Topical Action Groups

This TAG provides a forum for the collaborative and multidisciplinary network of researchers and institutions of teacher preparation using (or considering) a co-teaching model in partnership with P-20 education. The TAG seeks to create a space for dissemination of research on co-teaching, sharing of implementation experiences and development of collaborative research efforts. The Co-Teaching TAG will communicate with AACTE staff to share with the larger community our reform efforts in clinical preparation.

For more information, contact:

Michelle Damiani
Chair
Rowan University
damiani@rowan.edu

Vicki Luther
Secretary
Mercer University
luther_vl@mercer.edu

Alicia Drelick
Treasurer
Rowan University
drelick@rowan.edu

The Department Heads, Chairs, and Directors TAG will provide professional development, networking opportunities, and support for academic leaders who serve in the administrative role of head, chair, or director. The TAG will provide a forum for learning and communication about ideas, issues, and information relevant to leaders of academic units that prepare educators.

For more information, contact:

David Virtue
Auburn University
dcv0004@auburn.edu

This TAG will articulate why teacher diversification is important; encourage campuses to diversify their teaching candidate pools and provide them with strategies to do so; identify ways to encourage candidates from underrepresented backgrounds to enter the teaching workforce; and identify how the community can provide ongoing support for these teachers once they enter the workforce.

For more information, contact:

Dr. Bianca Nightengale-Lee (Co-Chair)
Florida Atlantic University
bnightengalelee@fau.edu

Dr. Amanda Morales (Co-Chair)
University of Nebraska Lincoln
Amanda.morales@unl.edu

The purpose of this TAG is to advocate, promote, and strengthen statewide teacher education program articulation agreements with a focus on easing the pathway between two and four-year institutions. Thus fostering an innovative, diversified workforce through encouraging partnerships, effective best practices, and scholarly research.

For more information, contact:

Ashley Simpson
Community College of Aurora ashley.simpson@ccaurora.edu

The AACTE Topical Action Group on Educator Preparation in Partnership with Families and Communities seeks to build and sustain a collaborative network of teacher educators who are committed to preparing socially just, equity-focused, community teachers with the capacity to enact pedagogies that are culturally relevant, responsive, and sustaining. The TAG will create a space for dissemination and sharing of innovative and best practices in community-engaged teacher preparation from colleges and universities throughout the world. The TAG will foster opportunities for members to collaborate on research, curate resources, and work toward promoting policies and strategies to improve teacher preparation programs situated in minoritized communities.

For more information, contact:

Eva Zygmunt
Ball State University
emzygmuntfil@bsu.edu

This TAG will centralize news and information on policy and research relevant to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU).

For more information, contact:

Cynthia Nicholson, PhD
Norfolk State University
csnicholson@nsu.edu

This TAG seeks to promote fair access and opportunity for engagement in STEAM teaching and learning in PK-12 education. We are committed to sharing stories of our collective STEAM experiences grounded in the communities served and informing best practices in pedagogy, teaching, and research. As a community of STEAM scholars, this TAG serves to bridge theory-research-practice to advance STEAM education.

For more information, contact:

Sumi Hagiwara, PhD, Chair, Department of Teaching and Learning
Montclair State University
hagiwaras@mail.montclair.edu

The Internationalization of Teacher Education Topical Action Group (TAG) supports the integration of international, intercultural, and global experiences and perspectives into the curriculum of teacher education (including the clinical component) to ensure that all teachers are properly trained to prepare their students to thrive in a globally connected, diverse world. This TAG focuses on identifying and assessing unique indicators of global competency in pre- and in-service teachers and programs. It also focuses on measuring the benefits and impact of internationalization on teacher education programs and recent graduates. It promotes this agenda through conducting and disseminating research, sharing examples and best practices, facilitating a mentoring program, and analyzing policy.

For more information, contact:

Tara Mathien
University of Florida

With hundreds of new enrollments each year, education and teacher preparation has historically been and remains amongst the most popular fields for military-connected individuals. Transitioning Veterans, Active duty service members, and dependents continuously take formal steps toward becoming a teacher. As educator preparation programs commit to addressing national staffing shortages with innovation and creativity, many do so in close proximity to military installations and a pipeline of service-minded individuals. This TAG aims to highlight longstanding connections between the military and education as well as cultivate new opportunities between the two.

For more information, contact:

Dr. Dustin Merritt
Kansas State University
ddm4774@ksu.edu

Dr. Nicole Moore
East Carolina University
mooreak16@ecu.edu

The purpose of the Principal Preparation and Support TAG is to develop strong, equity-focused leadership preparation and systems of support for sustainable leadership practices. The TAG focuses on identifying research gaps and guiding collaborative research projects across various AACTE TAGs. The TAG also highlights best practice and innovative delivery models for leadership communities as well as partnerships with local education agencies and university that help meet needs for principal preparation and administration licensure.

For more information, contact:

Sheila Moore
University of Central Florida
sheila.moore@ucf.edu

The Women in Leadership topical action group seeks to: strengthen colleges of education through leadership development; advance a professional network among members interested in leadership; encourage diverse members to pursue leadership positions; support women considering career or advancement opportunities in leadership; initiate, encourage, and disseminate studies of women in leadership; and provide professional development and mentoring to members interested in enhancing professional and personal success in concert with their positions.

For more information, contact:

Beth Kubitskey
Eastern Michigan University
mkubitske1@emich.edu