Jen Classen

Background

About Jen Classen

I am an educational researcher, teacher, and instructional designer with a passion for improving learning environments using student-centered approaches. Currently, I am a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Building a Culture of Resilience (BACOR) Lab in the School of Social Work at Dalhousie University. I study school and community crisis resilience and leadership across various spaces. Previously, I was also an instructional designer for the local public media station, WPSU, where I collaborated on designing student-centered educational materials across a variety of subject areas including media literacy, STEM education, and learning games. I was an instructor at Penn State university where I teach on learning, design, and technology. I was also a high school math and computer science teacher and district-wide instructional technology leader in Washington state. As a teacher in a high-diversity district, I developed an introductory computer science class that focused on game design for English-learner students. Building on this at the district level, I supported integrating equity-centered initiatives from teacher leadership to curriculum adoptions and technology evaluations while also providing one-on-one and small group coaching and professional development. My goal is to support continuous improvement of educational environments through purposefully combining research, teaching, and partnerships. Every student deserves an environment where they can thrive.