Alicia Cotabish, Ed.D.
Alicia Cotabish, Ed.D.
Professor and Change Leadership Ph.D. Program Director
Mashburn 100A
(501) 450-5809
Dr. Alicia Cotabish is a tenured Full Professor and Director of the Change Leadership Ph.D. program at the University of Central Arkansas. She holds a national reputation in STEM education and advanced technical talent development, supported by 160 publications and over $5M in federal grants. Her career is defined by the development of technological innovations that deliver rigorous, professionally relevant curriculum and instruction for the modern workforce. She has delivered numerous professional development workshops, presentations, and keynotes at local, state, national, and international venues. Her recent research has focused on talent development and STEM education, including AI practices and engineering education.
EDUCATION:
2016 | Graduate Certificate | Harvard University Extension School
Non-profit Management;
Content Emphasis: Higher Education
2007 | Doctor of Education | University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Education Administration & Supervision
2003 | Master of Education | University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Gifted and Talented Education
Content Emphasis: Science / Physical Science
1996 | Bachelor of Science | Texas A&M-Texarkana
Interdisciplinary Studies – Education
Content/Co-emphasis: Biological Science and English
1994 | Associate of Science | Texarkana Community College
Biology
1994 | Associate of Arts | Texarkana Community College
English
Digital Credential(s): Auburn University’s AI Explorer (2025)
Teaching Field Specialization
Science / STEM Education Methods
Research Design and Methods
Doctoral Scholarly Writing
Talent Development
Advanced Learners
HONORS AND ACCOLADES:
Fellowship
2026 | Fellow, George Washington University, Institute on Antisemitism and Jewish Identity in Educational Settings (Washington, DC), Graduate School of Education and Human Development (GSEHD). Selected for a competitive national cohort of higher education faculty and senior administrators to address institutional policy, identity, and inclusion within higher education frameworks; activities focused on developing pedagogical frameworks to address contemporary antisemitism and foster inclusive educational environments.
Professional Awards (Abbreviated)
2026 | University of Central Arkansas Outstanding Contributions to Graduate Education Award
University of Central Arkansas, Graduate School
2023 | University of Central Arkansas Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity Award
(Winner)
University of Central Arkansas Faculty Excellence Awards
2022 | University of Central Arkansas Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity Award
(Finalist)
University of Central Arkansas Faculty Excellence Awards
2016 | American Education Research Association Best Paper Award (TACTL SIG)
American Education Research Association, Washington, DC
Research Manuscript Title: The Impact of Virtual Coaching and On-demand Feedback on Teacher Candidates’ Clinical Experiences
2015 | National Association for Gifted Children Early Scholar Award
National Association for Gifted Children, Washington, DC
2015 | Reimer’s Education Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship Competition ‘Most Innovative
Idea’Award
Harvard Graduate School, Education Innovation & Social Entrepreneurship, Boston, MA
Project Title: Teach Talk Virtual Coaching Project
2015 | University of Central Arkansas College of Education Outstanding Faculty Research
Award
University of Central Arkansas, College of Education
2012 | National Association for Gifted Children Early Leader Award
National Association for Gifted Children, Washington, DC
PUBLICATIONS (Abbreviated)
BOOKS:
Dailey, D., & Cotabish, A., (Eds.). (2026). Engineering Ingenuity: Instruction for High Ability Learners in
K-8 Classrooms (2nd ed.)[Service publication for the National Association for Gifted Children]. Taylor
and Francis.
Johnsen, S., Cotabish, A., & Dailey, D. (2022). NAGC Pre-K-Grade 12 Gifted Education Programming
Standards: A guide to planning and implementing high-quality services (2nded.). [Service publication for
the National Association for Gifted Children and Council of Exceptional Children- The Association of the
Gifted]. Waco, TX: Prufrock Press.
Dailey, D., & Cotabish, A., (Eds.). (2017). Designing Innovative Engineering Instruction for High Ability
Learners in K-8 Classrooms. [Service publication for the National Association for Gifted Children].
Waco, TX: Prufrock Press.
Johnsen, S., VanTassel-Baska, J. Robinson, A., Cotabish, A., & Dailey, D. Jolly, J., Clarenbach, J., &
Adams, C. (2016). Using the NAGC-CEC Teacher Preparation Standards in the CAEP accreditation
process. (2nded.). [Service publication for the National Association for Gifted Children and Council of Exceptional Children- The Association of the Gifted]. Waco, TX: Prufrock Press.
Adams, A. Cotabish, A., & Dailey, D. (2015). A teacher’s guide to using the Next Generation Science
Standards with gifted and advanced Learners. [Service publication for the National Association for Gifted
Children]. Waco, TX: Prufrock Press.
Adams. C., Cotabish, A., & Ricci, M. K. (2014). Using the next generation science standards with
advanced and gifted Learners. [Service publication for the National Association for Gifted Children].
Waco, TX: Prufrock Press.
Sheffield, L., Adams, C., Johnsen, S., Cotabish, A., VanTassel-Baska, J., & Mursky,
C. (2013). [Contributing author]. In S. Johnsen & L. Sheffield, Using the Common Core
State Standards for mathematics with advanced and gifted learners. [Joint service
publication for the National Association for Gifted Children, National Council of
Supervisors of Mathematics, and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.] Waco,
TX: Prufrock Press.
HIGHLIGHTED REFEREED JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS(Abbreviated):
Cotabish, A., Dailey, D., Trumble, J., & Miller, R. (2024). Spatial reasoning excellence: A synergy of
VanTassel-Baska’s Integrated Curriculum Model and Talent Development. Education Sciences, 14(7),
716. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14070716
Dailey, D., Cotabish, A., Buchanan, M., & Marshall, L. (2024). Interrupted programming: The impact of
school shutdown on gifted student identification and services. Journal of Advanced Academics, 35(2),
263-289. https://doi.org/10.1177/1932202X241232724
Cotabish, A., Dailey, D., Corwith, S., Johnsen, S., Lee, C.W., Guibault, K. (2020). Ushering in the 2019
Pre-K to Grade 12 Gifted Programming Standards. Gifted Child Today, 43(2), 135-140.
Dailey, D., Cotabish, A., & Jackson, N. (2018, April). Increasing early opportunities in engineering for advanced learners in elementary classrooms. Journal for the Education of
the Gifted (Special STEM issue). Thousand Oaks, CA. https://doi.org/10.1177/0162353217745157
Dailey, D., Jackson, N., Cotabish, A., & Trumble, J. (2018, April). STEMulate
Engineering Academy: Engaging students and teachers in engineering practices. Roeper Review, 40(2),
97-101. doi:: 10.1080/02783193.2018.1434709
Cotabish, A., Dailey, D., Coxon, S. Adams, C. & Miller, R. (2017). The Next Generation Science
Standards and High-Ability Learners [Unsolicited Selection for Special Issue: Best of the Best
Manuscripts: Teaching for High Potential – 10 Year Anniversary Edition]. Teaching for High Potential.
Cotabish, A., Dailey, D., Robinson, A., & Hughes, A. (2013). The effects of a
STEM intervention on elementary students’ science knowledge and skills. School Science and
Mathematics, 113(5), 215-226. doi: 10.1111/ssm.12023 or
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ssm.12023/abstract
Cotabish, A., & Robinson, A. (2012). The effects of peer coaching on the evaluation knowledge, and skills
of gifted program administrators. Gifted Child Quarterly, 56(3), 160-170.
doi: 10.1177/0016986212446861 or http://gcq.sagepub.com/content/56/3/160.short
Cotabish, A., Dailey, D., Hughes, G., & Robinson, A. (2011). The effects of a gifted
education STEM project on elementary teachers’ science process skills and
knowledge of science content. Research in the Schools, 18(2), 16-25.
BOOK CHAPTERS (Abbreviated)
Cotabish, A. (2026). Expanding engineering pathways for gifted learners. In D. Dailey & A.
Cotabish (Eds.), Engineering Ingenuity: Instruction for High Ability Learners in K-8
Classrooms (2nd ed., pp. 371-394). [Service publication for the National Association for
Gifted Children]. Taylor and Francis.
Dailey, D. & Cotabish, A. (2026). Introduction to engineering practices. In D. Dailey & A.
Cotabish (Eds.), Engineering Ingenuity: Instruction for High Ability Learners in K-8
Classrooms (2nd ed., pp. 1-10). [Service publication for the National Association for Gifted
Children]. Taylor and Francis.
Cotabish, A., Buchanan, M., & Dailey, D. (2023). Science curricular considerations for
advanced learners. In J. VanTassel-Baska & C. A. Little(Eds.), Content-based Curriculum for
High-ability Learners, 4th ed. New York, NY: Routledge Press.
Dailey, D., Trumble. J., & Cotabish, A. (2023). Developing experiences in engineering
design processes for advanced learners. In J. VanTassel-Baska & C. A. Little (Eds.), Content-based Curriculum for High-ability Learners, 4th ed. New York, NY: Routledge Press.
Johnsen, S., Cotabish, A., & Dailey, D. (2022). Introduction to the revised programming standards. In
Johnsen, S., Dailey, D. and Cotabish, A. (Ed.). NAGC Pre-K-Grade 12 Gifted Education Programming
Standards: A guide to planning and implementing high-quality services (2nded.). [Service publication for the National Association for Gifted Children]. Waco, TX: Prufrock Press.
Cotabish, A., & Guibault, K. (2022). Using the NAGC Standards to assess programmatic and
professional learning. In Johnsen, S., Dailey, D., and Cotabish, A. (Ed.). NAGC Pre-K-Grade 12 Gifted
Education Programming Standards: A guide to planning and implementing high-quality services (2nd
ed.). [Service publication for the National Association for Gifted Children]. Waco, TX: Prufrock Press.
SPECIALTY AREAS
Research Methods
STEM Education
K20 Engineering Education
Virtual Coaching
Next Generation Science Standards
Talent Development and Gifted Learners