John H. Curry, PhD
Department Chair | Professor
Office: Dean's Suite: College of Education 350
(208) 282-2585
johncurry@isu.edu
Vita
Focus areas: Instructional design, distance education, research writing, mentoring, multimedia design and development
John Curry is an award-winning teacher, researcher, and mentor within the field of instructional design and technology. He earned a PhD in Instructional Technology and a MA in the Theory and Practice of Writing from Utah State University, and a BA in English from Brigham Young University. He is the former Editor-in-Chief of TechTrends, and he currently serves as the President-Elect of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT). Within AECT, he has also been the President of two divisions, served multiple terms on the Board of Directors, served on numerous committees, and has been the recipient of the Leslie Blatt Service Award, numerous AECT Presidential awards, and AECT’s highest honor, the AECT Distinguished Service Award. He is also the namesake of the AECT Division of Emerging Learning Technologies John Curry Distinguished Service Award.
His greatest joys are his family, playing golf, and helping his students meet their goals.
Joel Bocanegra, PhD
Professor of School Psychology
Office: College of Education 108 A
(208) 282-4387
bocajoel@isu.edu
Vita
Dr. Joel O. Bocanegra earned his Ph.D. in Educational Psychology with a concentration in School Psychology from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee in 2014. He is a Nationally Certified School Psychologist and a licensed psychologist. Dr. Bocanegra joined 蘑菇视频 in 2014 and currently serves as Chair of the Department of School Psychology and Educational Leadership. His research focuses on training and supervision, systems-level change, mental health, and the integration of technology in practice.
Chung-Hau (Howard) Fan, PhD
Program Coordinator | Professor of School Psychology
Office: College of Education 108B D
(208) 282-4392
howardfan@isu.edu
Vita
Dr. Howard Fan completed his Ph.D. in School Psychology at the University of Iowa in 2011. He holds the Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) credential and is currently a professor in the Department of School Psychology and Educational Leadership at 蘑菇视频. His professional and research interests include improving response-to-intervention (RTI) methodologies, such as reducing measurement error in progress monitoring and developing systemic troubleshooting approaches for effective RTI implementation. He is also interested in school-wide positive behavior support, special education leadership, and behavioral consultation training.
Nai-Jiin Yang, PhD
EMPWRing Grant Coordinator
Office: College of Education Room 375
(208) 282-2358
naijiinyang2@isu.edu
Vita
Focus areas: School Mental Health
Nai-Jiin (Jiin) Yang, Ph.D., is a school psychologist and researcher committed to improving youth mental health, particularly in rural and underserved communities. She earned her doctorate from Utah State University and completed her pre-doctoral internship at the APA-accredited Northwest Neurobehavioral Health in Meridian, Idaho. Dr. Yang currently serves as the EMPWRing Grant Coordinator at 蘑菇视频, where she partners with local educational agencies, community organizations, and state leaders to expand training programs, strengthen the school psychology workforce, and advance culturally responsive, evidence-based practices that build lasting systems of support for children and adolescents.
Yi-Chih Chiang, PhD
Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership
Office: College of Education 381
(208) 282-4322
yichihchiang@isu.edu
Vita
Yi-Chih Chiang is an assistant professor of P –12 Educational Administration at 蘑菇视频. Her research uses an equity lens to examine education reform, focusing on policy implementation, school improvement, and educator professional learning. Her research investigates (1) teacher leaders’ career trajectories in the educator labor market and their roles in fostering organizational improvement and effective policy implementation and (2) how policy implementation is shaped by discourse and stakeholder engagement, with a particular emphasis on addressing systemic inequities in education. Her dissertation delves into a human resources analysis of instructional coaches in Michigan, examining their distribution patterns, teaching expertise, and career pathways. Yi-Chih holds a PhD in K-12 Educational Administration from Michigan State University, an EdM in Education Policy & Administration from National Taiwan Normal University, and a BA in Finance from National Taiwan University.
Donald Hastings, EdD
Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership
Office: College of Education Room 377
(208) 282-3661
donaldhastings@isu.edu
Vita
Dr. Donald S. Hastings is an Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership at 蘑菇视频, specializing in leadership, trust, motivation, and effective instruction. He teaches graduate-level courses and guides dissertation research, drawing on over three decades of experience as a K–12 teacher, principal, and district administrator. A two-time award winner, Dr. Hastings has been recognized with the prestigious Texas Monthly Top Schools Award and as the Norwalk-La Mirada USD Site Administrator of the Year. He earned his Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and his Master's in applied psychology and education administration
Sue Kater, PhD
Assistant Professor of Higher Education
susankater@isu.edu
Vita
Susan (Sue) Kater, PhD, is a Higher Education faculty member at 蘑菇视频, Editor-in-Chief of New Directions for Community Colleges, and a consultant for the League for Innovation in the Community College. She previously served as a community college administrator in the Maricopa Community Colleges, including roles as Special Assistant to Chancellor Rufus Glasper and Associate Vice Chancellor for Research and Planning at GateWay Community College. Dr. Kater earned her Ph.D. in Higher Education from the University of Arizona with a focus on community colleges. Her research and publications focus on community college faculty, shared governance, trustees, and students’ basic needs. She has served as national president of the Council for the Study of Community Colleges and holds leadership roles with the Community College Review and the Center for the Study of Community Colleges.
Weijian Yan, PhD
Assistant Professor
Office: Garrison Hall, Room 821
(208) 282-2337
weijianyan@isu.edu
Focus areas: Online Learning and Teaching, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Extended Reality (XR), Instructional Design, Instructional Technology, Program Evaluation
Dr. Weijian Yan is an Assistant Professor in Organizational Performance and Learning in the College of Education at 蘑菇视频. She earned her Ph.D. in Learning Design and Technology from Purdue University, where she also completed a graduate certificate in Quantitative Research, Assessment, and Evaluation. Her research focuses on the integration of artificial intelligence and extended reality (XR) in language education, online learning, and instructional design. Dr. Yan has published in leading journals such as Virtual Reality, TechTrends, and Education Sciences, and her work has been recognized with awards from AECT and Purdue University. She has extensive teaching experience in instructional design and assessment and has led workshops on XR integration and cross-cultural learning.
