Course Credits and References

Course Author Melissa Behrend (BA, MS) is a writer and writing instructor who has taught at the University of Evansville in Indiana, the University of Southern Indiana, and Benedictine University in Chicago.  She has also taught public high school English, reading, and journalism for over 15 years. Melissa has also worked freelance for several online sites and newspapers.   She received her MS is in education from Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale and her BA in English from Rollins College,  where she also worked as an editor.  Her first collegiate years were spent at the University of Florida and she is a proud Gator.

Course Instructor

Dana Kristan (BA, MA) has a BA in sociology and an MA in public policy and education. She is a passionate writer as well as a dedicated and attentive writing instructor with over 20 years of online teaching experience. She also completed related coursework in special education covering the use of needs assessments and systematic instructional designs to match teaching practices and learning objectives with learner needs, a core component of the systematic instructional methodologies that dominate special education practice today. She also monitored the educational programs for adults with severe disabilities in New York City before joining Universal Class in managing, developing, writing, and instructing online classes to better serve students' basic needs. Her passions include writing, journaling, music, cultural studies, and history.