Jana Willis

Dr. Jana Willis serves as Department Chair and Professor of Literacy, Library Science, and Learning Technologies in the College of Education at the University of Houston-Clear Lake, where she leads academic initiatives while maintaining an active research agenda focused on technology integration across educational contexts. Her leadership in student advising has earned multiple institutional and state-level recognitions.

Her research expertise spans Educational Technology, Instructional Design, and Literacy Education, with specialized investigations into serious games for PK-12 instruction, developmentally appropriate technology applications, and environmental education frameworks. She examines how technological tools enhance learner-centered pedagogy while addressing diverse student needs including gifted and talented populations.

Analysis of her publication history (2003-2015) reveals consistent exploration of teacher efficacy development through technology integration, particularly in early childhood and environmental education settings. Her work demonstrates practical applications of Web 2.0 tools and serious games to bridge theoretical concepts with classroom implementation across multiple educational domains.

Dr. Willis has received significant recognition for her contributions:

• 2015 Texas State Teacher Association – Advisor of the Year
• 2014 Texas State Teacher Association – Advisor of the Year
• 2013 Student Government Association – Advisor of the Year
• 2013 UHCL Million Dollar Club

Her advising philosophy emphasizes vicarious learning experiences that build teacher confidence in technology implementation, particularly within environmental education contexts. This approach has demonstrably increased preservice teachers' self-efficacy while addressing practical classroom challenges through deliberate course design models.