Tara Mathien
Clinical Associate Professor
Phone
352-273-4285
Address
3003 Norman Hall, Gainesville FL, 32601
Connect
About
Dr. Mathien, a Clinical Associate Professor of Early Childhood Studies at the University of Florida and affiliate of the Anita Zucker Center for Excellence in Early Childhood Studies, holds an Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction Leadership from Northern Illinois University. Her research interests encompass early childhood teacher preparation, coaching and technology-enhanced clinical field experiences, internationalizing curriculum via virtual exchange and study abroad, and professional learning for adult learners, particularly in online environments.
As Program Area Leader for Early Childhood Studies for the department of Special Education, School Psychology, and Early Childhood Studies, she oversees program development and academic initiatives. Dr. Mathien advises the KiddieLand Bilingual Child Care Program in Zurich, Switzerland, focusing on developmentally appropriate practices and program administration. Formerly Coordinator and Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education at William Rainey Harper College, in Illinois she has collaborated on statewide initiatives in Florida, Illinois, and Switzerland, offering expertise in professional learning, curriculum, and classroom environments. Dr. Mathien’s is Chair of the AACTE International Teacher Education TAG and frequently presents at national and international conferences. Her diverse teaching experience includes Head Start, charter schools, and private institutions, enriching her contributions to the field.
As Program Area Leader for Early Childhood Studies for the department of Special Education, School Psychology, and Early Childhood Studies, she oversees program development and academic initiatives. Dr. Mathien advises the KiddieLand Bilingual Child Care Program in Zurich, Switzerland, focusing on developmentally appropriate practices and program administration. Formerly Coordinator and Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education at William Rainey Harper College, in Illinois she has collaborated on statewide initiatives in Florida, Illinois, and Switzerland, offering expertise in professional learning, curriculum, and classroom environments. Dr. Mathien’s is Chair of the AACTE International Teacher Education TAG and frequently presents at national and international conferences. Her diverse teaching experience includes Head Start, charter schools, and private institutions, enriching her contributions to the field.
Affiliations
- School of Special Education School Psychology and Early Childhood Studies
- Anita Zucker Center for Excellence in Early Childhood Studies
- American Association for Colleges of Teacher Education (AACTE)
Research Interests
Design and Development of Educational Technology Interventions, Distance Observation of Teacher Interns / Preservice Teachers, Early Childhood Studies, Field Experience, International Education, Online and Distance Education, Primary / Elementary, Professional Development in Early Childhood, Teacher Education
Education
- Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction Leadership, 2016 Northern Illinois University
- M.S. in Child Development and Administration, 2007 Erikson Institute
- B.A. in Early Childhood Education with Special Education Endorsement, 2003 Illinois State University
Professional Appointments
- Clinical Associate Professor, University of Florida, 2025-present
- Program Area Leader, Early Childhood Studies, University of Florida, 2017 - Present
- Clinical Assistant Professor, University of Florida, 2017 - 2025
- Assistant Professor and Coordinator, Early Childhood Education Department, Harper College, 2007 - 2017
Activities and Honors
- Chair, AACTE International Teacher Education Topical Action Group | 2023-present
- Longview Foundation Global Teacher Education Fellow | 2025-2026
- Faculty Policy Council Chair, University of Florida College of Education | 2025-2026
- Illinois State University Alumni Hall of Fame Inductee, Illinois State University College of Education | 2024
- Teaching Excellence Fellow, University of Florida Center for Teaching Excellence | 2022 - 2023
- International Educator of the Year, University of Florida College of Education and UF International Center | 2022 - 2023 & 2018 - 2019
Selected Grants
Project ECHO
Role
- PI
Funding Agency
- UF Presidential Strategic Funding Initiative
Project Period
- 2023-2027
Award Amount
- $470,000
Early Childhood Education Perspectives in Nepal
Role
- PI
Funding Agency
- UF COE
Project Period
- 2018-2019
Award Amount
- $5000
High Scope Implementation Project
Role
- Co-PI
Funding Agency
- Harper College Resources for Excellence
Project Period
- 2015-2017
Award Amount
- $20,000
Early Childhood Partnership Innovation Grant
Role
- Co-PI
Funding Agency
- Illinois Department of Education
Project Period
- 2014-2016
Award Amount
- $15,000
High/Scope Curriculum Change Continuation Project,
Funding Agency
- Harper College Resources for Excellence Grant
Project Period
- 2015-2016
Co-Leader - Early Childhood Partnership Innovation Grant
Funding Agency
- Roosevelt University and Harold Washington College
Project Period
- 2014-2016
Selected Publications
Books / Book Chapters
- Brown, T., Chapman, L., Mathien, T., & Gonsalves, V. (2025). The anti-syllabus as a culturally responsive-sustaining approach to online instruction. In R. Rantz & L. McNulty (Eds.), Developing culturally responsive curriculum in higher education (Chapter 7). IGI Global. doi:10.4018/979-8-3373-2955-0.ch007
- Brown, T., Mathien, T., Chapman, L., & Gonsalves, V. (2025). Collaborative pedagogy for deeper learning in an asynchronous classroom. In R. Rantz & L. McNulty (Eds.), Developing culturally responsive curriculum in higher education (Chapter 17). IGI Global. doi:10.4018/979-8-3373-2955-0.ch017
- Chapman, L. & Mathien, T. (2021). Remote Teacher Preparation Amidst Covid-19: Creating Trauma-Informed Communities of Inquiry. In Crawford, C. M. (Ed.), Shifting to Online Learning Through Faculty Collaborative Support (pp. 248-264). IGI Global. doi:10.4018/978-1-7998-6944-3
Articles
- Mathien, T. (2025). Supporting Children, Families, and Education: Combining Service and Experiential Learning to Prepare Preservice Teachers for Global Classrooms. Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, 1(ForumEATLT1), 19–25. https://doi.org/10.36366/frontiers.v1iForumEATLT1.1057
- Calvo, L.C.S., Mathien, T., Nehar, B., Matamoros, J.E. & Hartle, L. (2025). Developing Global Citizenship through Interdisciplinary Conversations: Virtual Exchange on the UN SDGs. Acta Educationis Generalis, 15(2), 2025. 129-142. https://doi.org/10.2478/atd-2025-0026
- Flynn, J., James, R., Mathien, T., Mitchell, P., & Whalen, S. (2017). The overlooked context: Pedagogies for engagement and empowerment at the community college. Curriculum and Teaching Dialogue, 19(1).
Presentations
- Mathien, T., Dassa D. (2025, April). “Technology Enabled Clinical Practice in an Online Teacher Preparation Program" National Field Experience Conference, Nacagdoches, Texas.
- Mathien, T., Quezada, R. (2025, April). "Webinar Series: Globalizing Teacher Education Part 2" BranchEd Webinar.
- Mathien, T. (2024, February). “Rethinking Virtual Exchange (VE) Practices: A Hands-On Opportunity to Enhance Current and Planned VE Projects,” Valiant Conference, León, Spain.
- Mathien, T. (2022, March). “No Turning Back Now: Trauma-Informed Communities of Inquiry as a Foundation for Rethinking Preservice Educator Preparation,” American Association for Colleges of Teacher Education Annual Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana.
- Mathien, T. (2020, February). "Using Practice-based Coaching to Construct Robust Clinical Placement Experiences that Support Preservice Educators Sustained Use of Recommended Teaching Practices" American Association for Colleges of Teacher Education Annual Conference, Atlanta, Georgia.
Other Publications
- Mathien, T., Alexandrowicz, V., O’Meara, J., & Quezada, R. (2025). Empowering Teachers for a Globalized World: Approaches for Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) Experiences: Toolkit. Peachtree City, GA: Branch Alliance for Educator Diversity.
- Knopf, H. T., Rodgers, M. K., Mathien, T., Pike, A., Daley, D. A., & Schreiber, M. (2024). Final informal pathway and implementation plan, with cost modeling. Submitted to the Florida Department of Education, Division of Early Learning. Anita Zucker Center for Excellence in Early Childhood Studies, University of Florida. https://thesunshineportal.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Final-Informal-Pathway-and-Implementation-Plan_-with-cost-modeling.pdf
- Kerkhoff, S., Tanghe, S., and Mathien. T. (2021, October 25). Six Myths of Global Education. Ed Prep Matters. https://edprepmatters.net/2021/10/six-myths-of-global-education/
- Gangone, L. (Host). (2021, August 20). Jack be nimble [Audio podcast episode]. In Revolutionizing Education. American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education. https://aacte.org/communications/podcast/
- Mathien, T., Nepstad, C., Potenza, A., & Kim, J. (2016). Building on trust: How three institutions came together to create an innovative partnership for student transfer. In S. Bernoteit, J. Darragh-Ernst, & N. Latham (Eds.), Voices from the field: Collaborative innovations in early childhood educator preparation (pp. 103-121). Edwardsville, IL: Illinois Education Research Council and Illinois Board of Higher Education.