Dr. Sharon E. Andrews, Assessment Coordinator
Associate Professor
Phone: 605.274.4627
Madsen Center #218
sharon.andrews@augie.edu

Dr. Sharon E. Andrews received her Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of South Dakota. Dr. Andrews joined the Education Department in 1989.  She served as Department Chairperson from the fall of 2005 until the spring of 2011.  She has taught a variety of courses for the Education Department including Literacy in the Content Area, Foundations in American Education, and Secondary English Methods. In addition, she supervises student teachers, serves as the program’s Chalk and Wire ePortfolio Administrator, teaches the ePortfolio Labs, and conducts PRAXIS Preparation Workshops. Dr. Andrews provides leadership for the Teacher Education Program’s assessment and accreditation efforts and has been trained as an NCATE Board of Examiner (BOE) since 2002. She has served on accreditation teams in Ohio, North Carolina, Indiana, Florida, Pennsylvania, Nebraska, and Kentucky. Dr. Andrews is past-president of the South Dakota Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (SDACTE) and is a representative to MAPLE (Midwest Alliance for Professional Learning and Leadership). Current publications include an article co-authored with Dr. Sheryl Feinstein entitled “Addressing the Reading Needs of English Language Learners” and a manuscript entitled “The Impact of Modeling Upon Pre-service Teachers in a Content Area Reading Course.”

Dr. Julie Ashworth
Assistant Professor
Phone: 605.274.4036
Madsen Center #211
julie.ashworth@augie.edu

Dr. Julie Ashworth teaches Teaching, Learning and Connecting in Today’s Classroom, Social Studies Methods for the Elementary and Middle School, and Human Relations in Education.  She received her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education, Special Education and Deaf Education from Augustana College, her MA degree in Education with an emphasis in science and technology from Augustana College, and her Ed.D. in Educational Administration and Adult Higher Education from the University of South Dakota. Her research and passion involves preparing future teachers to be prepared to teach all students, especially students from diverse backgrounds, students living in poverty and students with disabilities.

Professor Marlee Dyce
Phone: 605.274.4626
Madsen Center #232
marlee.dyce@augie.edu

Professor Marlee Dyce received her Masters degree from Northeastern University in Boston where she studied Education and Sign Language Interpreting. She currently teaches courses in Sign Language Interpreting, including Linguistics, Sociolinguistics and Translation. She holds certifications in interpreting including a NAD IV, NIC, and SD State Level 5. Marlee has been a community interpreter for 13 years working in a variety of settings including medical, legal, mental health and Video Relay Service. She has spent recent years studying the effects of gender on interpretation, and is currently researching academic acceptance of American Sign Language in post-secondary settings. She is also currently serving as the president of the South Dakota Interpreter Association.

Dr. Tony Durr
Assistant Professor
Phone: 605.274.4611
Madsen Center #216
tony.durr@augie.edu

 Dr. Tony Durr has had a well-traveled and diverse career path thus far. He received his bachelor’s from the University of Nebraska in marketing. After working in computer network sales, he returned to the University of Nebraska for a Master of Secondary Teaching. Dr. Durr began his teaching career in Houston, TX where he spent two years teaching high school mathematics. His next stop was Columbus, OH, where he continued to teach high school mathematics while he attended The Ohio State University and earned his master’s and doctoral degrees in teacher education and educational psychology. Upon completion of his doctorate he worked as an Assistant Professor at Capital University. Dr. Durr joined the Augustana faculty in 2010. His research is focused on teacher education, motivation, and urban education. He has presented his findings at several regional and national conference and has coauthored a book chapter.  He also manages a facebook page dedicated to connecting the latest educational research to practicing teachers (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Educational-Research-for-Teachers/184523091571295). Dr. Durr is married and has two daughters.  

Dr. Sheryl Feinstein, Department Chairperson & Director of the MA in Education Program
Professor
Phone: 605.274.5211
Madsen Center #208
sheryl.feinstein@augie.edu
 

Dr. Sheryl Feinstein earned her doctorate from University of South Dakota in 1995 and teaches Educational Psychology & Measurement and Adolescent Development for the Education Department. She was a Fulbright Scholar to Tanzania 2007-2008. While in Africa she participated in a documentary entitled “The Disabled Maasai” which was nominated by CNN for Best in Africa, 2008. She has authored the following books: Secrets of the Teenage Brain Research-Based Strategies for Reaching &Teaching Today’s Adolescents 2nd Ed., a national and international bestseller for Corwin Press; Parenting the Teenage Brain: Understanding a Work in Progress; Learning and the Brain: A Comprehensive Guide for Educators, Parents, and Teachers; Teaching the At Risk Teenage Brain; (Rowman & Littlefield); The Praeger Handbook of Learning and the Brain. 2 Vol. (Greenwood Publishing); Inside the Teenage Brain: Parenting a Work in Progress; 101 Insights and Strategies for Parenting Teenagers; and Tanzanian Women In Their Own Words: Stories of Disability and Illness.

Professor Becky Hatch Fiala
Field Placement Coordinator
Phone: 605.274.4617
Madsen Center #210
becky.fiala@augie.edu

Professor Becky Hatch Fiala joined the Education Department in the fall of 2002. She received her bachelor’s degree at Augustana College in 1983 with majors in Business Administration and Business Education. In 1989, she returned to complete a major in elementary education. Becky taught in the Sioux Falls Public Schools at the middle school level in science, language arts, reading and mathematics. She was a middle level and varsity coach. In 2002, Becky earned her Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Southwest State University. Currently, she serves as the Field Placement Coordinator and course instructor in the Education Department. She serves as a liaison between the Education Department and local school districts coordinating field experiences and student teaching experiences. Other positions that she has held include, Admissions Representative – Augustana College; Director of Operations, U.S. Senator James Abdnor – Washington, DC; Management Intern at Citibank, Sioux Falls. She is originally from Tracy, MN.

Professor Christa Gunderson
Phone: 605.274.4628
Madsen Center #234
christa.gunderson@augie.edu

Professor Gunderson teaches American Sign Language I, Introduction to Interpreting, Building Translation Skills and a variety of other interpreting-related courses.  Prior to joining Augustana College Faculty, she worked as a Sign Language Interpreter for 20 years.  Professor Gunderson received her M. Ed. from South Dakota State University and holds certifications in interpreting that include NAD V, NIC Advanced, SD State Level 5, and EIPA level 4.5.  She has served in a variety of roles with the SD Interpreters Association, most recently as vice-president.

Dr. Mark Hallenbeck
Associate Professor
Phone: 605.274.5477
Madsen Center #213
mark.hallenbeck@augie.edu

Dr. Hallenbeck teaches courses in foundations of American education, learning disabilities, and curriculum and instruction for students with disabilities.  Prior to joining the Augustana faculty, he taught high school English in Michigan for six years and secondary level special education in Iowa for 16 years.  His primary area of research interest is effective writing instruction for students with severe writing disabilities; he has conducted writing instruction research in both special education and general education classrooms.  Dr. Hallenbeck received his Ph.D. in special education from Michigan State University.

Dr. Perry Hanavan
Assistant Professor
Phone: 605.274.4631
Madsen Center #219
perry.hanavan@augie.edu
 

Dr. Perry C. Hanavan teaches Introduction to Audiology, Introduction to Aural Rehabilitation, Speech Science I, Speech Science II, Anatomy and Physiology of Speech Processes, and Media and Instructional Technology for Deaf and Hard of Hearing. His interests include audiologic rehabilitation, open ear canal hearing aids, and technology applications in education and communication disorders. He received his B.A. and M.A. from the University of Northern Colorado and his Au.D. from Central Michigan University.

Professor Matt Johnson
Phone: 605.274.4733
Madsen Center #217
matthew.johnson@augie.edu

Prior to coming to the Augustana Education Department, Professor Matt Johnson was a special education teacher in Omaha, NE, Sioux Falls, SD, and Chicago, IL. In his 13 years of public school teaching, Matt has K-12 experience in teaching students with learning disabilities, cognitive impairments, physical disabilities, autism, emotional disturbance, and behavior disorders. Matt received his B.A. and M.A. from Augustana and also has coaching experience as an assistant and head coach at the high school level. Courses that Matt teaches at Augustana are: Foundations of Special Education, Secondary Programs in Special Education, and Teaching in Inclusive Classrooms.  Matt is currently working on his dissertation focusing on interventions for high school students with behavior disorders.  Matt and his wife Melissa have two children ages 5 (Katie) and 3 (Ryan).

Dr. Karen Mahan
Phone: 605.274.4624
Madsen Center #233
karen.mahan@augie.edu

Dr. Karen Mahan is certified as a Speech/Language Pathologist with the Amercian Speech and Hearing Association. She received her doctoral degree from Nova Southeastern University. She received her Master of Arts degree in Speech/Language Pathology from the University of South Dakota. Professor Mahan’s areas of specialization include language development, language disorders in children, and autism spectrum disorders. She serves on the University of South Dakota Center for Disabilities’ Autism Advisory Committee, and is the Special Education Division Head for the Leadership and Education in Neurodevelopmental Disorders program with the Sanford School of Medicine at the University of South Dakota. Professor Mahan advises students in the Communication Disorders program who are interested in becoming Speech/Language Pathologists or Audiologists.

Professor Julie Simko
Certification Officer
Phone: 605.274.5486
Madsen Center #209
julie.simko@augie.edu

Professor Julie Simko is the Certification Officer and supervises student teachers at the elementary and middle school levels. She obtained her B.S. and M. A. Degrees from the University of South Dakota. She is the advisor for the Augustana College Education Association and has been at Augustana College for nineteen years.

Dr. Monica Soukup
Associate Professor
Phone: 605.274.4632
Madsen Center #231
monica.soukup@augie.edu
 

Dr. Monica Soukup is an alumnus of Augustana, receiving her BA in Deaf Education and Elementary Education and MA in Special Education. She received an Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of South Dakota. She taught in the elementary and secondary grades at the South Dakota School for the Deaf for 23 years. While teaching at the SD School for the Deaf, she was involved in additional activities such as the Family Learning Weekends, SDSD Summer Camps, Summer School, and various curriculum committees. Her involvement with Deaf individuals also includes her life-long experiences with various family members and friends who are Deaf. Her course load at Augustana includes Foundations in Deafness and Culture, ASL 1, ASL 2, Language and Reading Assessment and Instruction of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students, Curriculum and Instruction of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students, and supervision of practicum and student teachers. In addition to teaching, she has worked with her colleagues and other members from the Deaf community to plan the Midwest Conference on Deaf Education. She also coordinates “Literacy Fun at Augie” in which Deaf and Hard of Hearing children from the community are invited to activities that are prepared and presented by the Augustana students. Her areas of research and interest include language and literacy development of Deaf and Hard of Hearing children, Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students who have additional disabilities, and Curriculum Based Assessment.

Professor Carmen Steen
Phone: 605.274.5413
Madsen Center #230
carmen.steen@augie.edu

Professor Carmen Steen is a 1991 graduate of Augustana College, receiving her BA in Deaf Education and Elementary Education.  She teaches courses in American Sign Language, Fingerspelling and Special Topics. She received her MA in Education from the University of Sioux Falls. Prior to coming to Augustana, she taught elementary students at the SD School for the Deaf (SDSD) for 17 years. While at SDSD, she served on several committees and brought programs such as the Shared Reading Project and the Sign Language Proficiency Interview to campus. She holds certification in interpreting including NAD level 5 and EIPA level 4.8 and has been interpreting in the Sioux Falls community for more than 20 years.  In addition to teaching, Professor Steen is the Coordinator for the Summer Enrichment Program which brings together Deaf and Hard of Hearing children from the Sioux Falls area for 4 weeks each summer.

Dr. Steve VanBockern--on sabbatical leave during 2011-2012 academic year
Professor
Phone: 605.274.5491
Madsen Center #214
steve.vanbockern@augie.edu
 
Dr. Steve Van Bockern is a professor of education at Augustana College. He directs the Augustana Institute for Reclaiming Students (AIRS), an education department outreach program that works with schools to support the success of students placed at risk. Steve was a teacher in Sioux Falls, SD and a principal in Sleepy Eye, MN. He has directed programs for talented students and grants funded by the National Science and Kellogg foundations. Along with colleagues Larry Brendtro and Martin Brokenleg, Steve co-authored the book Reclaiming Youth At Risk. The most recent edition has a forward by Desmond Tutu. In 1997, the three authors founded the non-profit organization Reclaiming Youth International, located in Lennox, SD. The organization conducts research and does youth and family advocacy work and training. Steve serves as President of Reclaiming Youth International. The work of the authors has been shared in over 23 countries and extensively throughout the US and Canada.  Steve is married to Sarah Drennan. Steve has two children, Matt and Maggie.