The Renaissance Institute Modernizing Teaching and Learning

 
Essential Expertise in Educational Technology

 We support you onsite, or from remote using modern telecommunications and support tools.

 

You deserve to get your advice from objective, neutral experts. Associates of the Institute are practitioners, currently in the trenches, with successful experience in the following areas:
  • Technology Program Oversight: best practices in technology integration

  • Technology Infrastructure: networks, servers, cabling and installation

  • Classroom Technology: projection, sound, interactive technology

  • Instructional Software: student-centered software

  • Data Systems: Information and workflow systems

  • Online Learning and Computer-Based Instruction

  • Purchasing, Procurement

  • Accountibility and Program Review

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    Meet The Associates 
Dr. Andrew W. Berning, Specialty in planning, oversight and evaluation of K12 Technology

Dr. Berning started his career in the United State Air Force and is currently the Chief Information and Technology Officer for Carrollton Farmers Branch Independent School District in Carrollton, Texas.  He holds a Ph.D. in Educational Technology from The University of Texas at Austin, a Masters Degree in Chemistry, and a Bachelors Degree in Science Education.  Dr. Berning also earned an Executive Certificate in Technology Management and Leadership from the Sloan School of Management at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

He is a former Chemistry Instructor and currently an adjunct professor in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at the University of Texas in Arlington.  Dr. Berning has led K12 technology teams, integration efforts, and bond project oversight for over 20 years.

Dr. Rhonda Christensen, Specialty in Instructional Technology Integration and Research
 Dr. Christensen is  Research Scientist at the Institute for the Integration of Technology into Teaching & Learning at the University of North Texas. She has an undergraduate in Curriculum and Instruction from Texas A&M University, a Master's of Science in Computer Education and Cognivitve Systems and a Ph.D. in Information Science from the University of North Texas. She was an elementary school classroom teacher and an instructional technology specialist for a PreK-8 school. She has also taught preservice and inservice teachers for 15 years. Her recent activities have included technology integrated curriculum development, teacher training, and classroom implementation.
Dr. Gerald Knezek, Specialty in Technology Integration, Research and Evaluation
 Dr. Knezek is a Regents Professor of Learning Technologiesat the University of North Texas.   He holds a B.A. in Mathematics & the Social Sciences from Dartmouth College, and a M.Ed. & Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Hawaii. Dr. Knezek has Fulbright Scholar appointments to Japan, Ecuador & Netherlands.  He is a native Texan with a wide range of scholarly experiences in different cultures of the world.  His primary research interests are in attitude measurement, scaling, and conceptual fountations of motivation and learning--with a special focus on technology integration. He has directed externally funded projects from the US Dept. of Education and National Science Foundation for more than a decade and has served as evaluator for similar projects for more than 20 years. He holds a Texas secondary teaching certifications in Mathematics, Psychology and Computer Science and has been involved in teacher preparation activities for the past 19 years.
Additional Associates with Specialty in Network Infrastructure to include Virtualization and Security are available