski hit a wall.  “I had no idea what I wanted to do when I grew up.  I love teaching, I enjoy the dynamics of the classroom, but where to go from here?”  Klonowski had no intention of leaving her career, but something was missing. 

“When I discovered that NAU had an all-online masters program in Educational Technology, I was thrilled.  I had always wanted to pursue an advanced degree, but had no way to fit it in with a family, work and other commitments.”  After figuring out where the “on” switch of her computer was, Klonowski was right at home in an online learning environment.  “I wouldn’t have it any other way,” said Klonowski, “I love online learning, and I have really grown a lot in the program as an educator.  I have been so honored to work alongside some of the most incredible teachers from all over!”

Klonowski hopes to take her role as an educator a step further by working with the technology implementation program at her facility to develop interdisciplinary lessons to raise awareness about environmental issues and counter the increasing violence that her students deal with every day. 

In addition to teaching, Klonowski was recently married and has a pre-school aged daughter who can already email her friends and burn CDs.  Klonowski also has an online knitting business, and sings soprano in the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus.

Visit her capstone project: Online Journeys in Literature.

Outstanding Technology Graduate Awards:

2006 | 2007

Questions? Feel free to contact the Educational Technology Program Coordinator at edtech-coordinator@nau.edu.