Michelle Kelley

Michelle Kelley is a Professor of Reading Education at the University of Central Florida (UCF), affiliated with the College of Community Innovation and Education’s School of Teacher Education. She joined UCF in 2004 under a Florida State Department of Education grant (FLaRE) and has held roles such as Reading Education Program facilitator for the online MEd Program and former Elementary Education Program Coordinator. Her expertise spans reading comprehension, teacher knowledge in reading assessment/instruction, and literacy coaching. She actively serves on university committees and co-edits Literacy Practice and Research .

Educational Background:

• Ed.D. in Literacy Education, University of Florida (2001)
• Ed.S. in Educational Leadership, University of Florida (1999)
• M.Ed. in Literacy Education, University of Southern Maine (1992)
• B.A. in History, University of Maine (1988)

Research Interests: Dr. Kelley focuses on enhancing literacy practices through evidence-based strategies for pre-service/in-service teachers, literacy coaching frameworks, and leveraging technology (e.g., AI integration, virtual simulations like TeachLivE™) to improve teacher readiness and student achievement. Her work emphasizes bridging theory and practice in teacher education.

Publications reflect a trajectory from foundational literacy strategies (e.g., text feature analysis) to modern challenges like AI literacy and pandemic-era professional development. She has authored books on literacy coaching and contributed to journals like The Reading Teacher and Literacy Research and Instruction .

Advising/Grants: While no awards are explicitly listed, her grant-funded roles and program leadership highlight her impact. She has pioneered clinical models like PedsAcademy® and advanced virtual learning tools.

Labs/Teams: Co-Editor of Literacy Practice and Research ; actively involved in UCF’s online MEd Program and literacy-related initiatives.