P-12 Educators

The Center for Arts and Education at West Liberty University is a multi-faceted hands-on learning laboratory and resource center focused on the integration of creativity, literacies and technology.

The Center serves a broad community of educators by offering creative support and assistance, a welcoming staff, a maker space with materials and tools and lending library, professional development opportunities, Connected Classroom Series, partnership with Carnegie Mellon University’s CREATE Lab in Nearby Data and the Literature Fair.

Resources + Visits

We welcome individual classrooms and grade levels for hands-on, interactive and playful activities for K-12 students and their teachers. The activities can be customized to meet the needs of the students and to create an experience that connects with a specific content area or theme.

Lending Library

The Center for Arts and Education has a growing collection of items such as arts and crafts tools, games, hand tools, tripods, and instant cameras that can be borrowed for short periods of time by WLU students, faculty and staff. Some items may also be borrowed by local educators.

PD Opportunities

A wide range of in person and virtual professional development opportunities for educators are offered through the Center for Arts and Education. These interactive conversations, workshops and continuing education graduate courses focus on innovative approaches, skills and strategies for teaching and learning in P-12 classrooms.

Connected Classroom

The Connected Classroom Series is a professional development program focused on approaches, resources and tools for teaching and learning in K-16+ classrooms. Educators learn new ways to use engaging and relevant methods and technologies through participating in live fifty-minute Zoom sessions and/or viewing previously recorded fifty-minute sessions on Topper Station, West Liberty University’s virtual streaming platform.

Nearby Data

The Nearby Data Project provides K-12th grade students with opportunities for hands-on, real-world exploration of everyday data collection techniques, cutting edge data mapping tools and high tech satellite software. A partnership between the CREATE Lab at Carnegie Mellon University and the Center for Arts & Education at West Liberty University, the project also provides professional learning opportunities for educators.

Literature Fair

The Northern Panhandle Literature Fair is a partnership between the West Virginia Reading Association and the Center for Arts and Education, in collaboration with WLU’s Elbin LIbrary and the College of Education and Human Performance.

Get Connected to the Center for Arts and Education at West Liberty University

West Liberty University
Center for Arts and Education
Main Hall – Room 133, West Wing

Lourdes (Lou) Karas
Director, Center for Arts and Education
lkaras@westliberty.edu
Office: 304-336-8162

Mailing Address:
West Liberty University
Center for Arts and Education
208 University Dr. #CUB 148
West Liberty, WV 26074