She teaches courses in contemporary issues in education, early childhood education, and collaborative action research. Her research interests include the education of teachers as classroom researchers, the use of visual literacies as tools for developing critical thinking among teachers, and the design of situated professional programs framed by the creation of communities of practice. Deborah A. Wooten is associate professor of reading education at University of Tennessee. Dr. Wooten's research focuses on using children's literature to teach comprehension and higher order thinking skills as well motivating and engaging students to read and want to read.