At the 2005 SMTE Symposium on Music Teacher Education, attendees participated in the creation of 12 Strategic Action Groups. Now called Areas for Strategic Planning and Action (ASPAs), the purpose of these groups is to develop and implement action plans related to current critical issues in music teacher education. The ASPAs have evolved over the years and will continue to do so as the landscape of music teacher education continues to change. Each ASPA functions as a flexible working group where interested individuals can share ideas and engage in a conversation about an area of interest. The work of the ASPAs has led to many publications in major journals and presentations at national conferences in recent years. We invite SMTE members and anyone interested in music teacher education to identify with one or more ASPAs, contribute via the web-based discussion forums, and participate in ASPA projects. You can read more about the work of the ASPAs and find resources on the SMTE website at smte.us/aspa. Look for the contact information of the facilitator for each ASPA page, and get connected to find out more!
