Education Faculty

Dena AuCoin began her career with Purdue Global in 2013 as an adjunct and now serves as the department chair. In the past decade, she has held multiple positions including academic department chair. She holds a doctorate in Curriculum and Teaching and has over 20 years of experience in education from early childhood to higher education. During her time with Purdue Global, AuCoin has supported many initiatives to build dynamic learning environments, encourage critical thinking, and mentor students and colleagues to successful outcomes. Outside of Purdue Global, she is a PATH equine therapy instructor for children with special needs and a board member of her county farmer's market.

Education: EdD, Northcentral University

Publications: Information Resources Management Association (2023) Chapter author: AuCoin, D. & Waldow, J. Computer to community: Fostering the online classroom environment.

Fudge, T. (2021). Chapter author: AuCoin, D. & Waldow, J. Curriculum Development and Online Instruction for the 21st Century. IGI Global Publications.

AuCoin, D. (2020). Chapter author: AuCoin, D. & Berger B. Building Integrated Collaborative Relationships for Inclusive Learning Settings. IGI Global Publications.

AuCoin, D., & Berger, B. (2021). An expansion of practice: Special education and Montessori public school. International Journal of Inclusive Education. doi: 10.1080/13603116.2021.1931717

AuCoin, D. J., & Wright, L. A. (2021). Student perceptions in online higher education toward faculty mentoring. E-Learning and Digital Media. https://doi.org/10.1177/20427530211022927

Epstein, A. (2020). Chapter author: AuCoin, D. & Berger B. Following the Child: A Montessori Approach to Inclusion. Parent-Child Press.

AuCoin, D., LaCouer, M., Fitzgerald, E., Boone, J., Dees, L. (2019). “Perceptions of students and faculty using ePortfolio to complete undergraduate degree program”. Arkansas Association of Teacher Educators Electronic Journal, 9(2), p. 23-31.

Certifications: PATH Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor; Arizona Teaching License: early childhood, special education, general education; Michigan Teaching License: special education, general education

Honors and Achievements: Purdue GLOBAL Distinction Awards: Organizational Builders Group Award & Accomplished Learners Group Award 2022; Consultant and Special Education program founder, Leelanau Montessori Public School Academy; Member-at-Large board member, Southern Arizona NAEYC affiliate 2020-2021; Grant winner, leading to College curriculum project with Northern Michigan Community College: Fulfillament

Memberships: National Association for the Education of Young Children

Research Interests: Collaboration education, inclusivity and intellectual diversity, faculty mentoring, and student well-being in higher education

Carolyn McKeon has been teaching in higher education for 11 years, at Purdue Global she teaches Early Childhood Education classes and has been with Purdue Global since 2007. McKeon has presented professional for KU Village as well as other educational organizations. She has also been a subject matter expert and written several courses for two different colleges. McKeon founded and ran a small, non-public school in Pennsylvania in 2009.

McKeon has served on the faculty senate and been a course lead. She is a course life-long learning course evaluator and faculty advisor. She also holds two Master's degrees, two Bachelor's degrees, and is finishing her sixth degree in Criminology.

Education:  PhD in K-12 Teaching and Learning, Capella University

Publications: "The 6 R’s of a Positive Facilitator" in the Journal of eLearning and Online Teaching.

Research Interests:  Alternative education with a strong emphasis in autodidactic learning

Kristina Noriega is a dedicated full-time professor specializing in psychology, teaching a diverse range of undergraduate courses. With over 20 years of experience, she has made a significant impact in various fields within the federal government, particularly in education. Her expertise extends to areas such as education liaison, policy development, and education services. During her tenure in the federal government, Noriega honed her skills in adult education, focusing on bridging the gap between different sectors and fostering seamless transitions. Her work centers on enhancing the user experience in instructional design and higher education. Noriega’s newfound passion for research and user experience in educational settings has allowed her to further excel in her teaching and educational roles, leveraging UX principles to create more engaging and effective learning experiences for students.

Education: EdD in Educational Psychology and Technology; MS in Counseling Psychology, Chaminade University of Honolulu; MSIDT in Instructional Design and Technology; BA in Social Sciences, University of Hawaii - West Oahu

Certifications: Certificate of Data Science; Texas Educator Certificate: School Counselor Grades (EC-12); Association of College and University Educators: Effective Teaching Practice; Nielson Norman Group: User Experience

Publications: Army Transition Manual

Ergonomics in an Online Environment:  How can user experience inform instructional design

Honors and Achievements: NISOD Excellence Award; Department of the Army Civilian Award; Pacific Command Outstanding Contributor award; the House of Representatives outstanding for contributions to the education community    

Memberships: Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT)         

Research Interests: Dynamic interplay between User Experience (UX) and instructional design within the context of higher education; data-driven insights to inform the continuous improvement of instructional design in higher education; evidence-based strategies that empower educators and institutions to create more impactful and inclusive educational experience

Julia Nyberg is a professor at Purdue Global in the Department of Education. Nyberg was a K-6 classroom teacher and professional development expert in the US and Asia before entering higher education. Nyberg’s research focuses on curriculum and instructional design, artificial intelligence pedagogies, gifted and talented students, and curriculum strategies to value, integrate, and culturally sustain populations who have been marginalized in education. Nyberg speaks at state and national conferences and provides demonstration lessons for school districts related to her expertise in curriculum design, artificial intelligence pedagogies, and differentiated instruction. Nyberg served as the lead for the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Curriculum Guide and the Artificial Intelligence Curriculum Guide for Purdue Global. She is the co-developer of the Home and Community Connections Model, an instructional strategy that integrates the student’s family and community into the curriculum. In addition, Nyberg serves on numerous professional organizations.   

Manzone, J. A., & Nyberg, J. L. (2022). Creating Culturally Sustainable Literacy Experiences Through Home and Community Connections. In L. Haas, & J. Tussey (Ed.), Disciplinary Literacy as a Support for Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching and Learning (pp. 15-40). IGI Global.

Kaplan, S.N., Manzone, J., & Nyberg, J. (2022). Professional learning standards. In S. Johnsen, D. Dailey, & A. Cotabish (Eds.). NAGC Pre-K-through-Grade 12 Gifted Education Programming Standards: A Guide to Planning and Implementing Quality Services for Gifted Students. (pp. 214-229). Routledge: New York.

Nyberg, J. L., & Manzone, J. A. (2022). The Home and Community Connections Model: Shifting the Power From Teacher Differentiation to Learner Personalization. In Handbook of Research on Challenging Deficit Thinking for Exceptional Education Improvement (pp. 436-455). IGI Global.

Research Interests: Curriculum and instructional design, artificial intelligence pedagogies, gifted and talented students, and curriculum strategies to value, integrate, and culturally sustain populations who have been marginalized in education

Linda Simon teaches classes in the Human Services Department. She began her career as a probation officer. After working in this field for a few years, she decided to obtain her counseling degree. Simon has over 19 years of experience working with couples, families, and children/adolescents in different settings. She has served as a peer reviewer and is the faculty advisor for the Tau Upsilon Alpha honor society. Simon is currently licensed as a Professional Counselor in the state of Georgia and is also a National Certified Counselor.

Education: EdD, Argosy University; MS, Jacksonville State University; BA, Shorter College

Honors and Achievements: Numerous presentations on stress, burnout, and academic success in the elementary and middle school setting

Research Interests: Stress, burnout, bullying, prevention

Dorothy Williams has been with Purdue Global for more than 10 years, where she teaches a variety of communication courses and serves as course lead. She has served as a senior manager and director at the university level, and has also taught adult students at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctorate level for over 27 years, including over 18 years online. Williams has also served as a consultant for developing learning platforms that will best serve student learning.

Education: PhD, Walden University; MS, San Jose State University; BS, University of Colorado

Publications: “Do Graduate Students Who Set Formal Goals Really Graduate at Higher Rates?” (Building Sustainable Futures for Adult Learners), “Using Writing Admission Essays or a Basic English Course to Predict Success in Adult Undergraduate Students

Honors and Achievements: 2017 Outstanding FT Adjunct Award (Kaplan University College of Social and Behavioral Sciences), 2011 Outstanding FT Adjunct of the Year (Kaplan University), 2011 Colorado Springs Business Journal Women of Influence

Memberships: Association for Continuing Higher Education, Educating Children of Color

Research Interests: Student retention, course development, strategic development, change management

Lisa Wright has worked at Purdue Global for 10 years, where she is a professor in early childhood and teaches a wide variety of undergraduate courses in early childhood, with a special emphasis on assessment and autism spectrum disorders. She has designed and revised curriculum in numerous early childhood courses. She began her academic career in the physical therapy department at the University of Missouri, where she was a full-time clinical assistant professor. Wright has experience working in early intervention, rehabilitation hospitals, public schools, and the home environment. She is a licensed physical therapist and volunteer Guardian Ad Litem for the state of Florida, and is certified to teach K-12 children with exceptionalities.

Education: PhD, University of Missouri; MA, University of Missouri; BS, University of Missouri; Post-Graduate Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis, Kaplan University (now Purdue Global)

Publications: Research on interventions for children with autism spectrum disorders; reviews several professional organizations and journals

Honors and Achievements: Regular international conference presentations