research title for education

Research Topics & Ideas: Education

170+ Research Ideas To Fast-Track Your Project

If you’re just starting out exploring education-related topics for your dissertation, thesis or research project, you’ve come to the right place. In this post, we’ll help kickstart your research topic ideation process by providing a hearty list of research topics and ideas , including examples from actual dissertations and theses..

PS – This is just the start…

We know it’s exciting to run through a list of research topics, but please keep in mind that this list is just a starting point . To develop a suitable education-related research topic, you’ll need to identify a clear and convincing research gap , and a viable plan of action to fill that gap.

If this sounds foreign to you, check out our free research topic webinar that explores how to find and refine a high-quality research topic, from scratch. Alternatively, if you’d like hands-on help, consider our 1-on-1 coaching service .

Overview: Education Research Topics

• How to find a research topic (video)
• List of 50+ education-related research topics/ideas
• List of 120+ level-specific research topics 
• Examples of actual dissertation topics in education
• Tips to fast-track your topic ideation (video)
• Free Webinar : Topic Ideation 101
• Where to get extra help

Education-Related Research Topics & Ideas

Below you’ll find a list of education-related research topics and idea kickstarters. These are fairly broad and flexible to various contexts, so keep in mind that you will need to refine them a little. Nevertheless, they should inspire some ideas for your project.

• The impact of school funding on student achievement
• The effects of social and emotional learning on student well-being
• The effects of parental involvement on student behaviour
• The impact of teacher training on student learning
• The impact of classroom design on student learning
• The impact of poverty on education
• The use of student data to inform instruction
• The role of parental involvement in education
• The effects of mindfulness practices in the classroom
• The use of technology in the classroom
• The role of critical thinking in education
• The use of formative and summative assessments in the classroom
• The use of differentiated instruction in the classroom
• The use of gamification in education
• The effects of teacher burnout on student learning
• The impact of school leadership on student achievement
• The effects of teacher diversity on student outcomes
• The role of teacher collaboration in improving student outcomes
• The implementation of blended and online learning
• The effects of teacher accountability on student achievement
• The effects of standardized testing on student learning
• The effects of classroom management on student behaviour
• The effects of school culture on student achievement
• The use of student-centred learning in the classroom
• The impact of teacher-student relationships on student outcomes
• The achievement gap in minority and low-income students
• The use of culturally responsive teaching in the classroom
• The impact of teacher professional development on student learning
• The use of project-based learning in the classroom
• The effects of teacher expectations on student achievement
• The use of adaptive learning technology in the classroom
• The impact of teacher turnover on student learning
• The effects of teacher recruitment and retention on student learning
• The impact of early childhood education on later academic success
• The impact of parental involvement on student engagement
• The use of positive reinforcement in education
• The impact of school climate on student engagement
• The role of STEM education in preparing students for the workforce
• The effects of school choice on student achievement
• The use of technology in the form of online tutoring

Level-Specific Research Topics

Looking for research topics for a specific level of education? We’ve got you covered. Below you can find research topic ideas for primary, secondary and tertiary-level education contexts. Click the relevant level to view the respective list.

Research Topics: Pick An Education Level

Primary education.

• Investigating the effects of peer tutoring on academic achievement in primary school
• Exploring the benefits of mindfulness practices in primary school classrooms
• Examining the effects of different teaching strategies on primary school students’ problem-solving skills
• The use of storytelling as a teaching strategy in primary school literacy instruction
• The role of cultural diversity in promoting tolerance and understanding in primary schools
• The impact of character education programs on moral development in primary school students
• Investigating the use of technology in enhancing primary school mathematics education
• The impact of inclusive curriculum on promoting equity and diversity in primary schools
• The impact of outdoor education programs on environmental awareness in primary school students
• The influence of school climate on student motivation and engagement in primary schools
• Investigating the effects of early literacy interventions on reading comprehension in primary school students
• The impact of parental involvement in school decision-making processes on student achievement in primary schools
• Exploring the benefits of inclusive education for students with special needs in primary schools
• Investigating the effects of teacher-student feedback on academic motivation in primary schools
• The role of technology in developing digital literacy skills in primary school students
• Effective strategies for fostering a growth mindset in primary school students
• Investigating the role of parental support in reducing academic stress in primary school children
• The role of arts education in fostering creativity and self-expression in primary school students
• Examining the effects of early childhood education programs on primary school readiness
• Examining the effects of homework on primary school students’ academic performance
• The role of formative assessment in improving learning outcomes in primary school classrooms
• The impact of teacher-student relationships on academic outcomes in primary school
• Investigating the effects of classroom environment on student behavior and learning outcomes in primary schools
• Investigating the role of creativity and imagination in primary school curriculum
• The impact of nutrition and healthy eating programs on academic performance in primary schools
• The impact of social-emotional learning programs on primary school students’ well-being and academic performance
• The role of parental involvement in academic achievement of primary school children
• Examining the effects of classroom management strategies on student behavior in primary school
• The role of school leadership in creating a positive school climate Exploring the benefits of bilingual education in primary schools
• The effectiveness of project-based learning in developing critical thinking skills in primary school students
• The role of inquiry-based learning in fostering curiosity and critical thinking in primary school students
• The effects of class size on student engagement and achievement in primary schools
• Investigating the effects of recess and physical activity breaks on attention and learning in primary school
• Exploring the benefits of outdoor play in developing gross motor skills in primary school children
• The effects of educational field trips on knowledge retention in primary school students
• Examining the effects of inclusive classroom practices on students’ attitudes towards diversity in primary schools
• The impact of parental involvement in homework on primary school students’ academic achievement
• Investigating the effectiveness of different assessment methods in primary school classrooms
• The influence of physical activity and exercise on cognitive development in primary school children
• Exploring the benefits of cooperative learning in promoting social skills in primary school students

Secondary Education

• Investigating the effects of school discipline policies on student behavior and academic success in secondary education
• The role of social media in enhancing communication and collaboration among secondary school students
• The impact of school leadership on teacher effectiveness and student outcomes in secondary schools
• Investigating the effects of technology integration on teaching and learning in secondary education
• Exploring the benefits of interdisciplinary instruction in promoting critical thinking skills in secondary schools
• The impact of arts education on creativity and self-expression in secondary school students
• The effectiveness of flipped classrooms in promoting student learning in secondary education
• The role of career guidance programs in preparing secondary school students for future employment
• Investigating the effects of student-centered learning approaches on student autonomy and academic success in secondary schools
• The impact of socio-economic factors on educational attainment in secondary education
• Investigating the impact of project-based learning on student engagement and academic achievement in secondary schools
• Investigating the effects of multicultural education on cultural understanding and tolerance in secondary schools
• The influence of standardized testing on teaching practices and student learning in secondary education
• Investigating the effects of classroom management strategies on student behavior and academic engagement in secondary education
• The influence of teacher professional development on instructional practices and student outcomes in secondary schools
• The role of extracurricular activities in promoting holistic development and well-roundedness in secondary school students
• Investigating the effects of blended learning models on student engagement and achievement in secondary education
• The role of physical education in promoting physical health and well-being among secondary school students
• Investigating the effects of gender on academic achievement and career aspirations in secondary education
• Exploring the benefits of multicultural literature in promoting cultural awareness and empathy among secondary school students
• The impact of school counseling services on student mental health and well-being in secondary schools
• Exploring the benefits of vocational education and training in preparing secondary school students for the workforce
• The role of digital literacy in preparing secondary school students for the digital age
• The influence of parental involvement on academic success and well-being of secondary school students
• The impact of social-emotional learning programs on secondary school students’ well-being and academic success
• The role of character education in fostering ethical and responsible behavior in secondary school students
• Examining the effects of digital citizenship education on responsible and ethical technology use among secondary school students
• The impact of parental involvement in school decision-making processes on student outcomes in secondary schools
• The role of educational technology in promoting personalized learning experiences in secondary schools
• The impact of inclusive education on the social and academic outcomes of students with disabilities in secondary schools
• The influence of parental support on academic motivation and achievement in secondary education
• The role of school climate in promoting positive behavior and well-being among secondary school students
• Examining the effects of peer mentoring programs on academic achievement and social-emotional development in secondary schools
• Examining the effects of teacher-student relationships on student motivation and achievement in secondary schools
• Exploring the benefits of service-learning programs in promoting civic engagement among secondary school students
• The impact of educational policies on educational equity and access in secondary education
• Examining the effects of homework on academic achievement and student well-being in secondary education
• Investigating the effects of different assessment methods on student performance in secondary schools
• Examining the effects of single-sex education on academic performance and gender stereotypes in secondary schools
• The role of mentoring programs in supporting the transition from secondary to post-secondary education

Tertiary Education

• The role of student support services in promoting academic success and well-being in higher education
• The impact of internationalization initiatives on students’ intercultural competence and global perspectives in tertiary education
• Investigating the effects of active learning classrooms and learning spaces on student engagement and learning outcomes in tertiary education
• Exploring the benefits of service-learning experiences in fostering civic engagement and social responsibility in higher education
• The influence of learning communities and collaborative learning environments on student academic and social integration in higher education
• Exploring the benefits of undergraduate research experiences in fostering critical thinking and scientific inquiry skills
• Investigating the effects of academic advising and mentoring on student retention and degree completion in higher education
• The role of student engagement and involvement in co-curricular activities on holistic student development in higher education
• The impact of multicultural education on fostering cultural competence and diversity appreciation in higher education
• The role of internships and work-integrated learning experiences in enhancing students’ employability and career outcomes
• Examining the effects of assessment and feedback practices on student learning and academic achievement in tertiary education
• The influence of faculty professional development on instructional practices and student outcomes in tertiary education
• The influence of faculty-student relationships on student success and well-being in tertiary education
• The impact of college transition programs on students’ academic and social adjustment to higher education
• The impact of online learning platforms on student learning outcomes in higher education
• The impact of financial aid and scholarships on access and persistence in higher education
• The influence of student leadership and involvement in extracurricular activities on personal development and campus engagement
• Exploring the benefits of competency-based education in developing job-specific skills in tertiary students
• Examining the effects of flipped classroom models on student learning and retention in higher education
• Exploring the benefits of online collaboration and virtual team projects in developing teamwork skills in tertiary students
• Investigating the effects of diversity and inclusion initiatives on campus climate and student experiences in tertiary education
• The influence of study abroad programs on intercultural competence and global perspectives of college students
• Investigating the effects of peer mentoring and tutoring programs on student retention and academic performance in tertiary education
• Investigating the effectiveness of active learning strategies in promoting student engagement and achievement in tertiary education
• Investigating the effects of blended learning models and hybrid courses on student learning and satisfaction in higher education
• The role of digital literacy and information literacy skills in supporting student success in the digital age
• Investigating the effects of experiential learning opportunities on career readiness and employability of college students
• The impact of e-portfolios on student reflection, self-assessment, and showcasing of learning in higher education
• The role of technology in enhancing collaborative learning experiences in tertiary classrooms
• The impact of research opportunities on undergraduate student engagement and pursuit of advanced degrees
• Examining the effects of competency-based assessment on measuring student learning and achievement in tertiary education
• Examining the effects of interdisciplinary programs and courses on critical thinking and problem-solving skills in college students
• The role of inclusive education and accessibility in promoting equitable learning experiences for diverse student populations
• The role of career counseling and guidance in supporting students’ career decision-making in tertiary education
• The influence of faculty diversity and representation on student success and inclusive learning environments in higher education

Education-Related Dissertations & Theses

While the ideas we’ve presented above are a decent starting point for finding a research topic in education, they are fairly generic and non-specific. So, it helps to look at actual dissertations and theses in the education space to see how this all comes together in practice.

Below, we’ve included a selection of education-related research projects to help refine your thinking. These are actual dissertations and theses, written as part of Master’s and PhD-level programs, so they can provide some useful insight as to what a research topic looks like in practice.

• From Rural to Urban: Education Conditions of Migrant Children in China (Wang, 2019)
• Energy Renovation While Learning English: A Guidebook for Elementary ESL Teachers (Yang, 2019)
• A Reanalyses of Intercorrelational Matrices of Visual and Verbal Learners’ Abilities, Cognitive Styles, and Learning Preferences (Fox, 2020)
• A study of the elementary math program utilized by a mid-Missouri school district (Barabas, 2020)
• Instructor formative assessment practices in virtual learning environments : a posthumanist sociomaterial perspective (Burcks, 2019)
• Higher education students services: a qualitative study of two mid-size universities’ direct exchange programs (Kinde, 2020)
• Exploring editorial leadership : a qualitative study of scholastic journalism advisers teaching leadership in Missouri secondary schools (Lewis, 2020)
• Selling the virtual university: a multimodal discourse analysis of marketing for online learning (Ludwig, 2020)
• Advocacy and accountability in school counselling: assessing the use of data as related to professional self-efficacy (Matthews, 2020)
• The use of an application screening assessment as a predictor of teaching retention at a midwestern, K-12, public school district (Scarbrough, 2020)
• Core values driving sustained elite performance cultures (Beiner, 2020)
• Educative features of upper elementary Eureka math curriculum (Dwiggins, 2020)
• How female principals nurture adult learning opportunities in successful high schools with challenging student demographics (Woodward, 2020)
• The disproportionality of Black Males in Special Education: A Case Study Analysis of Educator Perceptions in a Southeastern Urban High School (McCrae, 2021)

As you can see, these research topics are a lot more focused than the generic topic ideas we presented earlier. So, in order for you to develop a high-quality research topic, you’ll need to get specific and laser-focused on a specific context with specific variables of interest.  In the video below, we explore some other important things you’ll need to consider when crafting your research topic.

Get 1-On-1 Help

If you’re still unsure about how to find a quality research topic within education, check out our Research Topic Kickstarter service, which is the perfect starting point for developing a unique, well-justified research topic.

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110+ Exceptional Education Research Topics Ideas

Topics for education research usually comprise school research topics, research problems in education, qualitative research topics in education, and concept paper topics about education to mention a few.

If you’re looking for research titles about education,  you’re reading the right post! This article contains 110 of the best education research topics that will come in handy when you need to choose one for your research. From sample research topics in education, to research titles examples for high school students about education – we have it all.

Educational Research Topics

Research title examples for college students, quantitative research titles about education, topics related to education for thesis, research titles about school issues, ph.d. research titles in education, elementary education research topics, research title examples about online class, research titles about modular learning, examples of research questions in education, special education research titles.

The best research titles about education must be done through the detailed process of exploring previous works and improving personal knowledge.

Here are some good research topics in education to consider.

What Are Good Research Topics Related to Education?

• The role of Covid-19 in reinvigorating online learning
• The growth of cognitive abilities through leisure experiences
• The merits of group study in education
• Merits and demerits of traditional learning methods
• The impact of homework on traditional and modern education
• Student underdevelopment as a result of larger class volumes
• Advantages of digital textbooks in learning
• The struggle of older generations in computer education
• The standards of learning  in the various academic levels
• Bullying and its effects on educational and mental health
• Exceptional education tutors: Is the need for higher pay justifiable?

The following examples of research titles about education for college students are ideal for a project that will take a long duration to complete. Here are some education topics for research that you can consider for your degree.

• Modern classroom difficulties of students and teachers
• Strategies to reform the learning difficulties within schools
• The rising cost of tuition and its burden on middle-class parents
• The concept of creativity among public schools and how it can be harnessed
• Major difficulties experienced in academic staff training
• Evaluating the learning cultures of college students
• Use of scientific development techniques in student learning
• Research of skill development in high school and college students
• Modern grading methods in underdeveloped institutions
• Dissertations and the difficulties surrounding their completion
• Integration of new gender categories in personalized learning

These research topics about education require a direct quantitative analysis and study of major ideas and arguments. They often contain general statistics and figures to back up regular research. Some of such research topics in education include:

• The relationship between poor education and increased academic fees
• Creating a social link between homeschool and traditional schoolgoers
• The relationship between teacher satisfaction and student performance
• The divide between public and private school performance
• The merits of parental involvement in students’ cognitive growth.
• A study on child welfare and its impact on educational development
• The relationship between academic performance and economic growth
• Urbanization in rural areas and its contribution to institutional growth
• The relationship between students and professors in dissertation writing
• The link between debt accumulation and student loans
• Boarding schools and regular schools: The role these two school types play in cognitive development

Educational-related topics used for a thesis normally require a wide aspect of study and enough educational materials.  Here are some education research topics you can use for write my thesis .

• The difficulties of bilingual education in private universities
• Homework and its impact on learning processes in college education
• Dissertation topic selection: Key aspects and research obligations
• Social media research topics and their educational functions
• A detailed educational review of student learning via virtual reality techniques
• Ethnicities in universities and their participation in group activities
• The modern approach to self-studying for college students
• Developing time management skills in modern education
• Guidelines for teacher development in advanced educational institutions
• The need for religious education in boarding schools
• A measure of cognitive development using digital learning methods

A research title about school issues focuses on activities surrounding the school environment and its effects on students, teachers, parents, and education in general. Below are some sample research titles in education, relating to school issues.

• Learning English in bilingual schools
• A study of teachers’ role as parent figures on school grounds
• Addressing the increased use of illegal substances and their effects in schools
• The benefits of after-class activities for foreign students
• Assessing student and teacher relationships
• A study of the best methods to implement safety rules in school
• Major obstacles in meeting school schedules using boarding students as a case study
• The need for counseling in public and private schools: Which is greater?
• Academic volunteering in understaffed public schools
• Modern techniques for curbing school violence among college students
• The advantages and disadvantages of teacher unions in schools

As you create your proposed list of research topics in education, consider scientific journals for referencing purposes. Here are some Ph.D. research titles for education.

• The modern methods of academic research writing
• The role of colleges in advanced mental care
• The merits and demerits of Ph.D. studies in Europe and Africa
• Interpersonal relationships between students and professors in advanced institutions
• A review of community colleges: merits and demerits
• Assessing racism in academic ethnic minorities
• The psychological changes of students in higher education
• The questionable standards of student loan provisions
• The merits of personalized teaching techniques in colleges
• The wage gap between private and public university teachers
• Teacher responsibilities in private universities versus public universities

The research topics in elementary education in 2023 are very different from the elementary education research topics from five or ten years ago. This creates interesting grounds for different research titles for elementary education.

Here are some elementary education title research ideas.

• Assessing quick computer literacy among elementary school pupils.
• The role of video games in childhood brain development
• Male vs female role models in early education periods
• The advantages of digital textbooks in elementary schools
• The impact of modern curriculums on elementary education
• Lack of proper school grooming is a cause of violence.
• Should elementary school children be taught about LGBTQ?
• A review of the need for sexual education in elementary schools
• The effects of emotional dependence in early childhood learners.
• The need for constant technology supervision of elementary school students
• Advantages of computer-guided education in elementary schools

Here are some research title examples for students taking online classes.

• The academic difficulties experienced by online students.
• A study of decreased attention in online classes
• The upsides and downsides of online education
• The rising fees of online and traditional education in universities
• A detailed study on the necessity of college internships
• The need to provide college scholarships based on environmental achievements
• How online education terminates university fraternities and sororities.
• The role of academic supervisors in career selection
• Why interactive assignments improved learning capabilities during the pandemic
• Merits of education in online learning environments
• Why online lessons are the least effective for some college students

The modular learning approach focuses primarily on learning outcomes. Here are some examples of research titles about modular learning.

• Modular learning and the role of teachers in its execution
• Teaching techniques of religious institutions
• Potential risks of accelerated learning
• Modular learning on students’ future performances
• The general overview of modular learning amongst students
• The modern Advantages and disadvantages of inclusive classes
• Observing student developments in modular learning
• Music therapy for fostering modular learning techniques
• The creation of a personalized curriculum for students.
• Applications of modular learning both in home-schooling?
• The benefits of modular learning towards creating a more holistic educational system

These research title examples about education answer important questions and they can also be argumentative essay topics .

Here are some titles of research about education questions.

• What impacts do learning approaches provide for students?
• How can schools manage their increasing gender differences?
• What fosters the provision of learning needs?
• What are the best educational recruitment methods?
• How can cognitive development improve education?
• How can you assess the moral growth of institutions?
• What are the primary causes of educational differences in geographical locations?
• How can institutions address increasing mental health needs?
• Why is early intervention essential in students with mental health setbacks?
• What are the characteristics of mental health deterioration among students?
• What techniques are acceptable in regulating the violence of students in institutions

Some of the research title examples about education include:

• How do schools create more personalized learning methods?
• Evaluating mental health setbacks during education
• The impact of modern technology on special education
• The cognitive improvements via specialized learning in dyslexic children
• The psychological link between dyslexia and bullying in high school
• Impact of social isolation in special education classes
• The difficulties in providing specialized learning environments
• A study of orphan students with disabilities and their aptitudes for learning
• How special classes improve the self-esteem of disabled students.
• How to use modern teaching techniques in unique learning environments.
• A study of the application of digital games to autistic learning

Final words about education research topics

We have provided some reliable examples of a research topic about education you can use for write my thesis . You can use these research titles in education to cultivate your ideas, create inspiration, or for online research. Remember always to select a topic that you’re naturally passionate about and do diligent research, and reach out to our professional writing services if you need any help.

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383 Exciting Education Research Topics

Education is vital to every person’s career and life success. People enrolled in higher education programs are 48% less likely to be incarcerated. Moreover, individuals with at least a Bachelor’s degree have the highest employment rates ( 86% ). Thus, investing time and effort in proper education is the best decision you can make in your young years.

Whether you’re interested in studying education or researching this subject for your classes, you will surely benefit from our detailed list of education research topics. Our experts have prepared research suggestions for students of all levels to aid you at every step of your education studies. Read on to find the best pick for your assignment.

• 🔝 Top-15 Research Titles about Education
• #️⃣ Quantitative Research Topics
• ️📋 Qualitative Research Topics
• 🎒 Titles about School Issues in 2024
• 🦼 Research Topics on Special Education
• 👶 Early Childhood Education
• 🧠 Educational Psychology
• 🧸 Child Development Topics
• 👩🏻‍💼 Educational Management Research Topics
• 📑 Dissertation Topics

🏫 Ideas of a Quantitative Research Title about School Problems

🔗 references, 🔝 top-15 research titles about education for 2024.

If you want to write a compelling paper, select an appropriate topic . You can find a unique research title about education in our list below and simplify your writing process.

• The role of education in eradicating poverty.
• The impact of technology on modern learning.
• The influence of social media on effective learning.
• A comparative analysis of student loans and debt accumulation.
• Effective approaches to student privacy and safety in schools.
• How does the school leadership experience shape a student’s personality?
• Evaluate the significance of assistive technology in special education.
• The role of parents in education.
• The importance of multicultural education.
• Homeschooling vs. regular schooling.
• The role of teachers as moral mediators.
• Approaches to prevent mental health issues among college students.
• The effectiveness of standardized tests in graduate schools.
• Should the government ban boarding schools?
• The importance of preschool education.

️#️⃣ 30 Quantitative Research Topics in Education

Quantitative research topics in education require extensive quantitative analysis and assessment of stats and figures. They involve doing calculations to support the research findings and hypotheses . The following are exciting topics on quantitative research you can use:

• The link between the e-learning environment and students’ social anxiety levels.
• Work hours and academic success relationship.
• The correlation between homeschooling and GPA.
• The effectiveness of parental involvement in child education: Statistical evidence.
• Motivation and learning relationship analysis.
• An analysis of the divide between tuition rates in private and public universities.
• The relationship between high tuition fees and poor education.
• Intervention strategies addressing six negative emotions.
• The connection between the national debt and student loans.
• Comparing students’ cognitive development scores in boarding and day schools.
• Formative assessments and raising attainment levels.
• The link between student well-being and teacher fulfillment.
• The correlation between students’ academic workload and mental wellness.
• Traditional or online education: which is better?
• The impact of socioeconomic status on academic performance.
• The link between urbanization and education development.
• The impact of school uniforms on school safety .
• The effects of teaching methods on student performance.
• A correlation between higher education attainment rates and unemployment rates.
• The race and class impact on academic performance.
• The impact of government policies on educational quality.
• The correlation between coding courses and a child’s cognitive development score.
• COVID-19 impact on student academic performance.
• Comparing the outcomes of data science programs for students of various specialties.
• The impact of student leadership on academic performance.
• Video games and their impact on students’ motivation.
• The link between social media use and psychological disorders’ incidence among students.
• The effects of students’ educational attainment on their post-graduation economic position.
• Time management: impact on the academic performance.
• The impact of educational field experiences on students’ career preparedness.

📋 30 Qualitative Research Topics in Education

Numerous issues in education need extensive research. Qualitative research is a way to gain an in-depth understanding of problems facing students and teachers. Below are qualitative research topics in education you can use for your academic project:

• Internet use among elementary school children.
• Educational challenges of students with autism.
• Teachers’ perspectives on the best learning strategies for autistic children.
• A case study of the significance of mental health education in schools.
• Inclusive classroom case study.
• The effects of learning conditions in developing countries.
• Early childhood educators’ perspectives on critical preschool classroom experiences.
• A case study examining why new teachers leave the profession.
• Students’ perceptions of their computer literacy skills.
• Coping strategies of schoolchildren’s parents from food-insecure households.
• Case study of a gifted student .
• High school students’ experiences of virtual learning.
• Students’ perceptions of lockdown browsers.
• Case study of learning disabilities: autism.
• The impact of alcoholism on student performance: A case study.
• A qualitative study of adult learners’ self-regulation in a digital learning environment.
• Human resources challenges in the higher education sphere.
• Academic leadership challenges in nursing schools.
• Students’ motivation to learn a rare foreign language.
• Challenges and barriers to equal opportunities in education.
• The role of teachers in improving learning for disabled children.
• Student loans: The effects on student career life.
• Korean Americans’ challenges in education.
• Teachers’ beliefs about their role in shaping the personalities of students.
• How to curb bullying in schools: Educators’ perspectives.
• Challenges and benefits of today’s student life.
• Remote learning: Advantages and disadvantages from students’ perspective.
• Interviews with teachers on the persistence of racism in schools.
• Learning challenges among people of color in public schools.
• Are students from lower social classes stigmatized in schools?

🎒 Research Titles about School Issues in 2024

Education research is vital in explaining and addressing fundamental issues affecting schools. It explores learning approaches, teaching practices , or educational changes after the pandemic. Choose your ideal research title about school issues from this list:

• The importance of standardized tests. Analyze the pros and cons of standardized tests and the consequences for students who fail the test.
• Government policy on education funding. Examine the flaws in the formula for financing schools and assess whether it is constitutional.
• Computer literacy in schools. Conduct a comparative assessment of effective methods to ensure all schools have enough resources to teach computer studies.
• Digital transformation in education. Analyze issues associated with online learning. Talk about the instructional tools that improve remote education.
• The effects of homeschooling. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of homeschooling and its cognitive impact on young children. Examine its sustainability in modern education.
• School safety in the 21st century. Explore the government policies on gun violence and approaches to prevent school shootings.
• Disciplinary policies in schools. Analyze the leading causes of suspensions and expulsions in schools. Examine the impact of reform policies on preventing undisciplined students’ transition into the juvenile system.
• The teaching of evolution. The is an ongoing debate about how to teach students about the origins of life. You can conduct a qualitative study examining parents’ or teachers’ attitudes toward this question.
• Student loans in higher education. Conduct a case study of students who are beneficiaries of student loans. Assess the effects of debt accumulation on their present careers.
• Bullying in schools. Study the causes and effects of bullying on students. Explore viable solutions to prevent bullying and discipline bullies.

🦼 53 Research Topics on Special Education

Special education is vital in modern society since many students have different disabilities and special needs. Teachers adopt accommodative practices to ensure total inclusivity for effective learning. Special education entails attending to students’ special needs using appropriate resources and accessible learning tools.

The following are research topics on special education to inspire your academic paper :

• Government policies on special education. Explore the policy frameworks and implementation guidelines that advocate special needs education. Talk about learning resources, accessibility, and transition rates to higher education and career life.
• Disabled children in early childhood education. Analyze the impact of special education on young children and determine strategies for effective teaching. Identify the challenges and possible solutions for enhancing seamless learning.
• The role of a school principal in improving special education. Discuss the approaches a principal can introduce to support disabled students. Talk about the instructions that teachers should adopt to guarantee inclusivity.
• Global impact of learning disabilities . Evaluate strategic approaches to special education in different countries. Analyze students’ responses to these methods and possible career paths in various countries.
• Coping mechanisms of special needs children. Investigate stress reactions and emotional security among children with disabilities. Explore methods that teachers can adopt to help students cope with new environments.
• The role of workshops on special educators’ mental wellness. Explore the causes and effects of stress and burnout on teachers in special education. Talk about acceptance and commitment therapy in alleviating depressive episodes.
• Social-emotional development in special education. Explain effective ways to promote social and emotional engagement of special needs children. Discuss parent and teacher training interventions and evaluate the results and implications for future research.
• Impact of technology on special education. Analyze the benefits of assistive technology in improving learning and give examples of tools used in special education. Talk about the barriers faced by special needs children, which result in learning exclusion.
• Discrimination and stigmatization. Conduct a case study of physically disabled children attending regular schools. Explore the psychological impact and trauma faced by special needs children. Present possible recommendations for better learning conditions.
• Effects of parenting style on special needs children. Analyze how different parenting styles can affect the behavior of special needs children. Explore a group of high school students with various disabilities.
• Behavioral issues in early childhood special education. Explore the influence of negative parent-child interactions on the behavior of children with disabilities. Discuss problem-solving models for correcting behavior and creating a positive learning environment.
• Patterns of language acquisition in children with disabilities. Compare language development in healthy and special needs children. Discuss the significance of communication skills in the early years and their effects on future learning.
• Social participation barriers. Compare the barriers to social participation in school faced by students with hearing and visual impairment. Talk about the assistive technologies that offer solutions and prevent social obstacles.
• Teaching strategies for special needs children. Analyze the effectiveness of various teaching approaches regarding their impact on the academic performance of special needs children.
• Disciplining students with disabilities. Explore appropriate methods of enforcing discipline among special needs students without raising controversies. Address the rights of students and ways of encouraging good behavior.

Here are other themes you can consider when writing on a special education topic:

• Discuss collaborative teaching strategies for special educators.
• Special education and teacher burnout.
• Speech-language therapists: The benefits of working in an inclusive environment.
• Discuss the challenges faced by special needs children.
• Special education disability categories.
• Why should special needs children learn in a special school, not a mainstream one?
• Effects of positive social interactions on children with disabilities.
• Teaching strategies for pupils with special educational needs.
• How to prevent bullying of special children?
• Analyze the history of early childhood education for special needs children.
• The inclusion of learners with special educational needs.
• Should the government make special education free for all students?
• The role of parents in instilling self-confidence in their children with disabilities.
• Exceptional children: introduction to special education.
• Why do students with autism face bullying more often than regular students?
• Should teachers be trained in handling special needs children?
• Field experience report and reflection: special education.
• Discuss effective teaching practices in special schools.
• Inclusive learning environment: Does it hinder or promote academic performance?
• Learning disability: special education strategies.
• Government policies on special education.
• A comparative analysis of special education in different countries.
• American special education and early intervention.
• Why are parents of children with disabilities prone to stress?
• Standardized tests for evaluating special needs children in early childhood education.
• Technology integration in special education.
• How to identify gifted children with different disabilities?
• An analysis of education equality for children with disabilities.
• The effect of training employees to work with special education children.
• The effects of teachers’ attitudes on students with dyslexia.
• Special needs children should have equal access to education.
• Special education: parent–professional collaboration.
• Is distance learning effective in special education?
• Evaluate digital literacy in special schools.
• Teacher leadership in special education.
• The importance of peer support in special education.
• Discuss strategies to motivate and retain special educators.
• Autism spectrum disorder and special education issues.

👶 53 Research Topics for Early Childhood Education

Early childhood education is a vital phase that sets the proper academic foundation for students. The early years of a child are essential since education provides a base for future learning abilities and social development .

Below are research topics for early childhood education to inspire your thesis:

• Child development stages . Compare different theories of child development. Analyze the role of the environment and genetics or explain the changes that occur from conception until a child is fully developed.
• The role of parents in early childhood education. Explore parents’ contribution to a child’s cognitive development and behavioral patterns . Discuss the importance of consistent communication with children for their proper development.
• The significance of field activities in preschool. Evaluate the effects of singing, dancing, drawing, painting, and physical exercise on cognitive development. Discuss the teachers’ attitudes toward child performance.
• The history of early childhood theorists. Assess the contribution of Maria Montessori to early childhood education. Describe her approach and explain why multi-sensory learning is essential.
• Computer literacy in young learners. Explore the reasons for introducing computer lessons in preschools. Discuss why young learners need to embrace technology but with strict limitations. Talk about the pros and cons of screen time for young children.
• Development of cognitive abilities in the early years. Analyze how children acquire knowledge, develop skills, and learn to solve problems. You can also focus on the brain development in the early years.
• The importance of play in child development. Explain how playing stimulates the brain and encourages social and emotional development. Give examples of child play and toys and discuss their impact.
• Early detection of special needs children. Explain how preschool educators can detect signs of learning disabilities. Talk about the symptoms of autism, ADHD, and other conditions affecting young learners.
• Teaching strategies in early childhood education. Explore the different teaching approaches used by educators for effective learning. Discuss play-based , inquiry, direct instruction, and project methods and assess their impact on young learners.
• Diversity in preschool. Compare opportunities to learn about cultural differences in homeschooling and regular schooling. Highlight the benefits of diversity for a child’s cognitive development.
• Child trauma. Explain how educators are trained to detect trauma in preschool kids. Talk about the signs of traumatic stress and its impact on a child’s development.
• Legal regulations in early childhood education. Explore the objective of public regulation of education. Discuss children’s rights to education and the regulatory bodies that ensure their protection.
• Contribution of Friedrich Froebel. Explore Froebel’s advocacy of an activity-based approach to early childhood education. Talk about the importance of creative and structured learning for developing minds.
• Effects of social interaction. Discuss the significance of socializing on a child’s cognitive development. Explain why educators should incorporate social activities in preschool to boost a child’s confidence.
• Importance of childcare centers. Evaluate their significance in developing emotional, social, and communication skills. Talk about the safety and health of children in preschool.

Here are some more exciting topics about early childhood education:

• The significance of physical books for preschool children.
• Best practices in early childhood education .
• The effects of divorce on the cognitive development of a preschool child.
• The influence of parents on young children’s moral development .
• Interview with an early childhood professional .
• Teachers’ attitudes toward children with ADHD in preschool.
• Effects of technology in an early childhood class.
• Impact of early childhood experience on the development of the personality .
• The significance of kindergarten in children’s development.
• How does unlimited screen time affect a child’s brain?
• Arts and play in early childhood development .
• Discuss the environmental factors that influence a child’s development.
• What is the observational strategy in early childhood training?
• Early childhood education: leadership and management.
• Significance of outdoor play in kindergarten learners.
• The role of vision therapy in young autistic children.
• Teaching philosophy in early childhood development.
• The influence of video games on young children’s learning outcomes.
• Discuss Vygotsky’s theory of socio-cultural learning.
• Early childhood profession in Australia.
• An analysis of the practical implications of early childhood learning.
• Discuss the objectives of international agreements on early childhood education.
• Environment in early childhood education.
• The barriers and challenges hindering young children’s effective learning.
• Genetic influences on a child’s behavior.
• Curricular issues in early childhood education.
• The significance of play in enhancing social skills.
• How does storytelling improve cognitive development?
• Early childhood safety considerations.
• Does early childhood development affect an individual’s personality?
• The effect of green classroom environment on young children.
• Early childhood education standards and practices.
• The role of diet on child development.
• The influence of culture on a child’s behavior.
• Overcoming stereotypes in early childhood education.
• The impact of bullying on young children.
• Emotional development in early childhood education.
• Stress in early childhood education.

🧠 53 Educational Psychology Research Topics

Educational psychology studies human learning processes, such as memory, conceptual understanding, and social-emotional skills. It covers both cognitive and behavioral aspects. Below are interesting educational psychology research topics to inspire your academic project:

• History of educational psychology. Explore the origin of educational psychology and the contributions made by its founders. Discuss the formal learning steps according to Johann Herbart.
• Young learners vs. adult learners. Explain the difference between learning as a child and an adult. Describe the challenges encountered and problem-solving skills demonstrated by children and adults in different situations.
• Significance of inspirational teaching. Explore the gender differences in teaching strategies. Discuss the pros and cons of incorporating emotions when teaching. Present the findings and implications for student performance.
• Emotion-based learning. Conduct a comparative study among autistic children and regular children in preschool. Explain how emotion-based teaching influences cognitive development and corrects learning impairments in autistic children.
• Importance of discipline models. Construct a case study of high-school students engaging in extra-curricular activities. Establish a connection between discipline models and high achievements. Talk about the psychological impact of a strict routine on shaping an individual’s personality.
• Effects of language challenges. Explore how language impacts the learning abilities of young children and how it may affect a student’s personality and performance later.
• Philosophers of education. Present a comparative evaluation of the history of education philosophers. Talk about the approaches of Juan Vives, Johann Herbart, and Johann Pestalozzi and their contribution to educational psychology.
• Impact of culture on education. Explore how culture can strongly influence an individual’s perception of education. Discuss the positive and negative aspects of culture from modern and historical angles.
• Educational psychology in rural schools. Evaluate the ethical, professional, and legal frameworks of education in rural contexts. Talk about the challenges faced by educators in rural areas.
• Effects of motivation on student performance. Explain the importance of motivation in students. You can focus on high-school learners and assess the effectiveness of a particular system of rewards for good performance.
• Language and literacy in education. Identify and define language issues during early years and the implications for future achievements. Talk about reading and language barriers affecting young children.
• Bell curve approach. Explore the fairness of the bell curve system of grading. Discuss the history of this method and its pros and cons. Explain its educational relevance and role in motivating students.
• Positive psychology in education. Evaluate the role of positive psychology in encouraging student performance. Analyze how schools can integrate mental health education into teaching achievement and accomplishment.
• Stress management techniques. Suggest the best approach to managing academic stress and preventing depression among students. Talk about the leading causes and effects of stress among college students and effective coping techniques.
• Impact of peer pressure. Explain the upsides and downsides of peer groups in school-going children. Discuss the effects of peer pressure on the moral conduct of students.

Here are some more examples of educational psychology topics for your research writing:

• The importance of educational psychology.
• Educational psychology: theory and practice .
• How does a child’s brain develop during learning?
• The risk factors and outcomes of bullying.
• Educational psychology: changing students’ behavior .
• The significance of peer interaction in adolescents.
• Effects of substance abuse on student performance.
• Using educational psychology in teaching.
• The influence of cartoons on a child’s mental state.
• Discuss teenage rebellion against parents.
• Reinforcers in classrooms: educational psychology in teaching.
• The relationship between speech disorders and cognitive development.
• An analysis of psychological theories in education.
• Educational psychology: behaviorism.
• The impact of media violence on child development.
• Explore the trends in educational psychology.
• School facilities in educational psychology.
• The effect of gender stereotyping in schools.
• Autism spectrum : the perspectives of parents and teachers.
• Psychology of learning and memory .
• The influence of the authoritarian parenting style on student performance.
• The impact of single parenting on children’s cognitive development.
• Cognitive learning and IQ tests .
• Discuss major challenges in mathematical thinking.
• An analysis of social-emotional development in children.
• Pathways of adult learning.
• The influence of modern technology on educational psychology.
• The importance of critical thinking in learners.
• Learning styles and their importance .
• Should schools teach moral behavior?
• A comparative study of psychological disorders.
• Anxiety causes and effects on language learning.
• Leading causes of mental health issues among students.
• The significance of professional educators.
• Student motivation and ways to enhance it.
• Discipline approaches for moral development.
• The mechanism of character development in young children.
• Learning and memory relations.

🧸 53 Child Development Topics to Explore

Child development is an important field of study since it investigates the changes a person undergoes from conception to adolescence. Finding a unique topic on child development may be challenging. We offer a comprehensive list of child development topics to simplify your research project:

• Child development theories. Explore significant theories and their importance in explaining children’s social and emotional development. For example, talk about the contributions of Jean Piaget to understanding children’s cognition.
• The significance of social interaction. Evaluate the importance of socialization in a child’s behavior. Present the outcomes of interacting with peers and its influence on a child’s personality.
• Mental health in early childhood development. Explain why mental health is often overlooked in young children. Discuss the signs of psychological problems in children.
• Jean Piaget’s perspective on child development. Explore the history of Piaget’s philosophy and the importance of child psychology in the modern world. Talk about the relevance of each developmental stage.
• Early childhood personality. Study personality development at a young age. Discuss how childhood shapes an individual’s personality throughout their life.
• The impact of gender roles in child development. Explore what part parents and educators play in teaching children about gender roles. Discuss the possible effects of learning gender roles on shaping a child’s perception and actions as an adult.
• The significance of the environment. Explain the role of the environment in developing the human mind during childhood. Consider such environmental factors as friends, housing, climate, and access to basic needs.
• Communication skills in language development. Explain the importance of consistent communication with a child from conception to the early years. Talk about parent-child bonding through communication and how it influences language development.
• The influence of culture on child development. Conduct a comprehensive study of how cultural differences impact a child’s development. Talk about the cultural norms that children are trained to accept as they grow from infancy to adulthood.
• Importance of child observation . Explain why observing a child during the early years is crucial to identify issues in achieving developmental milestones. Discuss the role of parents and educators in child development.
• Attachment theory by John Bowlby. Explore the attachment theory and why interpersonal relationships are essential among humans. Talk about the significance of an emotional bond between a child and a parent to facilitate normal development.
• Erickson’s stages of development. Analyze the eight phases of human development. Discuss the importance of each stage and how it affects an individual’s future behavior and personality.
• Asynchronous development. Explore the challenges of asynchronous development to parents, educators, and the child. Talk about the possible causes and effects of asynchronous development.
• Child research methods. Conduct a comparative analysis of infant research methods. Discuss the key challenges when studying infants. Talk about such approaches as eye tracking, the sucking technique, or brain imaging technology.
• Ethical considerations in child research. Explore the ethical dilemmas when conducting studies on children. Describe the verbal and non-verbal indicators that researchers can use as a child’s consent to participation.

Here are more exciting topics on child development:

• Discuss Piaget’s theory of child development.
• Child development from birth to three wears and the role of adults.
• Importance of play in improving gross motor skills .
• Why do parents need to understand child development theories?
• Attachment and its role in child development.
• The role of music in increasing focus in children.
• Discuss the five steps of cognitive development.
• Child development and education: physical exercise.
• Ego formation in a child.
• Discuss positive parenting styles.
• Cognitive domain of child development: activity plan.
• Effects of food insecurity on child development.
• Explore Vygotsky’s social-cultural theory.
• Gifted students: child development.
• Child development: The role of a mother .
• Importance of language stimulation in young children.
• Physical education: impact on child development .
• Significance of movement in child development.
• An analysis of effective parenting styles.
• Child development theories .
• The influence of genetics on child development.
• The role of a balanced diet in child development.
• Educative toys’ role in child development .
• Why are children more creative than adults?
• The importance of pretend-play on development.
• Connection between screen time and child development .
• Discuss social development theory in relation to children.
• A comparative analysis of Vygotsky’s and Piaget’s theories.
• Child development: ages one through three.
• Discuss the impact of literate communities on child development.
• How can parents deal with stress in children and teenagers?
• Child development and environmental influences .
• The environmental influences on a child’s behavior.
• Pros and cons of imaginary friends.
• The impact of dyslexia on child development .
• Effective approaches in language development.
• The role of books in child development.
• Child development during the COVID-19 pandemic .

👩🏻‍💼 53 Educational Management Research Topics

Educational management is a collection of various components of education. Research topics cover multiple concepts ranging from administrative to financial aspects of education. Here are inspiring educational management research topics for your perusal:

• Higher education leadership. Explore the qualifications of higher education leaders in developed countries. Discuss their implications for pursuing a career in educational management.
• A review of the educational ecosystem. Explore the governing bodies in education. Talk about the government ministries, statutory bodies, principals, administrative personnel, educators, and non-teaching staff. Explain why management is vital at all levels.
• Significance of extra-curricular activities. Explore the role of co-curricular activities in maintaining a holistic education approach. Discuss the types of activities and their benefits for student performance.
• Curriculum planning. Explore the strategies used in curriculum planning and the factors affecting its development, evaluation, and implementation. Discuss the three stages involved in this process.
• Friedrich Frobel’s approach to curriculum development. Explore the key educational components at the preschool level and describe the forms of knowledge. Explain Frobel’s focus on life, knowledge, and beauty.
• The impact of technology. Explore the significance of technology in education management. Investigate such issues as budget limitations, data security concerns, and poor network infrastructure.
• Importance of financial policies in schools. Explain how economic policies offer administrative support to ensure seamless operations. Talk about the revenue streams, school funds, government subsidies, grants, and allowances.
• Health and physical development. Explain why institutions need a health and physical education department. Talk about healthy living and the importance of exercise.
• Significance of human resources. Discuss the role of the HR department in educational institutions. Present the benefits of specific organizational structures and operational policies in ensuring smooth functioning.
• The objectives of educators. Explore the strategies for planning and implementing lessons. Talk about the importance of pedagogical practices in educational management. Discuss the effects of the classroom-management approach.
• National examples of educational management. Conduct a comparative study on Australia, Finland, and Singapore. Discuss the school structure, curriculum, and government policies and involvement.
• Parents’ perception of educational administrative policies. Discuss the parents’ attitudes toward policies from preschool to the university level. Explore both private and public institutions.
• The goals of education ministries. Explore the objectives of the education ministry, such as designing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating educational legislation. Discuss the leadership roles in ensuring smooth operations of learning institutions.
• Challenges of educators. Explore the leadership styles of educators in high school. Talk about the discipline strategies for dealing with rebellious teenagers and cases of indiscipline.
• Special education. Analyze the features of education management in special schools. Discuss the process of developing individual education plans and dealing with special education issues, such as budgeting or parent education.

Here are some more engaging topics in educational management you can check out to get inspiration:

• Discuss the critical issues of classroom management.
• Why is the UK education system successful?
• Effects of guidance on student performance.
• The effectiveness of standardized tests for measuring student performance.
• Corruption in the education sector: Democratic Republic of Congo.
• The features of managing distance learning systems.
• The role of a principal in school functioning.
• The financial issues in the secondary education area in the US.
• The relationship between a principal’s leadership style and teachers’ satisfaction.
• The link between classroom management and student behavior.
• School principals as agents of change.
• Effects on instructional-based learning on academic performance.
• An analysis of interactive teaching methods.
• School-community partnership and its benefits .
• The influence of government policies in educational administration.
• Discuss educational leadership in the digital age.
• Program quality assessment: teaching and learning.
• The role of educators in moral discipline.
• The impact of a poor educational system.
• The lack of sex education in the Thai educational system.
• An analysis of Montessori education.
• Importance of curriculum planning.
• Teachers’ certification: is it necessary?
• The effects of progressive education.
• The influence of the environment on academic performance.
• How can a principal improve the quality of special education?
• Discuss the impact of teacher motivation.
• Does strict school supervision translate to high academic performance?
• Effectiveness of educational leadership management skills.
• Can poor management of schools result in increased student indiscipline?
• The influence of good administrative leadership in education.
• Educational leadership and instruction differentiation.
• Factors preventing effective school management.
• Explore biases in educational administration.
• The use of standardized tests in college admissions.
• The link between academic performance and school accountability.
• Gender equality in educational management.
• Financial issues facing US higher education.

📑 15 Dissertation Topics in Education

Dissertation research is more complex than usual research for college or university assignments. It requires more originality and extends over a longer period. Here are some dissertation topics in education you can consider for your forthcoming dissertation project:

• Examine the impact of COVID-19 social isolation on students of your university.
• Social media impact on English language learning.
• Cross-cultural communication and conflict management at your chosen online study course.
• Principals’ concerns and attitudes toward social distancing policies in Texas schools.
• Formative assessment: impact on student achievement.
• A case study of children’s first and second language use in play-based interactions in a private kindergarten.
• The impact of present-day economic pressures on the K-12 curriculum development in the US: Teachers’ and policymakers’ perspectives.
• How does inclusion impact autistic children?
• Collaborative inquiry and video documentation to facilitate school teachers’ critical thinking competencies: Analysis of the INSIGHT project at a public school .
• Using computer-based reading interventions for at-risk preschoolers: Teachers’ perspectives.
• Homeschooling and its impact on learners .
• Relationship between the Math assessment method and student self-esteem.
• Parents’ attitudes toward the use of technology in elementary school.
• Impact of classroom technology on learner attitudes.
• Impact of teacher training on student attainment: An EU study.
• The link between homework load and student stress levels.
• How common are shootings in American schools?
• The impact of classroom size on academic performance in elementary schools.
• The relationship between school safety measures and student psychological well-being.
• How effective is an inclusive school environment in fostering better academic outcomes?
• The impact of socioeconomic factors on school dropout rates.
• What is the role of school policies in addressing cyberbullying among students?
• The influence of socioeconomic aspects on the quality of education in public schools.
• How prevalent is bullying in public schools?
• The influence of standardized testing on student success.
• How important is parent involvement in the learning process?
• The effect of extracurricular overload on student anxiety development.
• How does peer pressure affect student decision-making?
• The influence of inclusive education on the performance of students with learning disabilities.
• How can AI technology in education engage students in more active learning?
• The link between socioeconomic background and access to educational resources.
• The impact of government funding on the education system.
• How limited is access to mental health support in high schools?

Now that you have a comprehensive list of educational research topics of all complexity levels, you can easily ace any assignment for your Pedagogy course. Don’t hesitate to share this article with your peers and post a commentary if any topic has been helpful to you.

❓ Education Research Topics FAQ

What are some good research topics in education.

Well-chosen topics for educational research should be carefully scoped and relevant to your academic level and context. It’s vital to cover hot issues by linking theory and practice, thus ensuring that your study is valuable and related to present-day education.

What is an example of educational research?

Educational research covers many subjects and subdisciplines, so you may focus on any area important to you. It may be a special education class where you can approach teachers or observe students with special needs . Or it can be educational leadership research, where you will search for new, efficient ways of school administration for principals.

What topics should be addressed in sex education?

Sex education is a pressing issue in many schools worldwide, as teenage pregnancy rates are increasing. You may approach this subject by examining the attitudes to sex education among parents with different religious affiliations. Or you can compare the rates of teenage abortion and pregnancies in states with and without sex education in the formal curriculum.

What is action research in education?

Action research is a combination of practice and research in one endeavor. You should first study theory, develop an assumption that can be applied in practice, and then implement that method in your educational setting. After the intervention, you measure the outcomes and present findings in your research paper, thus concluding whether your assumption was valid.

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• Educational Psychology and Research | University of South Carolina
• 5 Big Challenges for Schools in 2023 | EducationWeek
• Quantitative Methods in Education | University of Minnesota
• Qualitative vs. Quantitative Research | American University

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725 research proposal topics & title ideas in education, psychology, business, & more.

193 Education Research Topics & Ideas

Developing healthcare, engineering, and IT is undoubtedly useful. However, the professionals in these areas do not grow on their own. The education system is the birthplace of all the science geniuses who change our world.

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If you’re looking for a research title about education, you’re in the right place! This article contains 193 best education research topics that Custom-writing.org experts have prepared for you.  

School issues, educational management, special education, child development, and even the new normal education in this pandemic – everything is collected here!

No matter if you’re a high school, an undergraduate, or a graduate college student, this list of research topics in education will be helpful. Find the perfect idea for your paper, discussion, presentation, or even a dissertation below.

• 🔝 Top 10 Topics
• 👓 How to Choose a Topic

🎓 Education Research Topics List

• 🚌 Special Education
• 👶 Child Development

🔍 References

🔝 research topics in education 2024.

• The future of didactics
• Teaching digital literacy
• What is “learning loss”?
• Augmented reality in the classroom
• Real-time performance data in education
• Cognitive science and learning environments
• Ways of monitoring students’ mental health
• Girls’ education and empowerment
• Mental effects of distance learning
• Online teacher-parent communication
• Distant education in the era of COVID-19 pandemic
• The role of technology in distant learning
• Student-student communication in distance education

👓 How to Choose an Education Research Topic?

If you have decided to start working on an educational research, you can definitely benefit from the following list of tips on how to choose a topic. It is the first writing step on your way to the successful paper.

• Review your previous works. Take a look at the essays and research projects you finished earlier. You may have mentioned an issue there that would be worth a more detailed examination.
• Stay informed about the latest updates in education. You might find some government reports saying about their plan of action. It is an excellent source of the most relevant topics that need to be developed in the nearest future.

• “Go out into the field.” If you don’t work in the area of education, it can be beneficial to visit some schools and colleges. Seeing how all the methods are applied in real life gives some food for thought.
• Dig into literature. You might as well get inspired by reading some acknowledged authors’ works.
• Check out international practices. Don’t be afraid to go out of the limits of the national education system. There are thousands of new approaches applied in different areas of education.

Try at least one of the suggested tips if you feel stuck. Be creative while working on your paper! Use our great collection of funny quotes about education . And keep in mind that we’ve also prepared some speech and research proposal ideas on education.

Just in 1 hour! We will write you a plagiarism-free paper in hardly more than 1 hour

We made a list of educational research topics to make your life easier and save your time! There are 113 great ideas about which way you can start moving:

• Early childhood education : learning through play. We already discussed the importance of education in the development of our society. You see, the personality and mindset of a person are developed in the first years of their lives. Early childhood education is the foundation for the rest of the child’s life.
• Evaluation of the ability grouping method effectiveness. Ability grouping is creating groups of pupils with the same abilities, unlike the more popular age grouping strategy. However, there might be some challenges. For instance, the group should be rearranged if one child starts developing faster. You can research its effectiveness.
• How does the blended learning approach affect students’ performance? Blended learning has been getting more and more popular recently. It is a modern learning approach that combines traditional classes with online materials. It requires strong management skills from students but gives more opportunities in the age of technologies.
• Growing classes: do learning outcomes suffer from it? It looks like there are fewer and fewer professionals willing to teach at schools. But the demand is growing, which results in bigger classes. Teachers can’t possibly split and attend to each and every student with the same level of individual approach. So how does it affect students’ performance ?
• The trends in computer literacy. Nowadays, no one is surprised by a toddler using a tablet or a smartphone without any trouble. Technologies are also incorporated into the learning process. You may write on it with an argumentative approach or see what trends there are and compare them.

• How to recognize which learning style a student needs? There are four learning styles based on different ways students perceive information. For some, it is easier to visualize information; for others, it is all about reading. Look into how schools apply this knowledge, how the best teachers find individual approaches, or how can a study styles quiz help in determining the best educational strategy.
• Should all teachers receive merit pay ? Let’s talk about finances now! Being a teacher is an essential but sometimes tough job. Most teachers overwork and don’t even have weekends. However, they would still receive a standard paycheck. Is it fair? Or should they be paid according to their performance ?
• Standardized testing as a fair judging system. Standardized tests were created to evaluate the performance of the students in all the schools around the country. However, how effective are they? Are the quality of education and budgeting the same in all schools? Many aspects should be taken into consideration.
• From homeschooling to successful careers: an overview. There are many reasons why mothers would prefer homeschooling to public education. However, only one thing matters – its effectiveness. If you know anyone who was studying at home, take this chance to analyze how it affected their current life. It is one of the experimental research topics in education.
• How do children benefit from bilingual education? At the times of globalization, this question is undoubtedly relevant. There are more and more advocates for bilingual education. Studies have shown that kids who study in two or more languages have better cognitive abilities and overall academic achievement.
• Single-sex education vs. mixed-sex education. The division started to honor traditions and religion. You might think that it is in the past… But, today, there are still plenty of separate schools for boys and girls. There are many debates on this issue and an excellent chance to research it from the scientific point of view.
• Where is the line for parental involvement ? It is easily one of the best education research topics. Maybe it is too biased for a thesis but could be excellent as a research paper for majors like psychology and communication. Parental involvement is undoubtedly essential, but is there a limit? Parents sometimes overdo it!
• Boarding schools: advantages & disadvantages. Sometimes parents send their kids to the boarding schools to get rid of them. But often they underestimate the stress that students go under there. Spending all their time on the school premises, even at the weekend. It can be psychologically exhausting.
• How should a proper sex education program look like? Let’s leave the Netflix show aside, though… In real life, it is much less dramatic. But just as important! In many schools, there is a lack of sex ed classes. And even if there are some, they don’t seem to be working… However, this topic is vital for youth health and is worth researching.
• Reforming the school schedule: the most efficient solution. This education research topic list would not be complete without this highlighting this issue. There is no way to satisfy all students’ needs regarding the schedule. But that is what compromises for! Maybe your research can become the next universal solution.
• How can career counseling support high school students? Career counseling might be a good investment for schools. Counselors analyze students’ unique abilities and skills based on the scores as well as their passions. It is also a great chance for students to evaluate their real prospects for a specific career path.
• The benefits of the flipped classroom approach. The flipped classroom approach is kinda a type of blended learning. Students are asked to learn the new material at home. When they get to school, they work through it with a teacher and create discussion groups. But does it really work?
• How does Race to the Top program affect students’ outcomes? Race to the Top is an initiative that helps to reform the education system by giving grants to states. It provides multiple opportunities, such as creating data systems and organizing training for teachers. However, it met a wave of criticism.
• The new solutions to prevent violence at schools . Education is good, but children can be mean to each other. Whenever kids get together, there are always fights. It is hard even dealing with and preventing sounds impossible. But you only need to study some cases of educational institutions in countries like Sweden.
• Why should teachers join teacher unions? Teacher unions are organizations that connect professionals who want to stand for their rights. It may be extremely beneficial if a teacher seeks legal advice. But is it the only advantage of joining the union? You can elaborate on this topic, which is relevant at all times.
• Adapted physical education vs. usual physical education
• Is busing still relevant, and should it be stopped?
• How to avoid plagiarism?
• Charter schools vs. public schools: compare & contrast
• Online courses interaction: types and effects
• The inclusivity in charter schools
• High school students and vocational education
• Should collaborative learning be applied more in high school?
• Comparing education in USA and in Saudi Arabia
• Do Common Core State Standards succeed in preparing students for college ?
• Evidence-based model and solving problems with school funding
• Why is computer-assisted instruction also necessary for non-IT students?
• Personal lecture results
• Data-based decision making in assessment
• The role of teachers and parents in the discipline : compare & contrast
• Education: qualitative research study roles
• Should time management be taught in schools?
• Education: peer evaluation system
• Do dual enrollment programs put more pressure on high school students?
• College student life: participation, perceptions and satisfaction
• DACA and DREAM act : compare & contrast
• Impacts of teaching detective stories to esl students
• Can Kalamazoo Promise initiative be applied in other states?
• Liberal arts: Otis College of Arts and Design
• Using Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences to create a new learning approach
• Where and how sex education should be conducted among the young people?
• Where is the limit of self-improvement: the case of the No Child Left Behind Act ?
• Homeschooling: argumentation for and against
• School sex education and teenage pregnancy in the United States
• The effect of outcomes-based education on children’s mental health
• Education: financial aid for college students
• The benefits of peer-counseling
• Learning methods: online learning
• School uniform in learning institutions
• Improving oral reading skills to enhance reading comprehension
• The root causes of plagiarism in high school
• Religion in schools: is there a place for it? Pros and cons
• Are plagiarism and dishonesty in childhood connected?
• Should a school choice be a usual practice?
• Education issues: differentiation and technology
• The best school-to-career programs in the country: an overview
• The concept of lifelong learning
• Studying abroad: pros and cons
• Is there still a need for school-to-career programs?
• Addressing bullying in elementary and middle school classrooms
• What is STEM lacking?
• STEAM vs. STEM: compare & contrast
• Peer evaluation system in education
• The ways of integrating technology into the classroom
• College education: arguments for and against
• How to prevent students from being distracted by smartphones ?
• Continuing nursing education: a 3-5 year plan
• Psychology of the high school: why do students become bullies ?
• Adult education: reasons to continue studying
• How to prevent cyberbullying among teenagers?
• Flipped classroom in nursing schools
• Do virtual classrooms lack a personal connection between students and teachers?
• Classroom management and techniques to incorporate in student’s reinforcement plan
• Will virtual classrooms substitute real-life classes in the future?
• Children’s bullying in school
• Is the whole brain teaching method effective for college students?
• Gamification in education practice
• Uniforms : killing individuality or improving discipline?

• Perceptions about relationships around schooling
• Does the zero-tolerance policy violate the law?
• Academic dishonesty and its detrimental effects
• Online education and e-learning: potential and benefits
• The approaches to emotional development in early childhood education
• Understanding student’s professionalism
• Importance of sex education
• Sex education curricula as the factor that reduced the number of pregnancies in Fayette and Shelby counties
• School communication
• Encouraging students in reading and literacy
• The correct ways to minimize plagiarism and cheating
• The role of textbooks in education
• Why do college students drop out of school?
• Social skills vs. general knowledge: what is more important in early childhood education?
• Distance learning and social change
• A school without homework: a case study
• The role of history learning in society
• Public vs. private schools : what affects academic achievement?
• The impact of education on life quality
• Educational experiences and significant career goals
• The most advanced best practices in adult ESL instruction
• College entrance exams in the US and China: the competitiveness
• Information technologies & online learning
• An information overload: what are high school students’ limits?
• The impact of education on life qualityEducation: Internet courses versus traditional courses
• Multicultural education : how does it promote a positive attitude?
• Course evaluation methods
• Critical thinking in education
• Criterion and norm-referenced tests in education

🚌 Special Education Research Topics & Ideas

Special education makes it possible for students with special needs to receive all the individual support they require. There are plenty of interesting special education research topics you can choose from:

• Practical approaches to teaching students with an auditory processing disorder. The percentage of children diagnosed with an auditory processing disorder (APD) is rising. Despite the difficulty in diagnosing, there is believed to be at least 5% of students having this learning disorder. It doesn’t affect the hearing itself but makes it hard for children to process what they hear.
• Music therapy for children on the autism spectrum : what instruments are the most effective? Children on the autism spectrum find it difficult to interact socially. Some studies show that music therapy helps them become more flexible and responsive. In turn, it promotes the development of their social skills. For example, the didgeridoo playing showed significant results.
• Karaoke as a way to help children with learning disorders. Kids with learning disabilities need special care. It is one of the research paper topics on education which can bring a brilliant solution! It has been shown that children with learning disorders did much better in reading tests after doing karaoke-based exercises.

• How does peer support help children with disabilities socialize in the classroom? We have already mentioned a topic related to peer review, which is quite a good one for the thesis. Here, you can study how peers can help their classmates with special needs. It is especially relevant for schools with inclusivity policies.
• Cooperative learning & students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder . Cooperative learning is vital in early childhood. Most schools choose this approach because of its apparent benefits. However, kids with ADHD might see it as a real challenge. Look into the best ways to engage them in cooperative learning activities without harm.
• Social skills: the best time for children with EBD to learn them. It is one of the research topics in social studies education. Secondary school becomes a tough period for students with emotional and behavioral disorders. It is the time when social skills training is as relevant for them as never before. However, what is the best time to start SST?
• How to develop self-determination in children with disabilities? Self-determination is one of the most vital components of growing up. Every independent human being needs to have it developed. But what about children with special needs? Since they rely heavily on support, it is the educators’ responsibility to help them build self-determination.
• What are the negative sides of the response to intervention approach? Response to intervention is not a new method. However, it has appeared to be controversial. It not only focuses on children with special needs but on every student who struggles to achieve a specific level. Some evaluations show its ineffectiveness, though.
• Inclusive classes vs. special education. It is one of the most relevant child development research paper topics. Special education classes were created out of fear that students with learning disabilities cannot reach the same level of academic achievement in usual courses. However, it seems that the performance is the same in both approaches.
• How does grade retention affect children with learning disabilities ? Even frequent testing can be a stress for any student. How do children with learning disorders feel then? What’s more, they are put under more pressure if they need to repeat the year? Therefore, some particular approaches need to be applied to prevent it.
• Why should students with learning disabilities be included in the Adequate Yearly Progress evaluation?
• Is a foreign language learning disability a real thing?
• Learning disabilities: when is a child’s communication considered delayed?
• Are students more engaged in self-directed IEP classes?
• Teaching communication skills for students with autism
• Zero-tolerance policy & students with special needs
• Assessing students with learning problems
• Strategies for addressing individual needs in special education
• How effective is the Reading Recovery program?
• Inquiry in the field of education: critical and historical analysis of inclusion of students with disabilities
• Early intervention & students with hearing disabilities
• Inclusive classes & bullying prevention
• Technology integration for children with learning disabilities
• Education for students with autism in Saudi Arabia
• Blended learning & children on the autism spectrum: pros and cons
• Special education & trauma-informed learning
• Should twice-exceptional students still get a special education approach?
• What are the causes of disproportionality in special education?
• Self-monitoring & students with learning disabilities
• How does virtual reality help students with autism adapt to stressful real-life situations?
• Homeschooling children with learning disorders
• How to prevent special education teachers from burnouts?
• Co-teaching & special education
• Is full inclusion a good idea?
• Student-led planning to promote independence in special education
• Early detection & learning disabilities

👶 Child Development Research Topics & Ideas

Child development is a vast area since it covers both the physical and mental development of a child from birth to adulthood. Below you can find 30 child development research topics suitable for your project or even a dissertation!

• Mother-child connection: how does stress affect a child’s wellbeing? Everyone knows about the mother-child connection, but not many know how deep it is. During pregnancy, a woman can get into a stressful situation. It may cause chemical reactions in the brain of a child, which, in turn, affects its future health.
• What role do genes play in child development ? Some of us are used to blaming genes for one thing or another. However, it appears that the environment in which we grow up is much more critical. You can debate on how a child’s environment cases chemical modifications in genes.
• How does living in a community affect child development ? Of course, parents are the primary caregivers for small children. On the other hand, there are advocates for shared responsibilities. In communities, kids interact mostly with close neighbors. A child is open to more experience this way. Elaborate on this topic.

• Child development : does it slow down after the third birthday? It is true that in the first three years of life, children develop the most basic brain functions very actively. However, it doesn’t mean that after that they can’t learn anything new! So what areas of the brain stop active development after the child’s third birthday, if any?
• How is neglecting and ignoring your child worse than physical punishment? Physical violence against children is addressed as one of the main issues in child development. Undoubtedly, it has incredibly adverse effects on a child’s mental health. However, neglect is often omitted. It may cause severe disruptions in the healthy social life and development of a child.
• Childhood trauma & happy life. Children who faced violence or any other unpleasant experience have a higher risk of developing stress-related disorders. On the other hand, it is not a rule. If a child gets sufficient support as soon as possible, traumas may just become a neutral life experience for them.
• What care should traumatized children be provided? It is not enough to just save a child from a traumatizing environment. They can still feel insecure even in safe and predictable surroundings. This situation would require more than one action. A child needs therapeutic care for sooner recovery.
• Child development: coping with troubles alone or in a team? Usually, parents try to teach their children to become more independent. Being brave and only relying on yourself is promoted as socially acceptable behavior. But scientists found out that it’s not individualism that helps to overcome obstacles but supportive relationships.
• Responsive relationships & child development . It appears that having a healthy relationship with parents in childhood is related to having good mental health. Parents should practice responsive relationships with their children. It promotes healthy brain development and resilience in kids. You can research this connection.
• Why should parents teach core life skills to their children? Children are capable of learning how to adapt to life on their own. But researchers highlight that parents can significantly help in this process by teaching core life skills to children. This scaffolding process helps kids learn, develop, and make healthy life choices.
• Why is reducing stress essential for child development?
• Family factors that shape children’s behavior
• How does the process of building neural connections change with time?
• Why is it essential to respond to the child’s interaction actions?
• Child development: using the early plasticity at full
• How emotional health and social skills affect a child’s future career?
• Toxic stress & child development
• What effect does divorce cause in child development?
• Video games & child development: pros and cons
• What does single parenting mean for the development of a child?
• Can a child develop normally without a father’s love?
• Can food supplements help to develop a child’s cognitive abilities?
• Postpartum depression & child development
• Does verbal abuse have the same effect on a child as physical punishment ?
• Should beauty pageants be banned as a threat to healthy child development?
• How soon should mothers end maternity leave?
• Child development in low-income families
• How does graphic violence in animations and movies affect child development ?
• Child development & mother’s mental illness
• Is daycare right for child development ?
• Child development : how do children adopt parents’ beliefs?

🤔 Education Research FAQs

Research in education is important because it contributes to the development in the field. Proving theories, creating new methodologies, and practical solutions are all the outcomes of the research in the education area. It plays a vital role – bringing innovation and progress. It also enables teachers to perfect the learning processes for the benefit of the students.

Research is important in child development because it helps find ways to improve children’s quality of life. Environment, teachers, and relationships have a profound impact on child development. All the children’s basic needs should be met to secure their healthy development. Therefore, it is crucial to find the best solutions for any issues arising in those three aspects. That is why the research is done in child development.

It may not be easy to design and evaluate research in education, but comprehensive guidelines make the process much smoother. First of all, choose the topic you want to work on. Then think about the research methodologies and pick the one which works best. After that, be ready to spend quite a while on the steps like data analysis and writing research proposals.

Action research in education is anything related to evaluating and analyzing issues and weak spots in the learning process. Unlike other types of research, this one is very practical. It may help teachers transition from the old methodologies to newer and more effective ones. Teachers get practical solutions to solve problems in the education process and meet the special needs of their students.

Both culture and ethics influence child development research in many ways. It is especially important if your research is done internationally. Cultural differences should be taken into consideration while collecting and analyzing data. Ethics, on the other hand, influences the whole process. While researching early childhood development, for example, remember about consent and anonymity of the groups.

Learn more on this topic:

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• 501 Research Questions & Titles about Science
• A List of Research Topics for Students. Unique and Interesting
• Good Research Topics, Titles and Ideas for Your Paper
• Databases for Research & Education: Gale
• Top Tips on Choosing a Topic for Your Education Research Project: Acedemia
• InBrief: The Science of Early Childhood Development (Harvard University)
• Child Development: Research (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Topics in Early Childhood Special Education: SAGE Journals
• PhD Research Topics: Department of Education, University of York
• Early childhood education: UNICEF
• Early Childhood Education: Australian Council for Educational Research
• Do the Effects of Early Childhood Programs on Academic Outcomes Vary by Gender? A Meta-Analysis (2011 SREE Conference Abstract Template)
• Research in Education: Ontario Ministry of Education
• Center for Education Policy Research: Harvard University
• Research: School of Education, University of Queensland
• Faculty & Research: School of Education, University of Pittsburgh
• Education Research Section: Princeton University
• Engaging with educational research: free course (OpenLearn)
• Education in a Changing World: NSW Government
• Research areas: The University of Sydney, School of Education and Social Work
• Faculty & Research: Stanford, Graduate School of Education
• Special Education: UW College of Education
• Special Education: Michigan State University
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• Open access
• Published: 10 March 2020

Research and trends in STEM education: a systematic review of journal publications

• Yeping Li 1 ,
• Ke Wang 2 ,
• Yu Xiao 1 &
• Jeffrey E. Froyd 3  

International Journal of STEM Education volume  7 , Article number:  11 ( 2020 ) Cite this article

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With the rapid increase in the number of scholarly publications on STEM education in recent years, reviews of the status and trends in STEM education research internationally support the development of the field. For this review, we conducted a systematic analysis of 798 articles in STEM education published between 2000 and the end of 2018 in 36 journals to get an overview about developments in STEM education scholarship. We examined those selected journal publications both quantitatively and qualitatively, including the number of articles published, journals in which the articles were published, authorship nationality, and research topic and methods over the years. The results show that research in STEM education is increasing in importance internationally and that the identity of STEM education journals is becoming clearer over time.

Introduction

A recent review of 144 publications in the International Journal of STEM Education ( IJ - STEM ) showed how scholarship in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education developed between August 2014 and the end of 2018 through the lens of one journal (Li, Froyd, & Wang, 2019 ). The review of articles published in only one journal over a short period of time prompted the need to review the status and trends in STEM education research internationally by analyzing articles published in a wider range of journals over a longer period of time.

With global recognition of the growing importance of STEM education, we have witnessed the urgent need to support research and scholarship in STEM education (Li, 2014 , 2018a ). Researchers and educators have responded to this on-going call and published their scholarly work through many different publication outlets including journals, books, and conference proceedings. A simple Google search with the term “STEM,” “STEM education,” or “STEM education research” all returned more than 450,000,000 items. Such voluminous information shows the rapidly evolving and vibrant field of STEM education and sheds light on the volume of STEM education research. In any field, it is important to know and understand the status and trends in scholarship for the field to develop and be appropriately supported. This applies to STEM education.

Conducting systematic reviews to explore the status and trends in specific disciplines is common in educational research. For example, researchers surveyed the historical development of research in mathematics education (Kilpatrick, 1992 ) and studied patterns in technology usage in mathematics education (Bray & Tangney, 2017 ; Sokolowski, Li, & Willson, 2015 ). In science education, Tsai and his colleagues have conducted a sequence of reviews of journal articles to synthesize research trends in every 5 years since 1998 (i.e., 1998–2002, 2003–2007, 2008–2012, and 2013–2017), based on publications in three main science education journals including, Science Education , the International Journal of Science Education , and the Journal of Research in Science Teaching (e.g., Lin, Lin, Potvin, & Tsai, 2019 ; Tsai & Wen, 2005 ). Erduran, Ozdem, and Park ( 2015 ) reviewed argumentation in science education research from 1998 to 2014 and Minner, Levy, and Century ( 2010 ) reviewed inquiry-based science instruction between 1984 and 2002. There are also many literature reviews and syntheses in engineering and technology education (e.g., Borrego, Foster, & Froyd, 2015 ; Xu, Williams, Gu, & Zhang, 2019 ). All of these reviews have been well received in different fields of traditional disciplinary education as they critically appraise and summarize the state-of-art of relevant research in a field in general or with a specific focus. Both types of reviews have been conducted with different methods for identifying, collecting, and analyzing relevant publications, and they differ in terms of review aim and topic scope, time period, and ways of literature selection. In this review, we systematically analyze journal publications in STEM education research to overview STEM education scholarship development broadly and globally.

The complexity and ambiguity of examining the status and trends in STEM education research

A review of research development in a field is relatively straight forward, when the field is mature and its scope can be well defined. Unlike discipline-based education research (DBER, National Research Council, 2012 ), STEM education is not a well-defined field. Conducting a comprehensive literature review of STEM education research require careful thought and clearly specified scope to tackle the complexity naturally associated with STEM education. In the following sub-sections, we provide some further discussion.

Diverse perspectives about STEM and STEM education

STEM education as explicated by the term does not have a long history. The interest in helping students learn across STEM fields can be traced back to the 1990s when the US National Science Foundation (NSF) formally included engineering and technology with science and mathematics in undergraduate and K-12 school education (e.g., National Science Foundation, 1998 ). It coined the acronym SMET (science, mathematics, engineering, and technology) that was subsequently used by other agencies including the US Congress (e.g., United States Congress House Committee on Science, 1998 ). NSF also coined the acronym STEM to replace SMET (e.g., Christenson, 2011 ; Chute, 2009 ) and it has become the acronym of choice. However, a consensus has not been reached on the disciplines included within STEM.

To clarify its intent, NSF published a list of approved fields it considered under the umbrella of STEM (see http://bit.ly/2Bk1Yp5 ). The list not only includes disciplines widely considered under the STEM tent (called “core” disciplines, such as physics, chemistry, and materials research), but also includes disciplines in psychology and social sciences (e.g., political science, economics). However, NSF’s list of STEM fields is inconsistent with other federal agencies. Gonzalez and Kuenzi ( 2012 ) noted that at least two US agencies, the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, use a narrower definition that excludes social sciences. Researchers also view integration across different disciplines of STEM differently using various terms such as, multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary (Vasquez, Sneider, & Comer, 2013 ). These are only two examples of the ambiguity and complexity in describing and specifying what constitutes STEM.

Multiple perspectives about the meaning of STEM education adds further complexity to determining the extent to which scholarly activity can be categorized as STEM education. For example, STEM education can be viewed with a broad and inclusive perspective to include education in the individual disciplines of STEM, i.e., science education, technology education, engineering education, and mathematics education, as well as interdisciplinary or cross-disciplinary combinations of the individual STEM disciplines (English, 2016 ; Li, 2014 ). On the other hand, STEM education can be viewed by others as referring only to interdisciplinary or cross-disciplinary combinations of the individual STEM disciplines (Honey, Pearson, & Schweingruber, 2014 ; Johnson, Peters-Burton, & Moore, 2015 ; Kelley & Knowles, 2016 ; Li, 2018a ). These multiple perspectives allow scholars to publish articles in a vast array and diverse journals, as long as journals are willing to take the position as connected with STEM education. At the same time, however, the situation presents considerable challenges for researchers intending to locate, identify, and classify publications as STEM education research. To tackle such challenges, we tried to find out what we can learn from prior reviews related to STEM education.

Guidance from prior reviews related to STEM education

A search for reviews of STEM education research found multiple reviews that could suggest approaches for identifying publications (e.g., Brown, 2012 ; Henderson, Beach, & Finkelstein, 2011 ; Kim, Sinatra, & Seyranian, 2018 ; Margot & Kettler, 2019 ; Minichiello, Hood, & Harkness, 2018 ; Mizell & Brown, 2016 ; Thibaut et al., 2018 ; Wu & Rau, 2019 ). The review conducted by Brown ( 2012 ) examined the research base of STEM education. He addressed the complexity and ambiguity by confining the review with publications in eight journals, two in each individual discipline, one academic research journal (e.g., the Journal of Research in Science Teaching ) and one practitioner journal (e.g., Science Teacher ). Journals were selected based on suggestions from some faculty members and K-12 teachers. Out of 1100 articles published in these eight journals from January 1, 2007, to October 1, 2010, Brown located 60 articles that authors self-identified as connected to STEM education. He found that the vast majority of these 60 articles focused on issues beyond an individual discipline and there was a research base forming for STEM education. In a follow-up study, Mizell and Brown ( 2016 ) reviewed articles published from January 2013 to October 2015 in the same eight journals plus two additional journals. Mizell and Brown used the same criteria to identify and include articles that authors self-identified as connected to STEM education, i.e., if the authors included STEM in the title or author-supplied keywords. In comparison to Brown’s findings, they found that many more STEM articles were published in a shorter time period and by scholars from many more different academic institutions. Taking together, both Brown ( 2012 ) and Mizell and Brown ( 2016 ) tended to suggest that STEM education mainly consists of interdisciplinary or cross-disciplinary combinations of the individual STEM disciplines, but their approach consisted of selecting a limited number of individual discipline-based journals and then selecting articles that authors self-identified as connected to STEM education.

In contrast to reviews on STEM education, in general, other reviews focused on specific issues in STEM education (e.g., Henderson et al., 2011 ; Kim et al., 2018 ; Margot & Kettler, 2019 ; Minichiello et al., 2018 ; Schreffler, Vasquez III, Chini, & James, 2019 ; Thibaut et al., 2018 ; Wu & Rau, 2019 ). For example, the review by Henderson et al. ( 2011 ) focused on instructional change in undergraduate STEM courses based on 191 conceptual and empirical journal articles published between 1995 and 2008. Margot and Kettler ( 2019 ) focused on what is known about teachers’ values, beliefs, perceived barriers, and needed support related to STEM education based on 25 empirical journal articles published between 2000 and 2016. The focus of these reviews allowed the researchers to limit the number of articles considered, and they typically used keyword searches of selected databases to identify articles on STEM education. Some researchers used this approach to identify publications from journals only (e.g., Henderson et al., 2011 ; Margot & Kettler, 2019 ; Schreffler et al., 2019 ), and others selected and reviewed publications beyond journals (e.g., Minichiello et al., 2018 ; Thibaut et al., 2018 ; Wu & Rau, 2019 ).

The discussion in this section suggests possible reasons contributing to the absence of a general literature review of STEM education research and development: (1) diverse perspectives in existence about STEM and STEM education that contribute to the difficulty of specifying a scope of literature review, (2) its short but rapid development history in comparison to other discipline-based education (e.g., science education), and (3) difficulties in deciding how to establish the scope of the literature review. With respect to the third reason, prior reviews have used one of two approaches to identify and select articles: (a) identifying specific journals first and then searching and selecting specific articles from these journals (e.g., Brown, 2012 ; Erduran et al., 2015 ; Mizell & Brown, 2016 ) and (b) conducting selected database searches with keywords based on a specific focus (e.g., Margot & Kettler, 2019 ; Thibaut et al., 2018 ). However, neither the first approach of selecting a limited number of individual discipline-based journals nor the second approach of selecting a specific focus for the review leads to an approach that provides a general overview of STEM education scholarship development based on existing journal publications.

Current review

Two issues were identified in setting the scope for this review.

What time period should be considered?

What publications will be selected for review?

Time period

We start with the easy one first. As discussed above, the acronym STEM did exist until the early 2000s. Although the existence of the acronym does not generate scholarship on student learning in STEM disciplines, it is symbolic and helps focus attention to efforts in STEM education. Since we want to examine the status and trends in STEM education, it is reasonable to start with the year 2000. Then, we can use the acronym of STEM as an identifier in locating specific research articles in a way as done by others (e.g., Brown, 2012 ; Mizell & Brown, 2016 ). We chose the end of 2018 as the end of the time period for our review that began during 2019.

Focusing on publications beyond individual discipline-based journals

As mentioned before, scholars responded to the call for scholarship development in STEM education with publications that appeared in various outlets and diverse languages, including journals, books, and conference proceedings. However, journal publications are typically credited and valued as one of the most important outlets for research exchange (e.g., Erduran et al., 2015 ; Henderson et al., 2011 ; Lin et al., 2019 ; Xu et al., 2019 ). Thus, in this review, we will also focus on articles published in journals in English.

The discourse above on the complexity and ambiguity regarding STEM education suggests that scholars may publish their research in a wide range of journals beyond individual discipline-based journals. To search and select articles from a wide range of journals, we thought about the approach of searching selected databases with keywords as other scholars used in reviewing STEM education with a specific focus. However, existing journals in STEM education do not have a long history. In fact, IJ-STEM is the first journal in STEM education that has just been accepted into the Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI) (Li, 2019a ). Publications in many STEM education journals are practically not available in several important and popular databases, such as the Web of Science and Scopus. Moreover, some journals in STEM education were not normalized due to a journal’s name change or irregular publication schedule. For example, the Journal of STEM Education was named as Journal of SMET Education when it started in 2000 in a print format, and the journal’s name was not changed until 2003, Vol 4 (3 and 4), and also went fully on-line starting 2004 (Raju & Sankar, 2003 ). A simple Google Scholar search with keywords will not be able to provide accurate information, unless you visit the journal’s website to check all publications over the years. Those added complexities prevented us from taking the database search as a viable approach. Thus, we decided to identify journals first and then search and select articles from these journals. Further details about the approach are provided in the “ Method ” section.

Research questions

Given a broader range of journals and a longer period of time to be covered in this review, we can examine some of the same questions as the IJ-STEM review (Li, Froyd, & Wang, 2019 ), but we do not have access to data on readership, articles accessed, or articles cited for the other journals selected for this review. Specifically, we are interested in addressing the following six research questions:

What were the status and trends in STEM education research from 2000 to the end of 2018 based on journal publications?

What were the patterns of publications in STEM education research across different journals?

Which countries or regions, based on the countries or regions in which authors were located, contributed to journal publications in STEM education?

What were the patterns of single-author and multiple-author publications in STEM education?

What main topics had emerged in STEM education research based on the journal publications?

What research methods did authors tend to use in conducting STEM education research?

Based on the above discussion, we developed the methods for this literature review to follow careful sequential steps to identify journals first and then identify and select STEM education research articles published in these journals from January 2000 to the end of 2018. The methods should allow us to obtain a comprehensive overview about the status and trends of STEM education research based on a systematic analysis of related publications from a broad range of journals and over a longer period of time.

Identifying journals

We used the following three steps to search and identify journals for inclusion:

We assumed articles on research in STEM education have been published in journals that involve more than one traditional discipline. Thus, we used Google to search and identify all education journals with their titles containing either two, three, or all four disciplines of STEM. For example, we did Google search of all the different combinations of three areas of science, mathematics, technology Footnote 1 , and engineering as contained in a journal’s title. In addition, we also searched possible journals containing the word STEAM in the title.

Since STEM education may be viewed as encompassing discipline-based education research, articles on STEM education research may have been published in traditional discipline-based education journals, such as the Journal of Research in Science Teaching . However, there are too many such journals. Yale’s Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning has listed 16 journals that publish articles spanning across undergraduate STEM education disciplines (see https://poorvucenter.yale.edu/FacultyResources/STEMjournals ). Thus, we selected from the list some individual discipline-based education research journals, and also added a few more common ones such as the Journal of Engineering Education .

Since articles on research in STEM education have appeared in some general education research journals, especially those well-established ones. Thus, we identified and selected a few of those journals that we noticed some publications in STEM education research.

Following the above three steps, we identified 45 journals (see Table  1 ).

Identifying articles

In this review, we will not discuss or define the meaning of STEM education. We used the acronym STEM (or STEAM, or written as the phrase of “science, technology, engineering, and mathematics”) as a term in our search of publication titles and/or abstracts. To identify and select articles for review, we searched all items published in those 45 journals and selected only those articles that author(s) self-identified with the acronym STEM (or STEAM, or written as the phrase of “science, technology, engineering, and mathematics”) in the title and/or abstract. We excluded publications in the sections of practices, letters to editors, corrections, and (guest) editorials. Our search found 798 publications that authors self-identified as in STEM education, identified from 36 journals. The remaining 9 journals either did not have publications that met our search terms or published in another language other than English (see the two separate lists in Table 1 ).

Data analysis

To address research question 3, we analyzed authorship to examine which countries/regions contributed to STEM education research over the years. Because each publication may have either one or multiple authors, we used two different methods to analyze authorship nationality that have been recognized as valuable from our review of IJ-STEM publications (Li, Froyd, & Wang, 2019 ). The first method considers only the corresponding author’s (or the first author, if no specific indication is given about the corresponding author) nationality and his/her first institution affiliation, if multiple institution affiliations are listed. Method 2 considers every author of a publication, using the following formula (Howard, Cole, & Maxwell, 1987 ) to quantitatively assign and estimate each author’s contribution to a publication (and thus associated institution’s productivity), when multiple authors are included in a publication. As an example, each publication is given one credit point. For the publication co-authored by two, the first author would be given 0.6 and the second author 0.4 credit point. For an article contributed jointly by three authors, the three authors would be credited with scores of 0.47, 0.32, and 0.21, respectively.

After calculating all the scores for each author of each paper, we added all the credit scores together in terms of each author’s country/region. For brevity, we present only the top 10 countries/regions in terms of their total credit scores calculated using these two different methods, respectively.

To address research question 5, we used the same seven topic categories identified and used in our review of IJ-STEM publications (Li, Froyd, & Wang, 2019 ). We tested coding 100 articles first to ensure the feasibility. Through test-coding and discussions, we found seven topic categories could be used to examine and classify all 798 items.

K-12 teaching, teacher, and teacher education in STEM (including both pre-service and in-service teacher education)

Post-secondary teacher and teaching in STEM (including faculty development, etc.)

K-12 STEM learner, learning, and learning environment

Post-secondary STEM learner, learning, and learning environments (excluding pre-service teacher education)

Policy, curriculum, evaluation, and assessment in STEM (including literature review about a field in general)

Culture and social and gender issues in STEM education

History, epistemology, and perspectives about STEM and STEM education

To address research question 6, we coded all 798 publications in terms of (1) qualitative methods, (2) quantitative methods, (3) mixed methods, and (4) non-empirical studies (including theoretical or conceptual papers, and literature reviews). We assigned each publication to only one research topic and one method, following the process used in the IJ-STEM review (Li, Froyd, & Wang, 2019 ). When there was more than one topic or method that could have been used for a publication, a decision was made in choosing and assigning a topic or a method. The agreement between two coders for all 798 publications was 89.5%. When topic and method coding discrepancies occurred, a final decision was reached after discussion.

Results and discussion

In the following sections, we report findings as corresponding to each of the six research questions.

The status and trends of journal publications in STEM education research from 2000 to 2018

Figure  1 shows the number of publications per year. As Fig.  1 shows, the number of publications increased each year beginning in 2010. There are noticeable jumps from 2015 to 2016 and from 2017 to 2018. The result shows that research in STEM education had grown significantly since 2010, and the most recent large number of STEM education publications also suggests that STEM education research gained its own recognition by many different journals for publication as a hot and important topic area.

The distribution of STEM education publications over the years

Among the 798 articles, there were 549 articles with the word “STEM” (or STEAM, or written with the phrase of “science, technology, engineering, and mathematics”) included in the article’s title or both title and abstract and 249 articles without such identifiers included in the title but abstract only. The results suggest that many scholars tended to include STEM in the publications’ titles to highlight their research in or about STEM education. Figure  2 shows the number of publications per year where publications are distinguished depending on whether they used the term STEM in the title or only in the abstract. The number of publications in both categories had significant increases since 2010. Use of the acronym STEM in the title was growing at a faster rate than using the acronym only in the abstract.

The trends of STEM education publications with vs. without STEM included in the title

Not all the publications that used the acronym STEM in the title and/or abstract reported on a study involving all four STEM areas. For each publication, we further examined the number of the four areas involved in the reported study.

Figure  3 presents the number of publications categorized by the number of the four areas involved in the study, breaking down the distribution of these 798 publications in terms of the content scope being focused on. Studies involving all four STEM areas are the most numerous with 488 (61.2%) publications, followed by involving one area (141, 17.7%), then studies involving both STEM and non-STEM (84, 10.5%), and finally studies involving two or three areas of STEM (72, 9%; 13, 1.6%; respectively). Publications that used the acronym STEAM in either the title or abstract were classified as involving both STEM and non-STEM. For example, both of the following publications were included in this category.

Dika and D’Amico ( 2016 ). “Early experiences and integration in the persistence of first-generation college students in STEM and non-STEM majors.” Journal of Research in Science Teaching , 53 (3), 368–383. (Note: this article focused on early experience in both STEM and Non-STEM majors.)

Sochacka, Guyotte, and Walther ( 2016 ). “Learning together: A collaborative autoethnographic exploration of STEAM (STEM+ the Arts) education.” Journal of Engineering Education , 105 (1), 15–42. (Note: this article focused on STEAM (both STEM and Arts).)

Publication distribution in terms of content scope being focused on. (Note: 1=single subject of STEM, 2=two subjects of STEM, 3=three subjects of STEM, 4=four subjects of STEM, 5=topics related to both STEM and non-STEM)

Figure  4 presents the number of publications per year in each of the five categories described earlier (category 1, one area of STEM; category 2, two areas of STEM; category 3, three areas of STEM; category 4, four areas of STEM; category 5, STEM and non-STEM). The category that had grown most rapidly since 2010 is the one involving all four areas. Recent growth in the number of publications in category 1 likely reflected growing interest of traditional individual disciplinary based educators in developing and sharing multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary scholarship in STEM education, as what was noted recently by Li and Schoenfeld ( 2019 ) with publications in IJ-STEM.

Publication distribution in terms of content scope being focused on over the years

Patterns of publications across different journals

Among the 36 journals that published STEM education articles, two are general education research journals (referred to as “subject-0”), 12 with their titles containing one discipline of STEM (“subject-1”), eight with journal’s titles covering two disciplines of STEM (“subject-2”), six covering three disciplines of STEM (“subject-3”), seven containing the word STEM (“subject-4”), and one in STEAM education (“subject-5”).

Table  2 shows that both subject-0 and subject-1 journals were usually mature journals with a long history, and they were all traditional subscription-based journals, except the Journal of Pre - College Engineering Education Research , a subject-1 journal established in 2011 that provided open access (OA). In comparison to subject-0 and subject-1 journals, subject-2 and subject-3 journals were relatively newer but still had quite many years of history on average. There are also some more journals in these two categories that provided OA. Subject-4 and subject-5 journals had a short history, and most provided OA. The results show that well-established journals had tended to focus on individual disciplines or education research in general. Multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary education journals were started some years later, followed by the recent establishment of several STEM or STEAM journals.

Table 2 also shows that subject-1, subject-2, and subject-4 journals published approximately a quarter each of the publications. The number of publications in subject-1 journals is interested, because we selected a relatively limited number of journals in this category. There are many other journals in the subject-1 category (as well as subject-0 journals) that we did not select, and thus it is very likely that we did not include some STEM education articles published in subject-0 or subject-1 journals that we did not include in our study.

Figure  5 shows the number of publications per year in each of the five categories described earlier (subject-0 through subject-5). The number of publications per year in subject-5 and subject-0 journals did not change much over the time period of the study. On the other hand, the number of publications per year in subject-4 (all 4 areas), subject-1 (single area), and subject-2 journals were all over 40 by the end of the study period. The number of publications per year in subject-3 journals increased but remained less than 30. At first sight, it may be a bit surprising that the number of publications in STEM education per year in subject-1 journals increased much faster than those in subject-2 journals over the past few years. However, as Table 2 indicates these journals had long been established with great reputations, and scholars would like to publish their research in such journals. In contrast to the trend in subject-1 journals, the trend in subject-4 journals suggests that STEM education journals collectively started to gain its own identity for publishing and sharing STEM education research.

STEM education publication distribution across different journal categories over the years. (Note: 0=subject-0; 1=subject-1; 2=subject-2; 3=subject-3; 4=subject-4; 5=subject-5)

Figure  6 shows the number of STEM education publications in each journal where the bars are color-coded (yellow, subject-0; light blue, subject-1; green, subject-2; purple, subject-3; dark blue, subject-4; and black, subject-5). There is no clear pattern shown in terms of the overall number of STEM education publications across categories or journals, but very much individual journal-based performance. The result indicates that the number of STEM education publications might heavily rely on the individual journal’s willingness and capability of attracting STEM education research work and thus suggests the potential value of examining individual journal’s performance.

Publication distribution across all 36 individual journals across different categories with the same color-coded for journals in the same subject category

The top five journals in terms of the number of STEM education publications are Journal of Science Education and Technology (80 publications, journal number 25 in Fig.  6 ), Journal of STEM Education (65 publications, journal number 26), International Journal of STEM Education (64 publications, journal number 17), International Journal of Engineering Education (54 publications, journal number 12), and School Science and Mathematics (41 publications, journal number 31). Among these five journals, two journals are specifically on STEM education (J26, J17), two on two subjects of STEM (J25, J31), and one on one subject of STEM (J12).

Figure  7 shows the number of STEM education publications per year in each of these top five journals. As expected, based on earlier trends, the number of publications per year increased over the study period. The largest increase was in the International Journal of STEM Education (J17) that was established in 2014. As the other four journals were all established in or before 2000, J17’s short history further suggests its outstanding performance in attracting and publishing STEM education articles since 2014 (Li, 2018b ; Li, Froyd, & Wang, 2019 ). The increase was consistent with the journal’s recognition as the first STEM education journal for inclusion in SSCI starting in 2019 (Li, 2019a ).

Publication distribution of selected five journals over the years. (Note: J12: International Journal of Engineering Education; J17: International Journal of STEM Education; J25: Journal of Science Education and Technology; J26: Journal of STEM Education; J31: School Science and Mathematics)

Top 10 countries/regions where scholars contributed journal publications in STEM education

Table  3 shows top countries/regions in terms of the number of publications, where the country/region was established by the authorship using the two different methods presented above. About 75% (depending on the method) of contributions were made by authors from the USA, followed by Australia, Canada, Taiwan, and UK. Only Africa as a continent was not represented among the top 10 countries/regions. The results are relatively consistent with patterns reported in the IJ-STEM study (Li, Froyd, & Wang, 2019 )

Further examination of Table 3 reveals that the two methods provide not only fairly consistent results but also yield some differences. For example, Israel and Germany had more publication credit if only the corresponding author was considered, but South Korea and Turkey had more publication credit when co-authors were considered. The results in Table 3 show that each method has value when analyzing and comparing publications by country/region or institution based on authorship.

Recognizing that, as shown in Fig. 1 , the number of publications per year increased rapidly since 2010, Table  4 shows the number of publications by country/region over a 10-year period (2009–2018) and Table 5 shows the number of publications by country/region over a 5-year period (2014–2018). The ranks in Tables  3 , 4 , and 5 are fairly consistent, but that would be expected since the larger numbers of publications in STEM education had occurred in recent years. At the same time, it is interesting to note in Table 5 some changes over the recent several years with Malaysia, but not Israel, entering the top 10 list when either method was used to calculate author's credit.

Patterns of single-author and multiple-author publications in STEM education

Since STEM education differs from traditional individual disciplinary education, we are interested in determining how common joint co-authorship with collaborations was in STEM education articles. Figure  8 shows that joint co-authorship was very common among these 798 STEM education publications, with 83.7% publications with two or more co-authors. Publications with two, three, or at least five co-authors were highest, with 204, 181, and 157 publications, respectively.

Number of publications with single or different joint authorship. (Note: 1=single author; 2=two co-authors; 3=three co-authors; 4=four co-authors; 5=five or more co-authors)

Figure  9 shows the number of publications per year using the joint authorship categories in Fig.  8 . Each category shows an increase consistent with the increase shown in Fig. 1 for all 798 publications. By the end of the time period, the number of publications with two, three, or at least five co-authors was the largest, which might suggest an increase in collaborations in STEM education research.

Publication distribution with single or different joint authorship over the years. (Note: 1=single author; 2=two co-authors; 3=three co-authors; 4=four co-authors; 5=five or more co-authors)

Co-authors can be from the same or different countries/regions. Figure  10 shows the number of publications per year by single authors (no collaboration), co-authors from the same country (collaboration in a country/region), and co-authors from different countries (collaboration across countries/regions). Each year the largest number of publications was by co-authors from the same country, and the number increased dramatically during the period of the study. Although the number of publications in the other two categories increased, the numbers of publications were noticeably fewer than the number of publications by co-authors from the same country.

Publication distribution in authorship across different categories in terms of collaboration over the years

Published articles by research topics

Figure  11 shows the number of publications in each of the seven topic categories. The topic category of goals, policy, curriculum, evaluation, and assessment had almost half of publications (375, 47%). Literature reviews were included in this topic category, as providing an overview assessment of education and research development in a topic area or a field. Sample publications included in this category are listed as follows:

DeCoito ( 2016 ). “STEM education in Canada: A knowledge synthesis.” Canadian Journal of Science , Mathematics and Technology Education , 16 (2), 114–128. (Note: this article provides a national overview of STEM initiatives and programs, including success, criteria for effective programs and current research in STEM education.)

Ring-Whalen, Dare, Roehrig, Titu, and Crotty ( 2018 ). “From conception to curricula: The role of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in integrated STEM units.” International Journal of Education in Mathematics Science and Technology , 6 (4), 343–362. (Note: this article investigates the conceptions of integrated STEM education held by in-service science teachers through the use of photo-elicitation interviews and examines how those conceptions were reflected in teacher-created integrated STEM curricula.)

Schwab et al. ( 2018 ). “A summer STEM outreach program run by graduate students: Successes, challenges, and recommendations for implementation.” Journal of Research in STEM Education , 4 (2), 117–129. (Note: the article details the organization and scope of the Foundation in Science and Mathematics Program and evaluates this program.)

Frequencies of publications’ research topic distributions. (Note: 1=K-12 teaching, teacher and teacher education; 2=Post-secondary teacher and teaching; 3=K-12 STEM learner, learning, and learning environment; 4=Post-secondary STEM learner, learning, and learning environments; 5=Goals and policy, curriculum, evaluation, and assessment (including literature review); 6=Culture, social, and gender issues; 7=History, philosophy, Epistemology, and nature of STEM and STEM education)

The topic with the second most publications was “K-12 teaching, teacher and teacher education” (103, 12.9%), followed closely by “K-12 learner, learning, and learning environment” (97, 12.2%). The results likely suggest the research community had a broad interest in both teaching and learning in K-12 STEM education. The top three topics were the same in the IJ-STEM review (Li, Froyd, & Wang, 2019 ).

Figure  11 also shows there was a virtual tie between two topics with the fourth most cumulative publications, “post-secondary STEM learner & learning” (76, 9.5%) and “culture, social, and gender issues in STEM” (78, 9.8%), such as STEM identity, students’ career choices in STEM, and inclusion. This result is different from the IJ-STEM review (Li, Froyd, & Wang, 2019 ), where “post-secondary STEM teacher & teaching” and “post-secondary STEM learner & learning” were tied as the fourth most common topics. This difference is likely due to the scope of journals and the length of the time period being reviewed.

Figure  12 shows the number of publications per year in each topic category. As expected from the results in Fig.  11 the number of publications in topic category 5 (goals, policy, curriculum, evaluation, and assessment) was the largest each year. The numbers of publications in topic category 3 (K-12 learner, learning, and learning environment), 1 (K-12 teaching, teacher, and teacher education), 6 (culture, social, and gender issues in STEM), and 4 (post-secondary STEM learner and learning) were also increasing. Although Fig.  11 shows the number of publications in topic category 1 was slightly more than the number of publications in topic category 3 (see Fig.  11 ), the number of publications in topic category 3 was increasing more rapidly in recent years than its counterpart in topic category 1. This may suggest a more rapidly growing interest in K-12 STEM learner, learning, and learning environment. The numbers of publications in topic categories 2 and 7 were not increasing, but the number of publications in IJ-STEM in topic category 2 was notable (Li, Froyd, & Wang, 2019 ). It will be interesting to follow trends in the seven topic categories in the future.

Publication distributions in terms of research topics over the years

Published articles by research methods

Figure  13 shows the number of publications per year by research methods in empirical studies. Publications with non-empirical studies are shown in a separate category. Although the number of publications in each of the four categories increased during the study period, there were many more publications presenting empirical studies than those without. For those with empirical studies, the number of publications using quantitative methods increased most rapidly in recent years, followed by qualitative and then mixed methods. Although there were quite many publications with non-empirical studies (e.g., theoretical or conceptual papers, literature reviews) during the study period, the increase of the number of publications in this category was noticeably less than empirical studies.

Publication distributions in terms of research methods over the years. (Note: 1=qualitative, 2=quantitative, 3=mixed, 4=Non-empirical)

Concluding remarks

The systematic analysis of publications that were considered to be in STEM education in 36 selected journals shows tremendous growth in scholarship in this field from 2000 to 2018, especially over the past 10 years. Our analysis indicates that STEM education research has been increasingly recognized as an important topic area and studies were being published across many different journals. Scholars still hold diverse perspectives about how research is designated as STEM education; however, authors have been increasingly distinguishing their articles with STEM, STEAM, or related words in the titles, abstracts, and lists of keywords during the past 10 years. Moreover, our systematic analysis shows a dramatic increase in the number of publications in STEM education journals in recent years, which indicates that these journals have been collectively developing their own professional identity. In addition, the International Journal of STEM Education has become the first STEM education journal to be accepted in SSCI in 2019 (Li, 2019a ). The achievement may mark an important milestone as STEM education journals develop their own identity for publishing and sharing STEM education research.

Consistent with our previous reviews (Li, Froyd, & Wang, 2019 ; Li, Wang, & Xiao, 2019 ), the vast majority of publications in STEM education research were contributed by authors from the USA, where STEM and STEAM education originated, followed by Australia, Canada, and Taiwan. At the same time, authors in some countries/regions in Asia were becoming very active in the field over the past several years. This trend is consistent with findings from the IJ-STEM review (Li, Froyd, & Wang, 2019 ). We certainly hope that STEM education scholarship continues its development across all five continents to support educational initiatives and programs in STEM worldwide.

Our analysis has shown that collaboration, as indicated by publications with multiple authors, has been very common among STEM education scholars, as that is often how STEM education distinguishes itself from the traditional individual disciplinary based education. Currently, most collaborations occurred among authors from the same country/region, although collaborations across cross-countries/regions were slowly increasing.

With the rapid changes in STEM education internationally (Li, 2019b ), it is often difficult for researchers to get an overall sense about possible hot topics in STEM education especially when STEM education publications appeared in a vast array of journals across different fields. Our systematic analysis of publications has shown that studies in the topic category of goals, policy, curriculum, evaluation, and assessment have been the most prevalent, by far. Our analysis also suggests that the research community had a broad interest in both teaching and learning in K-12 STEM education. These top three topic categories are the same as in the IJ-STEM review (Li, Froyd, & Wang, 2019 ). Work in STEM education will continue to evolve and it will be interesting to review the trends in another 5 years.

Encouraged by our recent IJ-STEM review, we began this review with an ambitious goal to provide an overview of the status and trends of STEM education research. In a way, this systematic review allowed us to achieve our initial goal with a larger scope of journal selection over a much longer period of publication time. At the same time, there are still limitations, such as the decision to limit the number of journals from which we would identify publications for analysis. We understand that there are many publications on STEM education research that were not included in our review. Also, we only identified publications in journals. Although this is one of the most important outlets for scholars to share their research work, future reviews could examine publications on STEM education research in other venues such as books, conference proceedings, and grant proposals.

Availability of data and materials

The data and materials used and analyzed for the report are publicly available at the various journal websites.

Journals containing the word "computers" or "ICT" appeared automatically when searching with the word "technology". Thus, the word of "computers" or "ICT" was taken as equivalent to "technology" if appeared in a journal's name.

Abbreviations

Information and Communications Technology

International Journal of STEM Education

Kindergarten–Grade 12

Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology

Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics

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Education Dissertation Topics

Published by Grace Graffin at January 5th, 2023 , Revised On May 3, 2024

Introduction

Education as a subject helps in understanding the various learning approaches and different types of education. When you choose education as your major subject, you will be expected to develop a critical understanding of the issues surrounding education.

To choose an education dissertation topic, you can look into a wide array of topics, including public school education, holistic education, the role of ethnicity, gender and class on academic achievements, adult education, preschool and primary school education, college and university education, child development, distance learning, politics and policy in education, teacher education, and curriculum.

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Topic 1: Investigating the impact of COVID-19 on the learning experience of the students

Research Aim: The research aims to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on the learning experience of the students.

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• To analyse the impact of Covid-19 on education delivery across schools.
• To evaluate the impact of the pandemic on teaching delivery and learning outcomes of the students.
• To investigate how the pandemic affected the learning experience of the students

Topic 2: An analysis of the impact of classroom interaction and participation on the personality development and confidence of the students.

Research Aim: The aim of the research is to analyse the impact of classroom interaction and participation on the personality development and confidence of the students.

• To analyse the importance of classroom interaction for the students and how it contributes to personal development.
• To investigate the impact of classroom participation on the confidence of the students.
• To evaluate how classroom interaction and participation impact the personality development and confidence of the students.

Topic 3: The potential use of virtual reality for educational assessment of the students.

Research Aim: The research aims to analyse the potential use of virtual reality for the educational assessment of students.

• To analyse the technologies available for student assessment across higher educational institutions.
• To evaluate the role of virtual reality in education delivery and assessment.
• To investigate how virtual reality influences the educational assessment of students to improvet their learning experience and knowledge.

Topic 4: An evaluation of the impact of the rising cost of academic education on students of lower-income backgrounds in the UK.

Research Aim: The aim of the research is to evaluate the impact of the rising cost of academic education on students of lower-income backgrounds in the UK.

• To analyse the factors impacting the affordability of higher education in the UK.
• To understand the challenges of lower-income background students in the UK.
• To investigate the impact of the rising cost of academic education on the lower-income background students in the UK and how the meritorious students can be supported.

Topic 5: An investigation into the impact of interactions among students of multiple ethnicities on the cross-cultural communication and behaviour of the pupils.

Research Aim: The aim of the research is to investigate the impact of interactions among students of multiple ethnicities on cross-cultural communication and pupil behaviourt .

• To analyse the impact of student interactions among different ethnicities.
• To determine the importance of cross-cultural communication and tolerance of the students.
• To examine the impact of interactions among students of multiple ethnicities on the cross-cultural communication and behaviour of the pupils.

Dissertation Topics in Education Dynamics

Topic 1: the need to use information and communication technology to study in public institutions in any country of your choice. a reflection on the impact of covid-19 on the education sector in the chosen country..

Research Aim: This research will focus on the lack of good information and communication technology equipment in public institutions of study and the need to find the education sector to meet the new standard of learning in work. It will also analyse the pandemic’s impact on students in public institutions at home throughout the pandemic without any academic activities.

Topic 2: The fear of maintaining social distancing in schools

Research Aim: This research aims to evaluate the fear of maintaining social distancing in schools. It will also suggest possible solutions to minimise the fear of parents, educators, and students.

Topic 3: Online Education- Increased screen time or quality education

Research Aim: This research aims to identify whether online education exposes students to increased screen time or quality education.

Topic 4: The emergence of coding courses for young children and their cognitive development and age. A comparative study.

Research Aim: This research aims to identify how far coding education is beneficial for children. What sort of positive and negative consequences are concerned with the future of young children with their access to such kind of advanced technology?

Topic 5: Data science and growing opportunities for data scientists

Research Aim: This research will focus on identifying the emergence of degrees and courses in data science, their importance, and growing opportunities for data scientists. Who can become a data scientist? What is its career scope?

Covid-19 Education Topics 

Impacts of coronavirus on education.

Research Aim: This study aims to review the impacts of Coronavirus on education.

Online educational programs to educate students during COVID-19

Research Aim: The widespread Coronavirus pandemic and the lockdown have disrupted the education of many students, including school, college, and university levels. This study will identify the online programs offered through various platforms, schools, colleges, and universities. It will discuss how students can have access to these courses and how it will benefit them.

Impact of COVID-19 on educational institutes

Research Aim: This study will focus on identifying the impacts of COVID-19 on educational institutes. What steps can be taken to ensure a safe environment for the students and teaching staff?

Role of teachers and professors during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Research Aim: This study will focus on the contribution of teachers, professors, and institutions in providing education. What challenges are they facing? What would be the possible ways to improve the current education system?

The future of education post Coronavirus pandemic.

Research Aim: This study will collect information about current education methods during the pandemic and predict the future of education after the coronavirus pandemic.

Topic C1: How the Coronavirus pandemic is reshaping education?

Research Aim: Coronavirus has offered a stark reminder of the very human nature of schools. Students have leapt into online learning but cannot wait to get back into her building. Being online, I don’t think you really get a true sense of whether a student is really engaged and has a proper understanding. This study will aim to understand the extent to which the coronavirus pandemic is reshaping education.

Topic C2: How Coronavirus could affect the well-being of people with intellectual disabilities

Research Aim: We are all feeling more anxious than usual. We may be worried about accessing food and services, going to work, enduring self-isolation, or catching COVID-19. While some anxiety is normal, some of us may be more resilient to changes in our routines and the general uncertainty the world is experiencing. But for the 1.5 million people in the UK with an intellectual disability, these effects may be much greater. This research will aim to establish how Coronavirus could affect the wellbeing of people with intellectual disabilities.

Topic C3: The impact of the 2019–20 Coronavirus pandemic on education

Research Aim: The 2019–20 Coronavirus pandemic has affected educational systems worldwide, leading to the widespread closures of schools and universities. As of 28 March 2020, over 1.7 billion learners were out of school due to school closures in response to COVID-19. According to UNESCO monitoring, over 100 countries have implemented nationwide closures, impacting nearly 90% of the world’s student population. This research will explore the impact of the 2019–20 Coronavirus pandemic on education.

Topic C4: What actions are being taken by universities in response to Coronavirus?

Research Aim: We have seen a growing number of decisions by universities to start implementing social distancing strategies, such as moving to more online teaching delivery and increasing homework by staff. At present, there is no government advice to universities about this. Therefore any operational decision by individual universities must be based on their local circumstances, which vary for various reasons. This research will examine some of the measures we see across the universities in response to the pandemic.

Topic C5: The impact of Coronavirus on international students and the response from universities

Research Aim: This research will explore the impact of Coronavirus on international students and the response from universities.

The Best Education Dissertation Topics

Topic 1: a comparison of wonderlic tests and standardised tests as means to assess academic performance..

Research Aim: Although there are many techniques and methods for assessing academic performance, this research will focus on the comparative analysis of Wonderlic and standardised tests. In the end, the research will conclude which approach would be better in different academic situations.

Topic 2: The theory and practice of educational games as a means to promote better learning.

Research Aim: In recent times, many pieces of research have focused on identifying different learning approaches to provide quality education. This research will analyse the concept of educational games for young children to promote and improve the learning mechanisms.

Topic 3: The impact of learning ability of a child: A case study of kindergarten students

Research Aim: With the emergence of technological advancements, many organisations, including education institutes, have started embracing innovative technologies. The main purpose of these advancements is to improvise the different ways of education. This research will focus on how the use of smart technology has improved the learning ability of kindergarten students.

Topic 4: Comparing and analysing the teaching approaches and mechanisms of privately owned schools and public school: Case of developing countries

Research Aim: Due to the rise of capitalist economies, many institutions have developed unique mechanisms to improve business operations and sales. The same is the case with educational institutes. However, the teaching mechanism and approach for private schools have been more effective than public schools. Therefore, this research will critically analyse the teaching approaches and mechanisms of privately owned schools and public schools and compare and analyse their teaching approaches.

Topic 5: Analysing the current curricular development of K12 students and how it can be linked with current economic issues

Research Aim: It has been found that the curriculum of the majority of educational institutes has become obsolete and monotonous. In other words, students are not being taught current affairs and the latest knowledge with respect to technology, etc. Therefore, the main aim of this research will be to analyse the current curricular development of K12 students and how it can be moulded to reflect the true economic conditions and issues of society.

Early Childhood Education Dissertation Topics

Early childhood education in the UK and many other countries refers to any form of education that children between 2 and 6 years obtain. Some early childhood education dissertation topics are listed below:

Topic 6: The effectiveness and implementation of early childhood education curriculum interventions

Research Aim: This research will discuss how effective curriculum interventions have been in early childhood education and how they can be effectively implemented.

Topic 7: Linking theory to practice and back again: The use of collaborative enquiry and video documentation to facilitate critical thinking in preservice teacher education

Research Aim: This research will provide theoretical and practical evidence to establish how collaboration inquiry and video documentation effectively affect critical thinking in preservice education.

Topic 8: Improving early childhood literacy development and English education through the use of multiple media tools

Research Aim: This research will analyse how effective medical tools are in early childhood education.

Topic 9: Supporting emergent literacy at the preschool level through the use of technology.

Research Aim: This research will present how supportive technology can be for emergent literacy at the preschool level.

Topic 10: Merging multimodality, technology, and literacy in the era of kindergarten digital storytelling

Research Aim: This research will explore the effectiveness of multimodality, literacy, and technology in today’s era of kindergarten storytelling.

Topic 11: Computer-based reading program with at-risk pre-kindergarten students

Research Aim: This research will discuss how computer-based reading programs are at risk with pre-kindergarten students.

Topic 12: Pre-school educational settings and the nature of children’s leadership

Research Aim: This research will analyse how educational settings in preschool help develop leadership skills in children.

Topic 13: How urban students’ academic accomplishments can be influenced by a school district’s preschool education policies

Research Aim: This research will discuss the academic accomplishments of children and how educational policies influence them.

Topic 14: Investigating the relationship between kindergarten achievement and classroom quality

Research Aim: This study will investigate the relationship between kindergarten students’ achievement and education quality.

Topic 15: Creating efficient learning environments to facilitate the process of early childhood education

Research Aim: This research will understand the learning environments that facilitate the process of childhood education.

Elementary Education Dissertation Topics

In the United Kingdom and other developed regions of the world, elementary education is the first level of compulsory education that children between the ages of 6 and 13 years obtain.

Primary or elementary education helps establish history, geography, mathematics, science, and other social sciences. In some countries, basic sexual education is also part of the elementary education curriculum. Some important primary education issues to explore are listed below:

Topic 16: Establishing the factors inhibiting and enhancing elementary school children’s creativity

Research Aim: This research will discuss the factors that help enhance children’s creativity in elementary school.

Topic 17: Developing life skills in elementary school pupils in the United Kingdom (or any other country of your choice)

Research Aim: This research will explore how life skills are developed in elementary school in the UK. (Country can be changed according to your choosing)

Topic 18: Monitoring and evaluating instruction in private elementary schools in China from the perspective of headteachers and teachers.

Topic 19: including children with special educational needs in a mainstream elementary educational institute – a case study of any elementary school.

Research Aim: This research will discuss inclusive education, i.e. including special needs students in elementary school. You are free to choose the school of your choice.

Topic 20: Implementing inclusive education in elementary/primary schools in Australia – The challenges and opportunities

Research Aim: This research will discuss the challenges and opportunities of implementing inclusive education in Australian elementary schools.

Topic 21: Classroom evaluation in England – Teachers’ practices and perceptions in Maths

Research Aim: This research will evaluate a typical classroom in England. It will assess the practices adopted by math teachers in elementary school.

Topic 22: Integrating outdoor learning activities with elementary curriculum in the United Kingdom

Research Aim: This research will analyse the results of integrating outdoor learning activities with curriculum activities.

Topic 23: Investigating the use of technology in elementary school physical education

Research Aim: This research will investigate and analyse the use of technology in elementary school physical education.

Topic 24: Investigating the impact of the age of information on current courses taught in primary school

Research Aim: This research will investigate the impact of information on courses taught in primary school.

Topic 25: Should primary schools allow their students to study more independently to achieve improved performance?

Research Aim: This research will assess whether elementary school students should be allowed to study independently and its impacts.

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Secondary Education Dissertation Topics

Secondary school education primarily covers formal education obtained by pupils between 13 and 18 years. Secondary education is compulsory in most countries, including the United Kingdom, and it may be taught in the form of Ordinary Levels, Advanced Levels, and SSC and HSC exams.

There is a wide array of research areas to be explored in this field of study, and any of the following research topics could be selected for your education dissertation.

Topic 26: Investigating the impact of teacher education on secondary education in the European Union

Research Aim: This research will investigate how secondary education in the EU is impacted by teacher education.

Topic 27: Investigating the impact of secondary school dual enrolment course participation on pupils’ academic accomplishments

Research Aim: This research will investigate the impact of dual course enrolment and its impact on academic accomplishments in secondary school.

Topic 28: The role of sustainability in learning and teaching in secondary schools to transform the soul of education

Research Aim: This study will explore the role of sustainable learning and teaching in secondary school, and it helps transform the soul of education.

Topic 29: Investigating secondary school teachers’ thinking in a professional development project

Research Aim: This research will analyse the teachers’ thinking with the help of a professional development project.

Topic 30: Betraying the college dream: How student aspirations are undermined by the disconnected post-secondary and K-12 education systems

Research Aim: The post-secondary schooling and K-12 education systems are misaligned. Thus, this research will investigate how this adversely impacts students, and as a result, more and more students are giving up on their college dreams.

Topic 31: Analysing supply & demand in light of the rising cost of secondary education

Research Aim: This research will assess and analyse the rising cost of education and its impact on the supply and demand for education.

Topic 32: To study the use of instructional and information technologies in teacher training in secondary schools and colleges in the United Kingdom

Research Aim: This research will study the use of technologies in teacher training and how they impact secondary education in the UK.

Topic 33: Should secondary school teachers emphasise today’s demanding issues such as energy conservation, sustainability, and environmental protection?

Research Aim: This research will study whether or not teachers should emphasise current issues like energy preservation, sustainability, and environmental protection.

Topic 34: How can religious and racial tolerance increase among pupils by reintroducing religious education in the secondary schooling system?

Research Aim: This research will explore whether introducing religious education in secondary education helps decrease religious and racial intolerance.

Topic 35: To investigate the benefits of teaching business management and entrepreneurship-related courses to secondary school students over social science courses.

Research Aim:  This research will study the uses and benefits of teaching business management and entrepreneurship at the secondary schooling level.  Read More About   Secondary Education

Higher Education Dissertation Topics

Higher education or college/university education covers the formal education available to college, undergraduate and postgraduate students. Some interesting higher education dissertation topics are listed below.

Topic 36: International mobility of graduate and undergraduate students of mathematics, engineering, technology and science; Push and Pull Factors

Research Aim: This research will study and analyse the push and pull factors that impact the graduate and undergraduate students’ choice of university.

Topic 37: International graduate students and their decisions to stay or leave the US; The decisive factors

Research Aim: This study will explore the factors that lead students to decide whether they should stay or leave their universities in the US.

Topic 38: Aligning higher education to labour market requirements in the UK

Research Aim: This research will assess whether higher education in the UK should be aligned with the labour  market requirements or not.

Topic 39: Internationalisation drivers, obstacles and rationales: A case study of any higher education institute in the UK

Research Aim: This research will analyse the internationalisation drivers, obstacles, and rationales of higher education institutes in the UK.

Topic 40: An investigation into the governance systems of academic planning in both private and public sector higher education institutes

Research Aim: This research will investigate the governance systems of academic planning in both, private and public higher education institutes.

Topic 41: Higher education system: Should all universities follow the same education pattern?

Research Aim: This research will explore whether every university should follow the same educational pattern.

Topic 42: Evaluating teaching quality in higher education schools from students’ perspective

Research Aim: This research will evaluate the performance of teachers based on students’ perspectives. Suggestions will be provided as to how it should be improved.

Topic 43: Identify the factors affecting student mobility in Europe – The quality aspect

Research Aim: This research will explore the factors that impact student mobility in Europe.

Topic 44: Assessing and Evaluating the Impact of Hiring, Firing and Retiring Professors in Higher Education System on Students

Research Aim: This research will evaluate the various impacts of hiring, firing and retiring professors in the higher education system on students.

Topic 45: Do university graduates perform better than those who do not obtain formal education but have practical work experience?

Research Aim: This research will evaluate and assess the performance of two sets of students. First, university graduates, second, will be those who have no formal education but have practical work experience.  Also Read:   Fashion and Culture Dissertation Topics

Teaching Method Dissertation Topics

The role of primary, secondary or higher education teachers is highly important, particularly considering the ever-increasing need to provide a growth-oriented academic environment to students. Some interesting teaching method dissertation research topics are listed below.

Topic 46: The influence of teaching methods on students’ academic success and achievements

Research Aim: This research will explore the influence of teaching methods on students’ academic success and achievements.

Topic 47: A Transactional Method to Learning and Teaching in an English Language Arts Methodologies Conference

Research Aim: This study will explore the transactional learning and teaching method in an English language arts methodologies conference.

Topic 48: How the effect of constructivist teaching methods can largely influence the algebraic understanding of primary and secondary school students

Research Aim: This research will understand how constructivist teaching methods affect primary and secondary school students.

Topic 49: Student learning of DNA and the effect of teaching methods

Research Aim: This research will study the impact of various teaching methods on students.

Topic 50: Teaching English through conventional and direct approaches – A qualitative study

Research Aim: This will be a qualitative study that will help assess the teaching of English as a subject through direct and conventional approaches.

Topic 51: Investigating the relationships of teachers’ pedagogical beliefs, knowledge and efficiency: A multimethod approach

Research Aim: This research will investigate the relationship between teachers’ pedagogical beliefs, efficiency, and knowledge.

Topic 52: Exploring the benefits of employing the Socratic methodology as an approach to learning

Research Aim: This research will investigate the benefits of the Socratic method of learning approach.

Topic 53: The benefits of introducing mathematics software to higher education mathematics teachers

Research Aim: This study will explore the benefits of introducing mathematics software to higher education math teachers.

Topic 54: The increasing importance of teachers training taking into consideration various threats to students such as weapons and drugs

Research Aim: This research will understand the importance of teachers’ training with respect to threats such as drugs and weapons.

Topic 55: Are the teachers more prone to violence at the hands of their students as compared to the past: How the profession of teaching has evolved over the last twenty years

Research Aim: Purpose: This research will compare the teaching profession in the past twenty years and will conclude on how it has changed.  Read More About:   Teaching Methods in the UK

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Education Leadership and Policy Studies Dissertation Topics

The role of leadership, politics, and policies cannot be overlooked. Education leadership and policy studies have two main roots, including organisational theory and political science. This may be an interesting area of research for your educational dissertation.

Topic 56: Implementing educational change in failing middle schools through examination of one’s fundamental leadership procedures and processes

Research Aim: This research will explore the impact of implementing educational change in failing middle schools by examining leadership procedures at the institutes.

Topic 57: Historical background and development of co-curricular transcripts

Research Aim: This research will date back to history and explore how co-curricular transcripts were developed, and will compare them to today’s processes.

Topic 58: Evaluating the self-efficiency of high-performing first-generation university students

Research Aim: This research will evaluate the self-efficiency of high performing university students.

Topic 59: The influence of spiritual growth on leadership development of college and university students

Research Aim: This research will explore the influence of spiritual growth on the leadership skills development of university students.

Topic 60: The peril and power of globalisation: The Higher education, the World Bank, and the Global Knowledge Economy

Research Aim: This research will focus on the globalisation aspect of education and will talk about how it has been impacted.

Topic 61: The self-reported impact of instructional coaching on middle school teachers’ practices

Research Aim: This research will investigate the impact of instructional coaching on middle school teachers’ practices.

Topic 62: An investigation into the policies designed to address bullying in schools of the UK: The beliefs, opinions and perceptions of teachers and principals

Research Aim: This research will explore in-depth the policies that are designed to address and eliminate bullying in UK schools.

Topic 63: Investigating the causes of under-representation of black students in advanced placement courses in the USA

Research Aim: This research will explore the racial issues in the educational system of the US, i.e. underrepresentation of black students.

Topic 64: Lecture note-taking skills of adolescents with and without learning disabilities

Research Aim: This research will understand the note-taking skills of adolescents and how they differ with respect to learning.

Topic 65: A qualitative study to evaluate the educational policies in the UK

Research Aim:  This study will assess and evaluate the various educational policies in the UK.  Read More About:  Courses About International Education Leadership And Policy

Adult Education Dissertation Topics

Vocation-based or professional adult education has gained tremendous popularity in the academic world over the last couple of decades. Here is a wide range of research topics within this field of study to base your dissertation on.

Topic 66: Investing social and personal benefits and costs of basic adult education from students’ perspective

Research Aim: This research will investigate the social and personal benefits and costs of basic adult education.

Topic 67: The perception of adult learners regarding their satisfaction with their educational experiences

Research Aim: This research will explore the perception of adult learners regarding their educational experiences.

Topic 68: Use of bounded agency approach to promoting participation in adult education programmes

Research Aim: This research will discuss the bounded agency approach to promote participation in adult education programs.

Topic 69: A psychoanalytic investigation to explore adult teaching and learning theory

Research Aim: This research will conduct a psychoanalytic investigation in order to explore adult teaching and learning.

Topic 70: Comparing the perception of adult learners in face-to-face and online courses

Research Aim: This research will compare the perception of adult learners in online and face to face courses.

Topic 71: Use of Hatcher-Assagioli Synthesis to analyse practices, principles, and goals for community-based adult education

Research Aim: This research will utilise Hatcher Assagioli Synthesis to analyse community-based education practices, principles, and goals.

Topic 72: A review of the UK government spending on adult education over the last two decades

Research Aim: This research will review the UK government’s spending on adult education for two decades.

Topic 73: The relationship between unemployment and government funding for adult education – A quantitative analysis

Research Aim: This research will explore the relationship between government funding and unemployment for adult education.

Topic 74: The impact of entrepreneurship, wealth building and personal finance-related courses in adult education

Research Aim: This study will study the impact of courses like entrepreneurship, personal finance et. For adult education.

Topic 75: Frequent career changes over working life and the increasing importance of adult education in today’s world

Research Aim: This research will assess the importance of adult education and how it influences students to change their career choices frequently.

Private School Education Dissertation Topics

Private schools have become a large profit-making industry in both the developed and developing world. More and more parents want to send their children to private schools even though the expenses associated with private education are constantly on the rise. Following are some suggestions for your education dissertation research:

Topic 76: Evaluating the effectiveness of management in private schools in the UAE

Research Aim: This research will evaluate the effectiveness of private school management in the UAE.

Topic 77: To study the level of cooperation between home schools, public schools and private schools in the United Kingdom

Research Aim: This research will explore the cooperation level in home schools, and private and public schools in the UK.

Topic 78: A qualitative analysis to determine the causes of why parents choose to send their children to private schools in South Asian countries

Research Aim: This research will conduct qualitative analysis to determine why parents send their children to private schools in Asia.

Topic 79: Investigating the policies concerning the fee structure of private schools in Shanghai

Research Aim: This research will investigate the various policies that concern the fee structure of private Shanghai schools.

Topic 80: An empirical analysis of the impacts of the universal primary education policies on educational performances in South Asia

Research Aim: This research will conduct an empirical analysis to understand the impact of universal primary education policies on educational performance in the South Asian region.

Topic 81: Use of information technology and teaching tools in private schools in the UK

Research Aim: This research will explore the use of technology in private schools and assess its effectiveness.

Topic 82: Schooling for money – The Impact of the Profit motive on Swiss Educational Reform

Research Aim: This research will study the Swiss educational reform and its impact on the system.

Topic 83: Challenges and experiences of children with disabilities in private schools in India

Research Aim: This research will evaluate the challenges and experiences of children with disabilities in Indian schools.

Topic 84: Why are private school students considered to have the edge over public schools – A qualitative study

Research Aim: This will be a qualitative study on why private school students are preferred over public school students.

Topic 85: Emphasis on personality formation and character in private schools – Are private school students more competitive than public school students?

Research Aim:  This research will study the personality formation and character building of private school students.  Read More About   Private School Fee Increase for First Time.

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Public School Education Dissertation Topics

Most schools in the developed world are publicly funded, offering elementary, secondary, and higher education. There is a wide array of topics of research under this field of study that can be explored. Some of them are suggested below:

Exploring the Funding of Public Schools – How they can be improved. This research will explore the ways through which public schools are funded and will study what can be done to improve them.

Topic 86: Investigating the impact of teacher leadership in public schools in the UK

Research Aim: This research will study the impact of teacher leadership in UK public schools.

Topic 87: Is it true that public schools are better able to prepare their students to face the challenges of the real world as compared to private schools

Research Aim: This research will explore a common misconception that public school students are better prepared to face real-world challenges than private school students.

Topic 88: Can publicly-funded religious schools help to counter radicalisation and terrorism?

Research Aim: This study will explore an important topic, i.e. can terrorism and radicalisation be countered with public funding of schools.

Topic 89: Encouraging values and morals in the younger generation by reintroducing religious education in public schools in the UK

Research Aim: This research will study how reintroducing religious education help encourage values and morals in the younger generation in the UK.

Topic 90: Healthy eating habits and the role of public schools offering courses such as meal choice, cooking and home economics

Research Aim: This research will explore the benefits of cooking and home economic courses and promote healthy eating.

Topic 91: How public school students can be encouraged to participate in sporting activities?

Research Aim: This research will assess how public school students can be encouraged to participate in sporting activities.

Topic 92: The perception of special education administrators on the use of paraprofessionals in the education of students with disabilities

Topic 93: the perception of special education administrators on the use of paraprofessionals in the education of students with disabilities.

Research Aim: This research will discuss special education administrators and how they help offer quality education to disabled students.

Topic 94: Educating students with disabilities and the beliefs of public school principals

Research Aim: This research will explore the beliefs of public school principals and how these beliefs help offer quality education to disabled students.

Topic 95: Advanced teaching tools in public school classrooms – How they Help Improve Quality Education

Research Aim:  This research will explore how quality education is provided by implementing innovative technology in classrooms.

Read More About   Public Schools in the UK

Home Schooling Dissertation Topics

Homeschooling is a highly growing educational phenomenon in developed countries. Any form of education that children obtain within their home setting under the supervision of their parents/adults is classified as homeschooling. Some interesting home school dissertation topics are suggested below:

Topic 96: A qualitative study to understand the significance of the role of information technology in homeschooling

Research Aim: This research will assess the importance of information technology for homeschooling through qualitative research.

Topic 97: The advantages and disadvantages of home schooling – Do home children perform with the top private and public school students?

Research Aim: This research will assess the pros and cons of home-schooling. It will also assess the performance of home schooled-students as compared to private and public school students.

Topic 98: A qualitative analysis of socialisation and academic accomplishments among home schooled university students

Research Aim: This research will be a qualitative analysis with respect to socialisation and academic accomplishments with respect to home schooled university students.

Topic 99: Factors motivating students to choose home schooling over conventional schooling systems

Research Aim: This study will explore the factors that motivate students to opt for homeschooling over the conventional schooling system.

Topic 100: A qualitative study to understand the parental motivation for home-schooling

Research Aim: This will be a qualitative study to assess the parental motivation to home-school their children.

Topic 101: Are partnerships available in homeschooling? Exploring their Effectiveness

Research Aim: This research will explore whether partnerships are available in homeschooling or not and how beneficial they prove to be.

Topic 102: A qualitative analysis to understand the educational beliefs of home schooled pupils and their parents

Research Aim: This research will conduct a qualitative analysis to assess the educational beliefs of homeschooled students and their parents.

Topic 103: A qualitative analysis of the relationship between financial literacy and homeschooling

Research Aim: This research will assess whether there is a relationship between homeschooling and financial literacy or not.

Topic 104: The duties and responsibilities of parents concerning the homeschooling of their children

Research Aim: This research will explore the duties and responsibilities of parents with respect to the homeschooling of their children.

Topic 105: Do Homeschool Children Develop Personalities and Characters Like Private and Public Schooled Children?

Research Aim: This research will explore whether homeschooled children build strong character and confident personalities just like private and public schooled students or not.

Latest Education Dissertation Topics

• A Comparative Study on the Impact of Technology Integration on Student Learning Outcomes
• The Role of Teacher Feedback in Student Academic Achievement
• Efficacy of Differentiated Instruction in Diverse Classroom Settings
• Influence of Socioeconomic Factors on Educational Attainment
• Investigating the Effectiveness of Inquiry-Based Learning in Science Education
• Promoting Critical Thinking Skills Through Literature-Based Instruction
• Examining the Relationship Between Parental Involvement and Student Success
• Implementing Culturally Responsive Pedagogy in Urban Schools
• The Impact of Early Childhood Education Programs on Long-Term Academic Success
• The Effects of Gender Bias in Classroom Interactions on Student Achievement
• Impact of School Climate on Student Well-being and Academic Performance
• The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Teacher Effectiveness
• The Influence of Motivation on Student Engagement and Achievement
• The Impact of Peer Tutoring on Academic Achievement in Mathematics
• Exploring the Relationship Between Student-Teacher Rapport and Classroom Behaviour

Simple Ordering Process

A system that works for everyone, important notes:.

As a student of education looking to get good grades, it is essential to develop new ideas and experiment with existing education theories – i.e., to add value and interest to your research topic.

The field of education is vast and interrelated with so many other academic disciplines. That is why creating an education dissertation topic that is particular, sound, and actually solves a practical problem that may be rampant in the field is imperative.

We can’t stress how important it is to develop a logical research topic; it is the basis of your entire research. There are several significant downfalls to getting your topic wrong; your supervisor may not be interested in working on it, the topic has no academic creditability, the research may not make logical sense, and there is a possibility that the study is not viable.

This impacts your time and efforts in  writing your dissertation , as you may end up in a cycle of rejection at the very initial stage of the dissertation. That is why we recommend reviewing existing research to develop a topic, taking advice from your supervisor, and even asking for help in this particular stage of your dissertation.

While developing a research topic, keeping our advice in mind will allow you to pick one of the best education dissertation topics that fulfils your requirement of writing a research paper and add to the body of knowledge.

Therefore, it is recommended that when finalizing your dissertation topic, you read recently published literature to identify gaps in the research that you may help fill.

Remember- dissertation topics need to be unique, solve an identified problem, be logical, and be practically implemented. Take a look at some of our sample education dissertation topics to get an idea for your own dissertation.

How to Structure Your Education Dissertation

A well-structured   dissertation can help students   to achieve a high overall academic grade.

• A Title Page
• Acknowledgements
• Declaration
• Abstract: A summary of the research completed
• Table of Contents
• Introduction : This chapter includes the project rationale, research background, key research aims and objectives, and the research problems. An outline of the structure of a dissertation can also be added to this chapter.
• Literature Review :  This chapter presents relevant theories and frameworks by analysing published and unpublished literature available on the chosen research topic in light of research questions to be addressed. The purpose is to highlight and discuss the relative weaknesses and strengths of the selected research area while identifying any research gaps. A breakdown of the topic and key terms can positively impact your dissertation and your tutor.
• Methodology: The  data collection  and  analysis methods and techniques employed by the researcher are presented in the Methodology chapter, which usually includes  research design, research philosophy, research limitations, code of conduct, ethical consideration, data collection methods, and  data analysis strategy .
• Findings and Analysis: The findings  of the research are analysed in detail under the Findings and Analysis chapter. All key findings/results are outlined in this chapter without interpreting the data or drawing any conclusions. It can be useful to include  graphs ,  charts, and  tables in this chapter to identify meaningful trends and relationships.
• Discussion and  Conclusion: The researcher presents his interpretation of the results in this chapter and states whether the research hypothesis has been verified or not. An essential aspect of this section is to establish the link between the results and evidence from the literature. Recommendations with regard to the implications of the findings and directions for the future may also be provided. Finally, a summary of the overall research, along with final judgments, opinions, and comments, must be included in the form of suggestions for improvement.
• References:  Make sure to complete this in accordance with your University’s requirements
• Bibliography
• Appendices: Any additional information, diagrams, and graphs used to complete the dissertation  but not part of the dissertation should be included in the Appendices chapter. Essentially, the purpose is to expand the information/data.

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How to find education dissertation topics.

To find education dissertation topics:

• Research recent educational issues.
• Explore curriculum gaps or innovations.
• Investigate teaching methods.
• Analyse student learning challenges.
• Consider policy or technology impacts.
• Select a topic aligning with your passion and research goals.

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Research Topics

Back to school: research topics on education during covid-19.

What does school look like in the second year of the pandemic? Explore our Research Topics spanning from the digital transformation of education and school feeding programs to children's development in the home learning environment and educational leadership during the Covid-19 crisis.

Research Topics:

Well-Being of School Teachers in Their Work Environment

Closure and Reopening of Schools and Universities During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Prevention and Control Measures, Support Strategies for Vulnerable Students and Psychosocial Needs

Learning in times of COVID-19: Students’, Families’, and Educators’ Perspectives

Covid-19 and Beyond: From (Forced) Remote Teaching and Learning to ‘The New Normal’ in Higher Education

Equitable School Resource Allocation Under a Pandemic and Economic Recession

Digital Transformation of Education in the Covid-19 Process and its Psychological Effects on Children

Children's Competencies Development in the Home Learning Environment

Cultural Changes in Instructional Practices Due to Covid-19

Covid-19: School and Community Feeding Programs for Children and Young People

Subjective Well-being in Online and Mixed Educational Settings

COVID-19 and the Educational Response: New Educational and Social Realities

Education Leadership and the COVID-19 Crisis

Higher Education Dropout After COVID-19: New Strategies to Optimize Success

Promoting Motor Development in Children in the COVID-19 era: Science and Applications

COVID-19: Mid- and Long-Term Educational and Psychological Consequences for Students and Educators

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Research Topics in Education: Frontiers of Learning

Table of contents

• 0.1 Key Points:
• 1.1 Reflect on the Education System
• 1.2 Follow Your Passion
• 1.3 Latest Trends
• 1.4 Career Plans
• 1.5 Seek Inspiration from Existing Research
• 2 Higher Education Research Paper Topics
• 3 Early Childhood Education Research Topics
• 4 Child Development Educational Research Topics
• 5 Educational Research Topics for High School
• 6 Educational Research Topics for College Students
• 7 Provocative Education Research Topics
• 8 Research Titles about Academic Performance
• 9 Education-Related Topics for Dissertations & Theses
• 10 Research Title about School Issues
• 11 Research Topics about Education Systems
• 12 Special Education Research Paper Topics
• 13 Educational Psychology Research Topics
• 14 Persuasive Research Paper Topics on Education
• 15 Education Policy Research Topics
• 16 Research Paper Topics about Education Systems
• 17 Educational Leadership Research Topics
• 18 Conclusion

Do you feel like you have to search your brain for hours to develop an interesting academic research topic for your next large research paper? Put away your search! This article explores many research topics and ideas that will make your study time seem more like an exciting expedition. Let’s dive in and explore the exciting field of academic study in education research together!

Key Points:

• An education research topic is crucial because they shape education’s future.
• When picking a study subject, consider the education system, your passion, and previous research topic ideas.

How to Choose Research Topics in Education?

The sheer number of potential research topics in education might be bewildering. However, here are three helpful hints that will guide you through the best education research topics and lead you to the ideal subject for your research paper.

Reflect on the Education System

Start by thinking about what you find interesting about the education system as it is right now. Look at educational systems, instructional methods, or the perspectives of “college students” to hone down on a specific subset of your study population.

Follow Your Passion

Pick an education research topic that speaks to you. The subject of education is vast, so it’s essential to zero in on a topic that genuinely interests you. Choosing a subject, you’re enthusiastic about will keep you engaged through the research process.

Latest Trends

This field does change a lot every single day, so you will want to represent something new and interesting for the readers. Hearing about something you know already is not fun or appealing.

This is a common thing in higher education and especially in health and physical education. Educational institutions are moving forward more than anything else. So, use the latest dissertation topics in education we will cover below.

Career Plans

Higher education can be more beneficial than you realize. But your dissertation can be more important as well. Regardless of your academic performance, foreign language complications, or even distance learning, you can choose the topic that you will master later on.

Seek Inspiration from Existing Research

Avoid starting from scratch regarding research topics in education. You can find ideas from various types of research papers , articles, and academic books. In addition, brainstorming with advisors, teachers, or other researchers may help you hone down on the best research paper topics on education.

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Higher Education Research Paper Topics

Education research topics can open you up to learning more about the fascinating field of higher education. But writing a thorough research paper takes time, so if you buy research papers , you can concentrate on other essential tasks and hasten your study. However, here is a sample list of potential research projects on higher education.

• How Online Learning Has Changed the Accessibility Of Higher Education.
• Examining The Efficacy of Project-Based Learning in Higher Education.
• Increasing Equality In Student Learning Results Across Socioeconomic Lines.
• The Transformative Potential of Virtual and Augmented Reality In Higher Education.
• Understanding How High School and College Instructors Set Their Students Up for Success.
• The Efficacy of Peer Mentorship Programs in Improving Success In Higher Education.
• Enhancing Student Learning Via Optimized Classroom Layout.
• The Usage of Online Resources in Creating Practical College Education Lessons.
• Analyzing The Efficiency Of Blended Learning In Higher Education.
• What Role Does Physical Education Play in Students’ Success?
• A Comparative Look at Public and Private Schools’ Academic Success.
• Investigating Ways to Improve The Brain-Teaching Method At Colleges and Universities.
• Discussion On The College Education Losing Its Value In The Labor Market.
• Examining The Variables That Impact Academic Performance In Higher Education.
• Assessing The Impact of Scholarships and Grants On Student Outcomes.

Early Childhood Education Research Topics

For those who want to learn more about early childhood education research topics, the following list of potential study subjects could be helpful. Here are 15 potential study topics to assist you in wading through the waters of early childhood education:

• Understanding The Role of How Community Affect Child Development.
• Is Brain Teaching Method Effective?: Realizing Its Full Potential In Early Childhood Education.
• The Connection Between A Child’s Future Career And Their Playtime in The Sandbox.
• Improving Early Childhood Education Via Special Education Teachers’ Inclusive Practices.
• Looking At How Games Affect Child Development And Other Methods Of Mind Nurturing.
• The Importance Of Sex Education Beyond the Alphabet for Young Children.
• How To Educate Deaf Children In Early Childhood Settings.
• Analyzing How School Uniforms Affect Students’ Attitudes Towards Dressing to Succeed or Blending In.
• Examining The Impact Of Public Schools On Young Children’s Development.
• How Grade Retention Affect Children Development: The Ripple Effect.
• Investigating The Connection Between Child Development And The Whole Brain Teaching Method.
•  Examining The Effectiveness of Prenatal Involvement On Child Development.
• Opening The Door to A Child’s Cognitive Abilities: Methods for Boosting Early Education.
• Investigating How a Child’s Interaction Actions Shape Their Environment.
• The Significance Promoting Acceptance of Children with Disabilities.

Child Development Educational Research Topics

Education research paper topics on the subject of child development include a vast and ever-evolving field of study. Below is a collection of “research paper topics” on Child Development that you may use to help spark ideas for papers on related education research topics.

• Using Digital Resources to Foster Primary School Children’s Growth and Learning.
• The Importance Of Parental Involvement In A Child’s Education and Development.
• The Importance Of Cooperative Learning In Creating Future-Ready Students.
• Identifying And Addressing Barriers To Sex Education In Elementary Schools.
• Benefits Of Mixed Sex Education For Primary School Children.
• Educating Children via Bilingual Education In The National Education System.
• Using “Blended Learning Methods to Help Children Benefit, Grow and Thrive.
• The Impact Of Parental Involvement On the Academic Performance of Primary School Students.
• Significance Of Using Classroom Management Strategies To Provide Primary School Students With A Secure and Welcoming Learning Environment.
• Methods For Identifying and Caring for Gifted Primary School Students.
• Advancing Primary School’s Focus on Students’ Social and Emotional Development.
• The Contribution of Inquiry-Based Instruction to The Development of Critical Thinking Abilities Among Primary School Students.
• Supporting Primary School Students Educational Needs and Tackling Learning Disabilities.
• Importance Of Resilience Training for The Enhancement of Primary School Students’ Mental Health and Well-Being.
• Significance Of Developing a Primary School Pupil-Centered Good Sex Education Program.

Educational Research Topics for High School

Explore the educational system from a variety of angles with education research paper topics for high school students. In your quest for preparing students for the future, we’ve compiled a sample list of education topics for your consideration.

• What Impact Do Charter Schools Have on Academic Results?
• The Importance of Helping High School Seniors Develop Their Social Skills.
• High School Student’s Perceptions of Practical versus Theoretical Education.
• Analyzing the Positive Effects of Boarding Schools on High School Students.
• Positive outcomes for students with learning disabilities who are integrated into regular classrooms.
• Significance of High School Inclusive Classes: Promoting Equality and Cooperation.
• The Connection Between Emotional Health and Academic Success.
• Realizing the Scope of Students’ Emotional and Behavioral Disorders.
• The Growing Popularity of Online Learning and the Difficulties and Benefits It Presents to High Schools.
• High School Adequate Yearly Progress Evaluation: A Study of Its Impact.
• Exploring the High School Experiences of Twice Exceptional Students.
• Significance of Improving Student Motivation via Project-Based Learning in the High School Classroom.
• The Influence of Teacher-Student Relationships on High School Learning.
• Importance of Reducing Educational Inequity by Closing the Digital Gap for High School Students.
• The Impact of Extracurriculars on Teens’ Personal Growth While in High School.

Educational Research Topics for College Students

The term college students is intentionally broad, as are the potential study areas it suggests. You may always contact research paper writing help when faced with obstacles. Here are a few examples of great research projects in the field of education:

• Examining the Value of Peer Mentoring in College.
• Analyzing the Impact of Class Size on Learning.
• Analyzing the Effects of Reading Recovery Program on Academic Success in College.
• Considering the Role of Classroom Dynamics in Influencing College Students’ Motivation.
• Studying the Phenomenon of Foreign Language Learning Disability among International Students.
• How Career Counseling Can Influence the Lives of Recent College Graduates.
• Analyzing the Effects of Online Education on Student Motivation.
• Analyzing Blended Learning’s Impact on Higher Education.
• Examining How Digital Tools Can Improve Educational Outcomes.
• The Importance of Establishing a Successful Study Routine.
• Examining the Impact of Lack of Sleep on Cognitive Development.
• Examining the Role of Student-Faculty Interaction in Determining Course Completion and Graduation.
• Examining the Positive Effects of Participatory Instruction in College and University.
• Analyzing the Impact of Feedback on Student Development.
• Evaluating the Success of Multicultural Programs in College.

Provocative Education Research Topics

In the dynamic field of education, provocative education seeks to challenge conventional teaching methods and explore innovative approaches. Each topic represents a facet of provocative education, aiming to stimulate critical thinking, promote progressive perspectives, and explore the potential of holistic learning approaches. These topics not only question existing educational norms but also encourage a deeper, more reflective engagement with learning itself.

• Challenging Traditional Education Models: A Radical Approach
• Implementing Socratic Methods in Modern Classrooms
• The Role of Controversial Topics in Stimulating Critical Thinking
• Debating Gender Education: Beyond Binary Constraints
• Teaching about Political Activism in Schools: Pros and Cons
• Rethinking Sex Education: A Progressive Perspective
• Critical Pedagogy: Empowering Students through Education
• Holistic Education: Integrating Emotional and Intellectual Learning
• The Impact of Digital Media Literacy in Shaping Young Minds
• Exploring Taboo Subjects in Education: Necessity or Risk?
• The Ethics of Teaching Religion in Public Schools
• Incorporating Environmental Activism into School Curriculums
• Questioning Authority: Encouraging Dissent in Educational Settings
• Cultural Sensitivity Training in Education: Overstepping Boundaries?
• Evaluating the Effectiveness of Provocative Teaching Methods

Research Titles about Academic Performance

Academic performance is a critical indicator of educational success and a key focus for educators, students, and researchers. We explore various factors that influence and shape students’ academic achievements. From the impact of psychological factors and teaching methodologies to the role of technology and socio-economic status, these topics aim to offer a broad perspective on what affects academic performance.

• The Correlation Between Student Mental Health and Academic Performance.
• Effects of Differentiated Instruction Strategies on Student Achievement.
• The Role of Parental Involvement in Enhancing Children’s Academic Outcomes.
• Impact of Classroom Environment on Students’ Academic Performance.
• Analyzing the Relationship Between Nutrition and Student Learning Capabilities.
• Technology in Education: Its Influence on Academic Success.
• The Effect of Extracurricular Activities on Academic Achievement.
• Socio-Economic Status and Its Impact on Student Educational Performance.
• Bilingual Education and Its Effects on Academic Proficiency.
• Teacher-Student Relationships and Their Influence on Academic Performance.
• The Impact of Homework on Learning Outcomes and Student Well-being.
• The Role of Peer Influence and Social Dynamics in Academic Achievement.
• Assessing the Effects of School Leadership on Student Academic Performance.
• Standardized Testing: Benefits and Drawbacks in Measuring Academic Progress.
• Learning Styles and Their Effect on Student Performance in Different Subjects.

Education-Related Topics for Dissertations & Theses

Many educational research subjects are open for investigation in dissertations and theses since education is a broad and multifaceted profession. Finding dissertation topic ideas in education may be challenging, but the results might have far-reaching benefits. Here is a list of some potential subjects for your next education research paper:

• Exploring The Impact Of Vocational Education On Career Readiness.
•  Enhancing Student Outcomes Through Teacher Training and Development.
• College Students’ Ability to Handle Stress and Succeed in The Classroom.
• The Negative Impact of Poverty on Learning.
• Diversity’s Importance in The Classroom.
• Trauma’s Detrimental Consequences on Education.
• Students’ Altered Conduct Because Of Online Social Networks.
• Video Games as A Teaching Tool.
• COVID-19’s Effect on Learning.
• Future Of Education Technology’s Importance.
• Examining How Stereotypes Affect STEM Participation and Career Paths.
• Proof That Distance Learning Works.
• Investigating The Advantages and Difficulties of Bilingual Education in Schools.
• The Impact of Outdoor Learning on Students’ Health and Academic Performance.
• Understanding the Impact of Emotional Intelligence on the Classroom.

Research Title about School Issues

Exploring the multifaceted challenges within school environments is crucial for developing effective educational strategies. From addressing mental health concerns and bullying to navigating technological integration and curriculum reforms, the following topics aim to highlight key areas of concern and potential research avenues.

• Evaluating the Impact of Cyberbullying on Student Well-being in Schools.
• The Role of School Leadership in Fostering Inclusive Education.
• Challenges and Opportunities of Implementing E-Learning Systems in Schools.
• Investigating the Effects of Standardized Testing on Student Learning.
• Addressing Mental Health Issues in the School Curriculum.
• The Influence of Socioeconomic Status on Educational Attainment in Schools.
• Strategies for Effective Classroom Management and Student Engagement.
• Assessing the Impact of Parental Involvement on Student Academic Success.
• Exploring the Effectiveness of Anti-Bullying Policies in Schools.
• Technology Integration in the Classroom: Benefits and Challenges.
• The Relationship Between School Climate and Student Achievement.
• Curriculum Reforms: Balancing Academic Rigor and Student Interests.
• Teacher Training and Professional Development: Meeting Contemporary Educational Demands.
• The Role of Extracurricular Activities in Student Development and School Culture.
• Analyzing the Gender Gap in STEM Education in Schools.

Research Topics about Education Systems

To provide the optimal learning environment for kids, teachers must know what strategies work and which do not. The following is an example of a list of topics for a research paper in Education specialization:

• Evaluating the Impact of Varying Homework Policies on Student Achievement and Parents’ Schedules.
• Examining How Different Policies Affect Student Access and Success in School.
• The Importance of School Counseling Services for Students’ Emotional Well-Being.
• Analyzing Pros and Cons of Customized Instructional Methods.
• Investigating the Impact of a Variety of Early Literacy Instruction Methods
• Examining the Impact of Peer Response on Student Writing.
• Looking at How School Administration Can Improve Classroom Instruction
• Researching Standardized Testing’s Fair Judging System.
• Examining the Effects of Continuing Education on Classroom Practices
• The Impact of Early Morning School Start Times on Teens’ Sleep Habits and Academic Performance.
• Exploring the Role that Teachers’ Cultural Competence Plays in Their Students’ Academic Success.
• Investigating How Experiential Learning Can Improve Science Instruction
• Using Technology to Reduce the Achievement Gap in Underserved Academic Areas.
• Understanding the Role of School Discipline Policies in Shaping Student Behavior and Learning Outcomes.
• Analysis of the Association Between School Climate and Bullying.

Special Education Research Paper Topics

Researchers may use the research paper writing process for these themes to learn more about and find solutions to the difficulties disabled students confront in the classroom. Here are some sample Special Education research topic ideas below:

• The Effect Of Inclusive Education On The Academic Performance Of Students With Disabilities.
• Assistive Technology And Its Use In Helping Students With Impairments.
• Methods That Work To Help Students With Special Needs Improve Their Social Skills In The Classroom.
• Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of Early Intervention Programs For Kids Diagnosed With Learning Disorders.
• Resolving Issues Experienced By Families Raising Children With Special Needs.
• The Value Of Individualized Education Programs (Ieps) For Students With Special Needs.
• Investigating How Well Co-Teaching Works For Kids With Special Needs.
• Teacher-Student Interactions And Their Impact On Learning In Special Education.
• Improving Dyslexic Kids’ Ability To Understand What They Read.
• Examining The Efficacy Of Positive Behavior Supports For Students With Special Needs In Inclusive Classrooms.
• Planned And Supported Progression From Secondary School To Postsecondary Life For Students With Impairments.
• The Influence Of All-Inclusive Pe Courses On Kinetic Education.
• Exploring Methods To Help Kids With Special Needs Develop The Ability To Speak Out For Themselves.
• Examining The Potential Of Mindfulness Practices In Inclusive Classrooms For Students With Special Needs.
• Understanding The Need For Cultural Sensitivity While Providing Services To Students With Special Needs.

Educational Psychology Research Topics

Research topics in educational psychology inform our approach to teaching and learning. Here are some examples of educational psychology research topics and ideas:

• Exploring Strategies For Supporting Students With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (Adhd).
• Multicultural Education Presents Unique Difficulties For Kids With Personality Disorders.
• Differences In Learning Challenges Between Young Students And Older Students.
• The Growth Of Psychology In Education.
• Trends In Contemporary Pedagogical Research.
• The Impact Of Gender Norms At School On Students’ Ability To Study.
• Methods For Inspiring Students To Learn.
• The Role Of Educational Psychology In Aiding Autistic Youngsters.
• Integration Of Physiology Into The Classroom.
• The Impact Of Theories Of Intelligence On The Education Of Adults.
• The Adverse Effects Of Alcohol Use On Students’ Ability To Study.
• Applying Theories Of Intelligence To The Task Of Goal Projection.
• Interactions With Peers And The Pressures Of The Classroom.
• Student Achievement Varies By Race And Ethnicity.
• Effects Of Alcohol On Students’ Social Abilities In A School Setting.

Persuasive Research Paper Topics on Education

Education, a cornerstone of society, offers a vast landscape for persuasive research. Persuasive research paper topics in education are curated to cover a broad spectrum of issues, from the efficacy of standardized testing to the impact of technological advancements in classrooms. Each topic is designed to engage, challenge, and potentially shift the reader’s perspective on critical educational matters.

• The Need for Comprehensive Sex Education in Schools to Promote Health and Safety.
• Why Arts and Music Education is Essential for Holistic Student Development.
• The Effectiveness of Standardized Testing in Measuring Student Learning.
• The Impact of Technology and Digital Tools on Modern Learning Processes.
• The Role of Physical Education in Improving Students’ Mental Health.
• Charter Schools vs. Public Schools: Evaluating Educational Outcomes.
• The Importance of Multicultural Education in Promoting Diversity and Tolerance.
• Should Homework be Abolished in Primary Education?
• The Benefits of Bilingual Education in Cognitive and Social Development.
• The Case for and Against School Uniforms: Impact on Student Identity and Equality.
• The Necessity of Financial Literacy Courses in High School Curriculums.
• Distance Learning: Pros and Cons in the Context of the Recent Global Pandemic.
• The Impact of Teacher-Student Ratios on Learning Outcomes.
• Addressing the Digital Divide: Equal Access to Technology in Education.
• The Role of Parental Involvement in a Child’s Educational Success.

Education Policy Research Topics

Education policy forms the backbone of educational systems, shaping the experiences and outcomes for learners and educators alike. Research in this domain is crucial for understanding and improving the frameworks that govern educational institutions.

• The Impact of Education Policies on Equal Access to Quality Education.
• Analyzing the Effects of Standardized Testing Policies on Curriculum Design.
• The Role of Government Funding in Public Education: Pros and Cons.
• Education Policy Reforms: Lessons Learned from International Education Systems.
• The Influence of Teacher Training Policies on Classroom Effectiveness.
• School Choice and Education Policy: Assessing the Impact on Student Diversity.
• Evaluating the Efficacy of Early Childhood Education Policies.
• The Intersection of Education Policy and Technology in Modern Classrooms.
• Policies for Special Education: Ensuring Adequate Support and Resources.
• The Role of Education Policy in Addressing Socioeconomic Disparities.
• Higher Education Policies and Their Impact on University Governance.
• The Effectiveness of Language Education Policies in Multilingual Societies.
• Assessing the Impact of School Safety Policies on Student Well-being.
• Education Policy and Mental Health Services in Schools: A Critical Analysis.
• The Future of Online Education Policies Post-Pandemic.

Research Paper Topics about Education Systems

The study of education systems offers a window into the diverse methodologies, challenges, and successes of teaching and learning across different cultures and contexts. Research in this area is vital for understanding how various educational structures impact student outcomes and societal progress.

• Comparative Analysis of Eastern and Western Education Systems.
• The Impact of Finland’s Education System on Global Educational Practices.
• Exploring the Successes and Challenges of Montessori Education Systems.
• The Role of Technology in Transforming Modern Education Systems.
• Assessment of Inclusive Education Systems and Their Effectiveness.
• Vocational Education Systems and Their Impact on the Workforce.
• The Influence of Socioeconomic Factors on Education System Outcomes.
• Education Systems in Developing Countries: Challenges and Opportunities.
• The Evolution of Online Education Systems and Their Future Trajectory.
• Analyzing the Effectiveness of Bilingual Education Systems.
• Home Schooling vs. Traditional Schooling Systems: A Comparative Study.
• The Role of Government Policies in Shaping National Education Systems.
• Education Systems and Mental Health Support for Students.
• The Integration of Environmental Education in Global Education Systems.
• Assessing the Impact of Cultural Values on Education Systems.

Educational Leadership Research Topics

Topics in educational leadership research are crucial for the development of educational systems globally. In regards to research education topics on leadership, below are a few examples:

• The Power of Educational Leadership in World Transformation.
• How Multidisciplinary Groups Contribute to The Smooth Operation of Middle Schools.
• The Importance of Women in Educational Administration.
• Exploring Social Structure in Academic Institutions.
• Exploring Solutions to Institutional Racism at Top Schools.
• The Role That Top-Performing School Administrations May Play in Improving Underperforming Institutions.
• How the Rise of New Technologies Has Influenced School Administration.
• How can ineffective administration contribute to failing grades?
• Compassionate strategies for teaching kids with dyslexia.
• Understanding the Role of Discrimination in Educational Leadership Assessing Current Educational Leadership Practices.
• An Analysis of the Impact Subordinate Workers Have on Educational Leadership.
• How Can We Combine Student and Administrative Leadership?
• Innovative Solutions to Educational Leadership Challenges.
• Maintaining a Healthy Connection Between Students, Parents, and Educators.
• Characteristics of Transformational Leadership in Higher Education and the Role of Distance Learning Programs.

Education research subjects are essential because of their impact on the future of education. They help us understand diverse student needs, research cutting-edge teaching techniques, and solve teacher concerns. Technology’s impact on the classroom and ways for promoting student engagement keep education fluid and adaptive. To unleash education’s full potential and foster a generation of lifelong learners, we must embrace the joy of research.

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The 10 Most Significant Education Studies of 2020

We reviewed hundreds of educational studies in 2020 and then highlighted 10 of the most significant—covering topics from virtual learning to the reading wars and the decline of standardized tests.

In the month of March of 2020, the year suddenly became a whirlwind. With a pandemic disrupting life across the entire globe, teachers scrambled to transform their physical classrooms into virtual—or even hybrid—ones, and researchers slowly began to collect insights into what works, and what doesn’t, in online learning environments around the world.

Meanwhile, neuroscientists made a convincing case for keeping handwriting in schools, and after the closure of several coal-fired power plants in Chicago, researchers reported a drop in pediatric emergency room visits and fewer absences in schools, reminding us that questions of educational equity do not begin and end at the schoolhouse door.

1. To Teach Vocabulary, Let Kids Be Thespians

When students are learning a new language, ask them to act out vocabulary words. It’s fun to unleash a child’s inner thespian, of course, but a 2020 study concluded that it also nearly doubles their ability to remember the words months later.

Researchers asked 8-year-old students to listen to words in another language and then use their hands and bodies to mimic the words—spreading their arms and pretending to fly, for example, when learning the German word flugzeug , which means “airplane.” After two months, these young actors were a remarkable 73 percent more likely to remember the new words than students who had listened without accompanying gestures. Researchers discovered similar, if slightly less dramatic, results when students looked at pictures while listening to the corresponding vocabulary. 

It’s a simple reminder that if you want students to remember something, encourage them to learn it in a variety of ways—by drawing it , acting it out, or pairing it with relevant images , for example.

2. Neuroscientists Defend the Value of Teaching Handwriting—Again

For most kids, typing just doesn’t cut it. In 2012, brain scans of preliterate children revealed crucial reading circuitry flickering to life when kids hand-printed letters and then tried to read them. The effect largely disappeared when the letters were typed or traced.

More recently, in 2020, a team of researchers studied older children—seventh graders—while they handwrote, drew, and typed words, and concluded that handwriting and drawing produced telltale neural tracings indicative of deeper learning.

“Whenever self-generated movements are included as a learning strategy, more of the brain gets stimulated,” the researchers explain, before echoing the 2012 study: “It also appears that the movements related to keyboard typing do not activate these networks the same way that drawing and handwriting do.”

It would be a mistake to replace typing with handwriting, though. All kids need to develop digital skills, and there’s evidence that technology helps children with dyslexia to overcome obstacles like note taking or illegible handwriting, ultimately freeing them to “use their time for all the things in which they are gifted,” says the Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity.

3. The ACT Test Just Got a Negative Score (Face Palm)

A 2020 study found that ACT test scores, which are often a key factor in college admissions, showed a weak—or even negative —relationship when it came to predicting how successful students would be in college. “There is little evidence that students will have more college success if they work to improve their ACT score,” the researchers explain, and students with very high ACT scores—but indifferent high school grades—often flamed out in college, overmatched by the rigors of a university’s academic schedule.

Just last year, the SAT—cousin to the ACT—had a similarly dubious public showing. In a major 2019 study of nearly 50,000 students led by researcher Brian Galla, and including Angela Duckworth, researchers found that high school grades were stronger predictors of four-year-college graduation than SAT scores.

The reason? Four-year high school grades, the researchers asserted, are a better indicator of crucial skills like perseverance, time management, and the ability to avoid distractions. It’s most likely those skills, in the end, that keep kids in college.

4. A Rubric Reduces Racial Grading Bias

A simple step might help undercut the pernicious effect of grading bias, a new study found: Articulate your standards clearly before you begin grading, and refer to the standards regularly during the assessment process.

In 2020, more than 1,500 teachers were recruited and asked to grade a writing sample from a fictional second-grade student. All of the sample stories were identical—but in one set, the student mentions a family member named Dashawn, while the other set references a sibling named Connor.

Teachers were 13 percent more likely to give the Connor papers a passing grade, revealing the invisible advantages that many students unknowingly benefit from. When grading criteria are vague, implicit stereotypes can insidiously “fill in the blanks,” explains the study’s author. But when teachers have an explicit set of criteria to evaluate the writing—asking whether the student “provides a well-elaborated recount of an event,” for example—the difference in grades is nearly eliminated.

5. What Do Coal-Fired Power Plants Have to Do With Learning? Plenty

When three coal-fired plants closed in the Chicago area, student absences in nearby schools dropped by 7 percent, a change largely driven by fewer emergency room visits for asthma-related problems. The stunning finding, published in a 2020 study from Duke and Penn State, underscores the role that often-overlooked environmental factors—like air quality, neighborhood crime, and noise pollution—have in keeping our children healthy and ready to learn.

At scale, the opportunity cost is staggering: About 2.3 million children in the United States still attend a public elementary or middle school located within 10 kilometers of a coal-fired plant.

The study builds on a growing body of research that reminds us that questions of educational equity do not begin and end at the schoolhouse door. What we call an achievement gap is often an equity gap, one that “takes root in the earliest years of children’s lives,” according to a 2017 study . We won’t have equal opportunity in our schools, the researchers admonish, until we are diligent about confronting inequality in our cities, our neighborhoods—and ultimately our own backyards.

6. Students Who Generate Good Questions Are Better Learners

Some of the most popular study strategies—highlighting passages, rereading notes, and underlining key sentences—are also among the least effective. A 2020 study highlighted a powerful alternative: Get students to generate questions about their learning, and gradually press them to ask more probing questions.

In the study, students who studied a topic and then generated their own questions scored an average of 14 percentage points higher on a test than students who used passive strategies like studying their notes and rereading classroom material. Creating questions, the researchers found, not only encouraged students to think more deeply about the topic but also strengthened their ability to remember what they were studying.

There are many engaging ways to have students create highly productive questions : When creating a test, you can ask students to submit their own questions, or you can use the Jeopardy! game as a platform for student-created questions.

7. Did a 2020 Study Just End the ‘Reading Wars’?

One of the most widely used reading programs was dealt a severe blow when a panel of reading experts concluded that it “would be unlikely to lead to literacy success for all of America’s public schoolchildren.”

In the 2020 study , the experts found that the controversial program—called “Units of Study” and developed over the course of four decades by Lucy Calkins at the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project—failed to explicitly and systematically teach young readers how to decode and encode written words, and was thus “in direct opposition to an enormous body of settled research.”

The study sounded the death knell for practices that de-emphasize phonics in favor of having children use multiple sources of information—like story events or illustrations—to predict the meaning of unfamiliar words, an approach often associated with “balanced literacy.” In an internal memo obtained by publisher APM, Calkins seemed to concede the point, writing that “aspects of balanced literacy need some ‘rebalancing.’”

8. A Secret to High-Performing Virtual Classrooms

In 2020, a team at Georgia State University compiled a report on virtual learning best practices. While evidence in the field is "sparse" and "inconsistent," the report noted that logistical issues like accessing materials—and not content-specific problems like failures of comprehension—were often among the most significant obstacles to online learning. It wasn’t that students didn’t understand photosynthesis in a virtual setting, in other words—it was that they didn’t find (or simply didn't access) the lesson on photosynthesis at all.

That basic insight echoed a 2019 study that highlighted the crucial need to organize virtual classrooms even more intentionally than physical ones. Remote teachers should use a single, dedicated hub for important documents like assignments; simplify communications and reminders by using one channel like email or text; and reduce visual clutter like hard-to-read fonts and unnecessary decorations throughout their virtual spaces.

Because the tools are new to everyone, regular feedback on topics like accessibility and ease of use is crucial. Teachers should post simple surveys asking questions like “Have you encountered any technical issues?” and “Can you easily locate your assignments?” to ensure that students experience a smooth-running virtual learning space.

9. Love to Learn Languages? Surprisingly, Coding May Be Right for You

Learning how to code more closely resembles learning a language such as Chinese or Spanish than learning math, a 2020 study found—upending the conventional wisdom about what makes a good programmer.

In the study, young adults with no programming experience were asked to learn Python, a popular programming language; they then took a series of tests assessing their problem-solving, math, and language skills. The researchers discovered that mathematical skill accounted for only 2 percent of a person’s ability to learn how to code, while language skills were almost nine times more predictive, accounting for 17 percent of learning ability.

That’s an important insight because all too often, programming classes require that students pass advanced math courses—a hurdle that needlessly excludes students with untapped promise, the researchers claim.

10. Researchers Cast Doubt on Reading Tasks Like ‘Finding the Main Idea’

“Content is comprehension,” declared a 2020 Fordham Institute study , sounding a note of defiance as it staked out a position in the ongoing debate over the teaching of intrinsic reading skills versus the teaching of content knowledge.

While elementary students spend an enormous amount of time working on skills like “finding the main idea” and “summarizing”—tasks born of the belief that reading is a discrete and trainable ability that transfers seamlessly across content areas—these young readers aren’t experiencing “the additional reading gains that well-intentioned educators hoped for,” the study concluded.

So what works? The researchers looked at data from more than 18,000 K–5 students, focusing on the time spent in subject areas like math, social studies, and ELA, and found that “social studies is the only subject with a clear, positive, and statistically significant effect on reading improvement.” In effect, exposing kids to rich content in civics, history, and law appeared to teach reading more effectively than our current methods of teaching reading. Perhaps defiance is no longer needed: Fordham’s conclusions are rapidly becoming conventional wisdom—and they extend beyond the limited claim of reading social studies texts. According to Natalie Wexler, the author of the well-received 2019 book  The Knowledge Gap , content knowledge and reading are intertwined. “Students with more [background] knowledge have a better chance of understanding whatever text they encounter. They’re able to retrieve more information about the topic from long-term memory, leaving more space in working memory for comprehension,” she recently told Edutopia .

College of Education and Human Development

Department of Educational Psychology

Cultural Relativity and Acceptance of Embryonic Stem Cell Research

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There is a debate about the ethical implications of using human embryos in stem cell research, which can be influenced by cultural, moral, and social values. This paper argues for an adaptable framework to accommodate diverse cultural and religious perspectives. By using an adaptive ethics model, research protections can reflect various populations and foster growth in stem cell research possibilities.

INTRODUCTION

Stem cell research combines biology, medicine, and technology, promising to alter health care and the understanding of human development. Yet, ethical contention exists because of individuals’ perceptions of using human embryos based on their various cultural, moral, and social values. While these disagreements concerning policy, use, and general acceptance have prompted the development of an international ethics policy, such a uniform approach can overlook the nuanced ethical landscapes between cultures. With diverse viewpoints in public health, a single global policy, especially one reflecting Western ethics or the ethics prevalent in high-income countries, is impractical. This paper argues for a culturally sensitive, adaptable framework for the use of embryonic stem cells. Stem cell policy should accommodate varying ethical viewpoints and promote an effective global dialogue. With an extension of an ethics model that can adapt to various cultures, we recommend localized guidelines that reflect the moral views of the people those guidelines serve.

Stem cells, characterized by their unique ability to differentiate into various cell types, enable the repair or replacement of damaged tissues. Two primary types of stem cells are somatic stem cells (adult stem cells) and embryonic stem cells. Adult stem cells exist in developed tissues and maintain the body’s repair processes. [1] Embryonic stem cells (ESC) are remarkably pluripotent or versatile, making them valuable in research. [2] However, the use of ESCs has sparked ethics debates. Considering the potential of embryonic stem cells, research guidelines are essential. The International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) provides international stem cell research guidelines. They call for “public conversations touching on the scientific significance as well as the societal and ethical issues raised by ESC research.” [3] The ISSCR also publishes updates about culturing human embryos 14 days post fertilization, suggesting local policies and regulations should continue to evolve as ESC research develops. [4]  Like the ISSCR, which calls for local law and policy to adapt to developing stem cell research given cultural acceptance, this paper highlights the importance of local social factors such as religion and culture.

I.     Global Cultural Perspective of Embryonic Stem Cells

Views on ESCs vary throughout the world. Some countries readily embrace stem cell research and therapies, while others have stricter regulations due to ethical concerns surrounding embryonic stem cells and when an embryo becomes entitled to moral consideration. The philosophical issue of when the “someone” begins to be a human after fertilization, in the morally relevant sense, [5] impacts when an embryo becomes not just worthy of protection but morally entitled to it. The process of creating embryonic stem cell lines involves the destruction of the embryos for research. [6] Consequently, global engagement in ESC research depends on social-cultural acceptability.

a.     US and Rights-Based Cultures

In the United States, attitudes toward stem cell therapies are diverse. The ethics and social approaches, which value individualism, [7] trigger debates regarding the destruction of human embryos, creating a complex regulatory environment. For example, the 1996 Dickey-Wicker Amendment prohibited federal funding for the creation of embryos for research and the destruction of embryos for “more than allowed for research on fetuses in utero.” [8] Following suit, in 2001, the Bush Administration heavily restricted stem cell lines for research. However, the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005 was proposed to help develop ESC research but was ultimately vetoed. [9] Under the Obama administration, in 2009, an executive order lifted restrictions allowing for more development in this field. [10] The flux of research capacity and funding parallels the different cultural perceptions of human dignity of the embryo and how it is socially presented within the country’s research culture. [11]

b.     Ubuntu and Collective Cultures

African bioethics differs from Western individualism because of the different traditions and values. African traditions, as described by individuals from South Africa and supported by some studies in other African countries, including Ghana and Kenya, follow the African moral philosophies of Ubuntu or Botho and Ukama , which “advocates for a form of wholeness that comes through one’s relationship and connectedness with other people in the society,” [12] making autonomy a socially collective concept. In this context, for the community to act autonomously, individuals would come together to decide what is best for the collective. Thus, stem cell research would require examining the value of the research to society as a whole and the use of the embryos as a collective societal resource. If society views the source as part of the collective whole, and opposes using stem cells, compromising the cultural values to pursue research may cause social detachment and stunt research growth. [13] Based on local culture and moral philosophy, the permissibility of stem cell research depends on how embryo, stem cell, and cell line therapies relate to the community as a whole. Ubuntu is the expression of humanness, with the person’s identity drawn from the “’I am because we are’” value. [14] The decision in a collectivistic culture becomes one born of cultural context, and individual decisions give deference to others in the society.

Consent differs in cultures where thought and moral philosophy are based on a collective paradigm. So, applying Western bioethical concepts is unrealistic. For one, Africa is a diverse continent with many countries with different belief systems, access to health care, and reliance on traditional or Western medicines. Where traditional medicine is the primary treatment, the “’restrictive focus on biomedically-related bioethics’” [is] problematic in African contexts because it neglects bioethical issues raised by traditional systems.” [15] No single approach applies in all areas or contexts. Rather than evaluating the permissibility of ESC research according to Western concepts such as the four principles approach, different ethics approaches should prevail.

Another consideration is the socio-economic standing of countries. In parts of South Africa, researchers have not focused heavily on contributing to the stem cell discourse, either because it is not considered health care or a health science priority or because resources are unavailable. [16] Each country’s priorities differ given different social, political, and economic factors. In South Africa, for instance, areas such as maternal mortality, non-communicable diseases, telemedicine, and the strength of health systems need improvement and require more focus [17] Stem cell research could benefit the population, but it also could divert resources from basic medical care. Researchers in South Africa adhere to the National Health Act and Medicines Control Act in South Africa and international guidelines; however, the Act is not strictly enforced, and there is no clear legislation for research conduct or ethical guidelines. [18]

Some parts of Africa condemn stem cell research. For example, 98.2 percent of the Tunisian population is Muslim. [19] Tunisia does not permit stem cell research because of moral conflict with a Fatwa. Religion heavily saturates the regulation and direction of research. [20] Stem cell use became permissible for reproductive purposes only recently, with tight restrictions preventing cells from being used in any research other than procedures concerning ART/IVF.  Their use is conditioned on consent, and available only to married couples. [21] The community's receptiveness to stem cell research depends on including communitarian African ethics.

c.     Asia

Some Asian countries also have a collective model of ethics and decision making. [22] In China, the ethics model promotes a sincere respect for life or human dignity, [23] based on protective medicine. This model, influenced by Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), [24] recognizes Qi as the vital energy delivered via the meridians of the body; it connects illness to body systems, the body’s entire constitution, and the universe for a holistic bond of nature, health, and quality of life. [25] Following a protective ethics model, and traditional customs of wholeness, investment in stem cell research is heavily desired for its applications in regenerative therapies, disease modeling, and protective medicines. In a survey of medical students and healthcare practitioners, 30.8 percent considered stem cell research morally unacceptable while 63.5 percent accepted medical research using human embryonic stem cells. Of these individuals, 89.9 percent supported increased funding for stem cell research. [26] The scientific community might not reflect the overall population. From 1997 to 2019, China spent a total of $576 million (USD) on stem cell research at 8,050 stem cell programs, increased published presence from 0.6 percent to 14.01 percent of total global stem cell publications as of 2014, and made significant strides in cell-based therapies for various medical conditions. [27] However, while China has made substantial investments in stem cell research and achieved notable progress in clinical applications, concerns linger regarding ethical oversight and transparency. [28] For example, the China Biosecurity Law, promoted by the National Health Commission and China Hospital Association, attempted to mitigate risks by introducing an institutional review board (IRB) in the regulatory bodies. 5800 IRBs registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry since 2021. [29] However, issues still need to be addressed in implementing effective IRB review and approval procedures.

The substantial government funding and focus on scientific advancement have sometimes overshadowed considerations of regional cultures, ethnic minorities, and individual perspectives, particularly evident during the one-child policy era. As government policy adapts to promote public stability, such as the change from the one-child to the two-child policy, [30] research ethics should also adapt to ensure respect for the values of its represented peoples.

Japan is also relatively supportive of stem cell research and therapies. Japan has a more transparent regulatory framework, allowing for faster approval of regenerative medicine products, which has led to several advanced clinical trials and therapies. [31] South Korea is also actively engaged in stem cell research and has a history of breakthroughs in cloning and embryonic stem cells. [32] However, the field is controversial, and there are issues of scientific integrity. For example, the Korean FDA fast-tracked products for approval, [33] and in another instance, the oocyte source was unclear and possibly violated ethical standards. [34] Trust is important in research, as it builds collaborative foundations between colleagues, trial participant comfort, open-mindedness for complicated and sensitive discussions, and supports regulatory procedures for stakeholders. There is a need to respect the culture’s interest, engagement, and for research and clinical trials to be transparent and have ethical oversight to promote global research discourse and trust.

d.     Middle East

Countries in the Middle East have varying degrees of acceptance of or restrictions to policies related to using embryonic stem cells due to cultural and religious influences. Saudi Arabia has made significant contributions to stem cell research, and conducts research based on international guidelines for ethical conduct and under strict adherence to guidelines in accordance with Islamic principles. Specifically, the Saudi government and people require ESC research to adhere to Sharia law. In addition to umbilical and placental stem cells, [35] Saudi Arabia permits the use of embryonic stem cells as long as they come from miscarriages, therapeutic abortions permissible by Sharia law, or are left over from in vitro fertilization and donated to research. [36] Laws and ethical guidelines for stem cell research allow the development of research institutions such as the King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, which has a cord blood bank and a stem cell registry with nearly 10,000 donors. [37] Such volume and acceptance are due to the ethical ‘permissibility’ of the donor sources, which do not conflict with religious pillars. However, some researchers err on the side of caution, choosing not to use embryos or fetal tissue as they feel it is unethical to do so. [38]

Jordan has a positive research ethics culture. [39] However, there is a significant issue of lack of trust in researchers, with 45.23 percent (38.66 percent agreeing and 6.57 percent strongly agreeing) of Jordanians holding a low level of trust in researchers, compared to 81.34 percent of Jordanians agreeing that they feel safe to participate in a research trial. [40] Safety testifies to the feeling of confidence that adequate measures are in place to protect participants from harm, whereas trust in researchers could represent the confidence in researchers to act in the participants’ best interests, adhere to ethical guidelines, provide accurate information, and respect participants’ rights and dignity. One method to improve trust would be to address communication issues relevant to ESC. Legislation surrounding stem cell research has adopted specific language, especially concerning clarification “between ‘stem cells’ and ‘embryonic stem cells’” in translation. [41] Furthermore, legislation “mandates the creation of a national committee… laying out specific regulations for stem-cell banking in accordance with international standards.” [42] This broad regulation opens the door for future global engagement and maintains transparency. However, these regulations may also constrain the influence of research direction, pace, and accessibility of research outcomes.

e.     Europe

In the European Union (EU), ethics is also principle-based, but the principles of autonomy, dignity, integrity, and vulnerability are interconnected. [43] As such, the opportunity for cohesion and concessions between individuals’ thoughts and ideals allows for a more adaptable ethics model due to the flexible principles that relate to the human experience The EU has put forth a framework in its Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Dignity of the Human Being allowing member states to take different approaches. Each European state applies these principles to its specific conventions, leading to or reflecting different acceptance levels of stem cell research. [44]

For example, in Germany, Lebenzusammenhang , or the coherence of life, references integrity in the unity of human culture. Namely, the personal sphere “should not be subject to external intervention.” [45]  Stem cell interventions could affect this concept of bodily completeness, leading to heavy restrictions. Under the Grundgesetz, human dignity and the right to life with physical integrity are paramount. [46] The Embryo Protection Act of 1991 made producing cell lines illegal. Cell lines can be imported if approved by the Central Ethics Commission for Stem Cell Research only if they were derived before May 2007. [47] Stem cell research respects the integrity of life for the embryo with heavy specifications and intense oversight. This is vastly different in Finland, where the regulatory bodies find research more permissible in IVF excess, but only up to 14 days after fertilization. [48] Spain’s approach differs still, with a comprehensive regulatory framework. [49] Thus, research regulation can be culture-specific due to variations in applied principles. Diverse cultures call for various approaches to ethical permissibility. [50] Only an adaptive-deliberative model can address the cultural constructions of self and achieve positive, culturally sensitive stem cell research practices. [51]

II.     Religious Perspectives on ESC

Embryonic stem cell sources are the main consideration within religious contexts. While individuals may not regard their own religious texts as authoritative or factual, religion can shape their foundations or perspectives.

The Qur'an states:

“And indeed We created man from a quintessence of clay. Then We placed within him a small quantity of nutfa (sperm to fertilize) in a safe place. Then We have fashioned the nutfa into an ‘alaqa (clinging clot or cell cluster), then We developed the ‘alaqa into mudgha (a lump of flesh), and We made mudgha into bones, and clothed the bones with flesh, then We brought it into being as a new creation. So Blessed is Allah, the Best of Creators.” [52]

Many scholars of Islam estimate the time of soul installment, marked by the angel breathing in the soul to bring the individual into creation, as 120 days from conception. [53] Personhood begins at this point, and the value of life would prohibit research or experimentation that could harm the individual. If the fetus is more than 120 days old, the time ensoulment is interpreted to occur according to Islamic law, abortion is no longer permissible. [54] There are a few opposing opinions about early embryos in Islamic traditions. According to some Islamic theologians, there is no ensoulment of the early embryo, which is the source of stem cells for ESC research. [55]

In Buddhism, the stance on stem cell research is not settled. The main tenets, the prohibition against harming or destroying others (ahimsa) and the pursuit of knowledge (prajña) and compassion (karuna), leave Buddhist scholars and communities divided. [56] Some scholars argue stem cell research is in accordance with the Buddhist tenet of seeking knowledge and ending human suffering. Others feel it violates the principle of not harming others. Finding the balance between these two points relies on the karmic burden of Buddhist morality. In trying to prevent ahimsa towards the embryo, Buddhist scholars suggest that to comply with Buddhist tenets, research cannot be done as the embryo has personhood at the moment of conception and would reincarnate immediately, harming the individual's ability to build their karmic burden. [57] On the other hand, the Bodhisattvas, those considered to be on the path to enlightenment or Nirvana, have given organs and flesh to others to help alleviate grieving and to benefit all. [58] Acceptance varies on applied beliefs and interpretations.

Catholicism does not support embryonic stem cell research, as it entails creation or destruction of human embryos. This destruction conflicts with the belief in the sanctity of life. For example, in the Old Testament, Genesis describes humanity as being created in God’s image and multiplying on the Earth, referencing the sacred rights to human conception and the purpose of development and life. In the Ten Commandments, the tenet that one should not kill has numerous interpretations where killing could mean murder or shedding of the sanctity of life, demonstrating the high value of human personhood. In other books, the theological conception of when life begins is interpreted as in utero, [59] highlighting the inviolability of life and its formation in vivo to make a religious point for accepting such research as relatively limited, if at all. [60] The Vatican has released ethical directives to help apply a theological basis to modern-day conflicts. The Magisterium of the Church states that “unless there is a moral certainty of not causing harm,” experimentation on fetuses, fertilized cells, stem cells, or embryos constitutes a crime. [61] Such procedures would not respect the human person who exists at these stages, according to Catholicism. Damages to the embryo are considered gravely immoral and illicit. [62] Although the Catholic Church officially opposes abortion, surveys demonstrate that many Catholic people hold pro-choice views, whether due to the context of conception, stage of pregnancy, threat to the mother’s life, or for other reasons, demonstrating that practicing members can also accept some but not all tenets. [63]

Some major Jewish denominations, such as the Reform, Conservative, and Reconstructionist movements, are open to supporting ESC use or research as long as it is for saving a life. [64] Within Judaism, the Talmud, or study, gives personhood to the child at birth and emphasizes that life does not begin at conception: [65]

“If she is found pregnant, until the fortieth day it is mere fluid,” [66]

Whereas most religions prioritize the status of human embryos, the Halakah (Jewish religious law) states that to save one life, most other religious laws can be ignored because it is in pursuit of preservation. [67] Stem cell research is accepted due to application of these religious laws.

We recognize that all religions contain subsets and sects. The variety of environmental and cultural differences within religious groups requires further analysis to respect the flexibility of religious thoughts and practices. We make no presumptions that all cultures require notions of autonomy or morality as under the common morality theory , which asserts a set of universal moral norms that all individuals share provides moral reasoning and guides ethical decisions. [68] We only wish to show that the interaction with morality varies between cultures and countries.

III.     A Flexible Ethical Approach

The plurality of different moral approaches described above demonstrates that there can be no universally acceptable uniform law for ESC on a global scale. Instead of developing one standard, flexible ethical applications must be continued. We recommend local guidelines that incorporate important cultural and ethical priorities.

While the Declaration of Helsinki is more relevant to people in clinical trials receiving ESC products, in keeping with the tradition of protections for research subjects, consent of the donor is an ethical requirement for ESC donation in many jurisdictions including the US, Canada, and Europe. [69] The Declaration of Helsinki provides a reference point for regulatory standards and could potentially be used as a universal baseline for obtaining consent prior to gamete or embryo donation.

For instance, in Columbia University’s egg donor program for stem cell research, donors followed standard screening protocols and “underwent counseling sessions that included information as to the purpose of oocyte donation for research, what the oocytes would be used for, the risks and benefits of donation, and process of oocyte stimulation” to ensure transparency for consent. [70] The program helped advance stem cell research and provided clear and safe research methods with paid participants. Though paid participation or covering costs of incidental expenses may not be socially acceptable in every culture or context, [71] and creating embryos for ESC research is illegal in many jurisdictions, Columbia’s program was effective because of the clear and honest communications with donors, IRBs, and related stakeholders.  This example demonstrates that cultural acceptance of scientific research and of the idea that an egg or embryo does not have personhood is likely behind societal acceptance of donating eggs for ESC research. As noted, many countries do not permit the creation of embryos for research.

Proper communication and education regarding the process and purpose of stem cell research may bolster comprehension and garner more acceptance. “Given the sensitive subject material, a complete consent process can support voluntary participation through trust, understanding, and ethical norms from the cultures and morals participants value. This can be hard for researchers entering countries of different socioeconomic stability, with different languages and different societal values. [72]

An adequate moral foundation in medical ethics is derived from the cultural and religious basis that informs knowledge and actions. [73] Understanding local cultural and religious values and their impact on research could help researchers develop humility and promote inclusion.

IV.     Concerns

Some may argue that if researchers all adhere to one ethics standard, protection will be satisfied across all borders, and the global public will trust researchers. However, defining what needs to be protected and how to define such research standards is very specific to the people to which standards are applied. We suggest that applying one uniform guide cannot accurately protect each individual because we all possess our own perceptions and interpretations of social values. [74] Therefore, the issue of not adjusting to the moral pluralism between peoples in applying one standard of ethics can be resolved by building out ethics models that can be adapted to different cultures and religions.

Other concerns include medical tourism, which may promote health inequities. [75] Some countries may develop and approve products derived from ESC research before others, compromising research ethics or drug approval processes. There are also concerns about the sale of unauthorized stem cell treatments, for example, those without FDA approval in the United States. Countries with robust research infrastructures may be tempted to attract medical tourists, and some customers will have false hopes based on aggressive publicity of unproven treatments. [76]

For example, in China, stem cell clinics can market to foreign clients who are not protected under the regulatory regimes. Companies employ a marketing strategy of “ethically friendly” therapies. Specifically, in the case of Beike, China’s leading stem cell tourism company and sprouting network, ethical oversight of administrators or health bureaus at one site has “the unintended consequence of shifting questionable activities to another node in Beike's diffuse network.” [77] In contrast, Jordan is aware of stem cell research’s potential abuse and its own status as a “health-care hub.” Jordan’s expanded regulations include preserving the interests of individuals in clinical trials and banning private companies from ESC research to preserve transparency and the integrity of research practices. [78]

The social priorities of the community are also a concern. The ISSCR explicitly states that guidelines “should be periodically revised to accommodate scientific advances, new challenges, and evolving social priorities.” [79] The adaptable ethics model extends this consideration further by addressing whether research is warranted given the varying degrees of socioeconomic conditions, political stability, and healthcare accessibilities and limitations. An ethical approach would require discussion about resource allocation and appropriate distribution of funds. [80]

While some religions emphasize the sanctity of life from conception, which may lead to public opposition to ESC research, others encourage ESC research due to its potential for healing and alleviating human pain. Many countries have special regulations that balance local views on embryonic personhood, the benefits of research as individual or societal goods, and the protection of human research subjects. To foster understanding and constructive dialogue, global policy frameworks should prioritize the protection of universal human rights, transparency, and informed consent. In addition to these foundational global policies, we recommend tailoring local guidelines to reflect the diverse cultural and religious perspectives of the populations they govern. Ethics models should be adapted to local populations to effectively establish research protections, growth, and possibilities of stem cell research.

For example, in countries with strong beliefs in the moral sanctity of embryos or heavy religious restrictions, an adaptive model can allow for discussion instead of immediate rejection. In countries with limited individual rights and voice in science policy, an adaptive model ensures cultural, moral, and religious views are taken into consideration, thereby building social inclusion. While this ethical consideration by the government may not give a complete voice to every individual, it will help balance policies and maintain the diverse perspectives of those it affects. Embracing an adaptive ethics model of ESC research promotes open-minded dialogue and respect for the importance of human belief and tradition. By actively engaging with cultural and religious values, researchers can better handle disagreements and promote ethical research practices that benefit each society.

This brief exploration of the religious and cultural differences that impact ESC research reveals the nuances of relative ethics and highlights a need for local policymakers to apply a more intense adaptive model.

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Culturally, autonomy practices follow a relational autonomy approach based on a paternalistic deontological health care model. The adherence to strict international research policies and religious pillars within the regulatory environment is a great foundation for research ethics. However, there is a need to develop locally targeted ethics approaches for research (as called for in Alahmad, G., Aljohani, S., & Najjar, M. F. (2020). Ethical challenges regarding the use of stem cells: interviews with researchers from Saudi Arabia. BMC medical ethics, 21(1), 35. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12910-020-00482-6), this decision-making approach may help advise a research decision model. For more on the clinical cultural autonomy approaches, see: Alabdullah, Y. Y., Alzaid, E., Alsaad, S., Alamri, T., Alolayan, S. W., Bah, S., & Aljoudi, A. S. (2022). Autonomy and paternalism in Shared decision‐making in a Saudi Arabian tertiary hospital: A cross‐sectional study. Developing World Bioethics , 23 (3), 260–268. https://doi.org/10.1111/dewb.12355 ; Bukhari, A. A. (2017). Universal Principles of Bioethics and Patient Rights in Saudi Arabia (Doctoral dissertation, Duquesne University). https://dsc.duq.edu/etd/124; Ladha, S., Nakshawani, S. A., Alzaidy, A., & Tarab, B. (2023, October 26). Islam and Bioethics: What We All Need to Know . Columbia University School of Professional Studies. https://sps.columbia.edu/events/islam-and-bioethics-what-we-all-need-know

[39] Ababneh, M. A., Al-Azzam, S. I., Alzoubi, K., Rababa’h, A., & Al Demour, S. (2021). Understanding and attitudes of the Jordanian public about clinical research ethics.  Research Ethics ,  17 (2), 228-241.  https://doi.org/10.1177/1747016120966779

[40] Ababneh, M. A., Al-Azzam, S. I., Alzoubi, K., Rababa’h, A., & Al Demour, S. (2021). Understanding and attitudes of the Jordanian public about clinical research ethics.  Research Ethics ,  17 (2), 228-241.  https://doi.org/10.1177/1747016120966779

[41] Dajani, R. (2014). Jordan’s stem-cell law can guide the Middle East.  Nature  510, 189. https://doi.org/10.1038/510189a

[42] Dajani, R. (2014). Jordan’s stem-cell law can guide the Middle East.  Nature  510, 189. https://doi.org/10.1038/510189a

[43] The EU’s definition of autonomy relates to the capacity for creating ideas, moral insight, decisions, and actions without constraint, personal responsibility, and informed consent. However, the EU views autonomy as not completely able to protect individuals and depends on other principles, such as dignity, which “expresses the intrinsic worth and fundamental equality of all human beings.” Rendtorff, J.D., Kemp, P. (2019). Four Ethical Principles in European Bioethics and Biolaw: Autonomy, Dignity, Integrity and Vulnerability. In: Valdés, E., Lecaros, J. (eds) Biolaw and Policy in the Twenty-First Century. International Library of Ethics, Law, and the New Medicine, vol 78. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-05903-3_3

[44] Council of Europe. Convention for the protection of Human Rights and Dignity of the Human Being with regard to the Application of Biology and Medicine: Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine (ETS No. 164) https://www.coe.int/en/web/conventions/full-list?module=treaty-detail&treatynum=164 (forbidding the creation of embryos for research purposes only, and suggests embryos in vitro have protections.); Also see Drabiak-Syed B. K. (2013). New President, New Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research Policy: Comparative International Perspectives and Embryonic Stem Cell Research Laws in France.  Biotechnology Law Report ,  32 (6), 349–356. https://doi.org/10.1089/blr.2013.9865

[45] Rendtorff, J.D., Kemp, P. (2019). Four Ethical Principles in European Bioethics and Biolaw: Autonomy, Dignity, Integrity and Vulnerability. In: Valdés, E., Lecaros, J. (eds) Biolaw and Policy in the Twenty-First Century. International Library of Ethics, Law, and the New Medicine, vol 78. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-05903-3_3

[46] Tomuschat, C., Currie, D. P., Kommers, D. P., & Kerr, R. (Trans.). (1949, May 23). Basic law for the Federal Republic of Germany. https://www.btg-bestellservice.de/pdf/80201000.pdf

[47] Regulation of Stem Cell Research in Germany . Eurostemcell. (2017, April 26). https://www.eurostemcell.org/regulation-stem-cell-research-germany

[48] Regulation of Stem Cell Research in Finland . Eurostemcell. (2017, April 26). https://www.eurostemcell.org/regulation-stem-cell-research-finland

[49] Regulation of Stem Cell Research in Spain . Eurostemcell. (2017, April 26). https://www.eurostemcell.org/regulation-stem-cell-research-spain

[50] Some sources to consider regarding ethics models or regulatory oversights of other cultures not covered:

Kara MA. Applicability of the principle of respect for autonomy: the perspective of Turkey. J Med Ethics. 2007 Nov;33(11):627-30. doi: 10.1136/jme.2006.017400. PMID: 17971462; PMCID: PMC2598110.

Ugarte, O. N., & Acioly, M. A. (2014). The principle of autonomy in Brazil: one needs to discuss it ...  Revista do Colegio Brasileiro de Cirurgioes ,  41 (5), 374–377. https://doi.org/10.1590/0100-69912014005013

Bharadwaj, A., & Glasner, P. E. (2012). Local cells, global science: The rise of embryonic stem cell research in India . Routledge.

For further research on specific European countries regarding ethical and regulatory framework, we recommend this database: Regulation of Stem Cell Research in Europe . Eurostemcell. (2017, April 26). https://www.eurostemcell.org/regulation-stem-cell-research-europe   

[51] Klitzman, R. (2006). Complications of culture in obtaining informed consent. The American Journal of Bioethics, 6(1), 20–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/15265160500394671 see also: Ekmekci, P. E., & Arda, B. (2017). Interculturalism and Informed Consent: Respecting Cultural Differences without Breaching Human Rights.  Cultura (Iasi, Romania) ,  14 (2), 159–172.; For why trust is important in research, see also: Gray, B., Hilder, J., Macdonald, L., Tester, R., Dowell, A., & Stubbe, M. (2017). Are research ethics guidelines culturally competent?  Research Ethics ,  13 (1), 23-41.  https://doi.org/10.1177/1747016116650235

[52] The Qur'an  (M. Khattab, Trans.). (1965). Al-Mu’minun, 23: 12-14. https://quran.com/23

[53] Lenfest, Y. (2017, December 8). Islam and the beginning of human life . Bill of Health. https://blog.petrieflom.law.harvard.edu/2017/12/08/islam-and-the-beginning-of-human-life/

[54] Aksoy, S. (2005). Making regulations and drawing up legislation in Islamic countries under conditions of uncertainty, with special reference to embryonic stem cell research. Journal of Medical Ethics , 31: 399-403.; see also: Mahmoud, Azza. "Islamic Bioethics: National Regulations and Guidelines of Human Stem Cell Research in the Muslim World." Master's thesis, Chapman University, 2022. https://doi.org/10.36837/ chapman.000386

[55] Rashid, R. (2022). When does Ensoulment occur in the Human Foetus. Journal of the British Islamic Medical Association , 12 (4). ISSN 2634 8071. https://www.jbima.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/2-Ethics-3_-Ensoulment_Rafaqat.pdf.

[56] Sivaraman, M. & Noor, S. (2017). Ethics of embryonic stem cell research according to Buddhist, Hindu, Catholic, and Islamic religions: perspective from Malaysia. Asian Biomedicine,8(1) 43-52.  https://doi.org/10.5372/1905-7415.0801.260

[57] Jafari, M., Elahi, F., Ozyurt, S. & Wrigley, T. (2007). 4. Religious Perspectives on Embryonic Stem Cell Research. In K. Monroe, R. Miller & J. Tobis (Ed.),  Fundamentals of the Stem Cell Debate: The Scientific, Religious, Ethical, and Political Issues  (pp. 79-94). Berkeley: University of California Press.  https://escholarship.org/content/qt9rj0k7s3/qt9rj0k7s3_noSplash_f9aca2e02c3777c7fb76ea768ba458f0.pdf https://doi.org/10.1525/9780520940994-005

[58] Lecso, P. A. (1991). The Bodhisattva Ideal and Organ Transplantation.  Journal of Religion and Health ,  30 (1), 35–41. http://www.jstor.org/stable/27510629 ; Bodhisattva, S. (n.d.). The Key of Becoming a Bodhisattva . A Guide to the Bodhisattva Way of Life. http://www.buddhism.org/Sutras/2/BodhisattvaWay.htm

[59] There is no explicit religious reference to when life begins or how to conduct research that interacts with the concept of life. However, these are relevant verses pertaining to how the fetus is viewed. (( King James Bible . (1999). Oxford University Press. (original work published 1769))

Jerimiah 1: 5 “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee…”

In prophet Jerimiah’s insight, God set him apart as a person known before childbirth, a theme carried within the Psalm of David.

Psalm 139: 13-14 “…Thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made…”

These verses demonstrate David’s respect for God as an entity that would know of all man’s thoughts and doings even before birth.

[60] It should be noted that abortion is not supported as well.

[61] The Vatican. (1987, February 22). Instruction on Respect for Human Life in Its Origin and on the Dignity of Procreation Replies to Certain Questions of the Day . Congregation For the Doctrine of the Faith. https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19870222_respect-for-human-life_en.html

[62] The Vatican. (2000, August 25). Declaration On the Production and the Scientific and Therapeutic Use of Human Embryonic Stem Cells . Pontifical Academy for Life. https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_academies/acdlife/documents/rc_pa_acdlife_doc_20000824_cellule-staminali_en.html ; Ohara, N. (2003). Ethical Consideration of Experimentation Using Living Human Embryos: The Catholic Church’s Position on Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research and Human Cloning. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology . Retrieved from https://article.imrpress.com/journal/CEOG/30/2-3/pii/2003018/77-81.pdf.

[63] Smith, G. A. (2022, May 23). Like Americans overall, Catholics vary in their abortion views, with regular mass attenders most opposed . Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2022/05/23/like-americans-overall-catholics-vary-in-their-abortion-views-with-regular-mass-attenders-most-opposed/

[64] Rosner, F., & Reichman, E. (2002). Embryonic stem cell research in Jewish law. Journal of halacha and contemporary society , (43), 49–68.; Jafari, M., Elahi, F., Ozyurt, S. & Wrigley, T. (2007). 4. Religious Perspectives on Embryonic Stem Cell Research. In K. Monroe, R. Miller & J. Tobis (Ed.),  Fundamentals of the Stem Cell Debate: The Scientific, Religious, Ethical, and Political Issues  (pp. 79-94). Berkeley: University of California Press.  https://escholarship.org/content/qt9rj0k7s3/qt9rj0k7s3_noSplash_f9aca2e02c3777c7fb76ea768ba458f0.pdf https://doi.org/10.1525/9780520940994-005

[65] Schenker J. G. (2008). The beginning of human life: status of embryo. Perspectives in Halakha (Jewish Religious Law).  Journal of assisted reproduction and genetics ,  25 (6), 271–276. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-008-9221-6

[66] Ruttenberg, D. (2020, May 5). The Torah of Abortion Justice (annotated source sheet) . Sefaria. https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/234926.7?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en

[67] Jafari, M., Elahi, F., Ozyurt, S. & Wrigley, T. (2007). 4. Religious Perspectives on Embryonic Stem Cell Research. In K. Monroe, R. Miller & J. Tobis (Ed.),  Fundamentals of the Stem Cell Debate: The Scientific, Religious, Ethical, and Political Issues  (pp. 79-94). Berkeley: University of California Press.  https://escholarship.org/content/qt9rj0k7s3/qt9rj0k7s3_noSplash_f9aca2e02c3777c7fb76ea768ba458f0.pdf https://doi.org/10.1525/9780520940994-005

[68] Gert, B. (2007). Common morality: Deciding what to do . Oxford Univ. Press.

[69] World Medical Association (2013). World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki: ethical principles for medical research involving human subjects. JAMA , 310(20), 2191–2194. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2013.281053 Declaration of Helsinki – WMA – The World Medical Association .; see also: National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research. (1979).  The Belmont report: Ethical principles and guidelines for the protection of human subjects of research . U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  https://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/regulations-and-policy/belmont-report/read-the-belmont-report/index.html

[70] Zakarin Safier, L., Gumer, A., Kline, M., Egli, D., & Sauer, M. V. (2018). Compensating human subjects providing oocytes for stem cell research: 9-year experience and outcomes.  Journal of assisted reproduction and genetics ,  35 (7), 1219–1225. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-018-1171-z https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6063839/ see also: Riordan, N. H., & Paz Rodríguez, J. (2021). Addressing concerns regarding associated costs, transparency, and integrity of research in recent stem cell trial. Stem Cells Translational Medicine , 10 (12), 1715–1716. https://doi.org/10.1002/sctm.21-0234

[71] Klitzman, R., & Sauer, M. V. (2009). Payment of egg donors in stem cell research in the USA.  Reproductive biomedicine online ,  18 (5), 603–608. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1472-6483(10)60002-8

[72] Krosin, M. T., Klitzman, R., Levin, B., Cheng, J., & Ranney, M. L. (2006). Problems in comprehension of informed consent in rural and peri-urban Mali, West Africa.  Clinical trials (London, England) ,  3 (3), 306–313. https://doi.org/10.1191/1740774506cn150oa

[73] Veatch, Robert M.  Hippocratic, Religious, and Secular Medical Ethics: The Points of Conflict . Georgetown University Press, 2012.

[74] Msoroka, M. S., & Amundsen, D. (2018). One size fits not quite all: Universal research ethics with diversity.  Research Ethics ,  14 (3), 1-17.  https://doi.org/10.1177/1747016117739939

[75] Pirzada, N. (2022). The Expansion of Turkey’s Medical Tourism Industry.  Voices in Bioethics ,  8 . https://doi.org/10.52214/vib.v8i.9894

[76] Stem Cell Tourism: False Hope for Real Money . Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI). (2023). https://hsci.harvard.edu/stem-cell-tourism , See also: Bissassar, M. (2017). Transnational Stem Cell Tourism: An ethical analysis.  Voices in Bioethics ,  3 . https://doi.org/10.7916/vib.v3i.6027

[77] Song, P. (2011) The proliferation of stem cell therapies in post-Mao China: problematizing ethical regulation,  New Genetics and Society , 30:2, 141-153, DOI:  10.1080/14636778.2011.574375

[78] Dajani, R. (2014). Jordan’s stem-cell law can guide the Middle East.  Nature  510, 189. https://doi.org/10.1038/510189a

[79] International Society for Stem Cell Research. (2024). Standards in stem cell research . International Society for Stem Cell Research. https://www.isscr.org/guidelines/5-standards-in-stem-cell-research

[80] Benjamin, R. (2013). People’s science bodies and rights on the Stem Cell Frontier . Stanford University Press.

Olivia Bowers

MS Bioethics Columbia University (Disclosure: affiliated with Voices in Bioethics)

Mifrah Hayath

SM Candidate Harvard Medical School, MS Biotechnology Johns Hopkins University

Article Details

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License .

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In honor of Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month in May, NATA Now is highlighting some of our Asian American and Pacific Islander leaders at the state, district and national levels.

Naoko Giblin, PhD, LAT, ATC, came into the athletic training profession with a desire to serve people.

“I wanted to become an athletic trainer because I wanted to contribute to other people’s success, especially in sports,” Giblin said.

Not only did Giblin want to help people perform at their best, she said she was also drawn to the pace at which ATs treated their patients.

“[The] quickness of decision making was very exciting to me,” she said.

Giblin now teaches athletic training students at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse as an associate professor. Beyond the workplace, she also gives back to the profession at the state level with the Wisconsin Athletic Trainers’ Association and the international level with the Japan Athletic Trainers’ Organization.

Below, she delves into her volunteer beginnings and the impact she’s had on professional development and research in athletic training.  

What was your first volunteer position within the athletic training profession and why did you get involved?

It took me a while to volunteer in athletic training, mainly because I thought I wasn’t skilled enough to serve on committees. During my first year as a professor, I was asked to moderate a session at the NATA Clinical Symposia & AT Expo. That was my first volunteer experience. Since then, I have served as a moderator several times, and have served and chaired in the state association’s research committee. Again, I was very timid about volunteering, but someone else thought I was knowledgeable and competent enough to do these tasks. So, that’s the main reason I got involved. I continue to serve now because it’s a great way to connect with fellow athletic trainers and students.

Tell us about your current position as the Wisconsin Athletic Trainers’ Association Research and Outcomes Committee coordinator and what you hope to accomplish in this role.

My main responsibility is to review proposals for research grants, and abstracts submitted by students and certified members for free communication sessions at the WATA’s annual meeting. I also coordinate the committee members and ad hoc certified members to score students’ poster presentations for the student poster presentations contest during the annual meeting. I submit regular reports to the WATA Board of Directors regarding the committee’s activities and accomplishments.

The goal of the WATA Research and Outcomes Committee is to promote athletic training-related research in Wisconsin. With that, I strive to celebrate research efforts and pursuits from all members, regardless of their status (students, certified, etc.), by sharing their work and providing funding for their work.

Why is representation in leadership important and how does it impact the profession? I think it’s important because it shows that anyone can volunteer and contribute to the profession. Leadership personnel don’t need to be the most famous, most skilled, richest people. So, the more variety of people serving in leadership roles, the better reflection of the organization/profession supporting all who are involved. Greater representation in leadership ultimately makes the profession stronger, because greater advocacy from leadership for all individuals gives people more drive to contribute to the profession.

How has volunteering helped you grow personally and professionally?

Personally, it has helped me gain more confidence and leadership skills. It has also helped me connect with other researchers/colleagues in the state, which has helped me professionally as an educator and researcher.

Professionally, it has helped me contribute to reemphasizing the importance of research and scholarship in our state. It has helped me understand the innerworkings of the state, national and international associations that hopefully would lead to enhancing the associations and whole AT profession.

What’s your fondest memory of serving so far?

Seeing students engaging confidently with certified members who provide insights gained from their scholarly work.

What advice do you have for other athletic trainers who want to give back to the profession? 

Don’t be afraid to sign up. Any seemingly small role you can devote your time to is a significant investment that strengthens you, your community and the profession.

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• research associate begun center violence prevention research education 12

Research Associate - Begun Center for Violence Prevention Research & Education 

             Title: Research Associate 

Department: Begun Center for Violence Prevention Research & Education 

School: Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences 

Location: Mandel Community Studies Center 

Supervisor Name and Title: Dr. Daniel Flannery, Director, Begun Center for Violence Prevention Research and Education 

POSITION OBJECTIVE 

The Begun Center for Violence Prevention Research & Education is home to a multi-disciplinary team of faculty and staff researchers in many areas including violence prevention, adult and youth mental health and substance use, youth and adult specialty courts, trauma, and community-based evaluation. Working with a high degree of independence, the incumbent will carry out, manage, or lead evaluation projects on various grant funded projects at the Begun Center. The research associate will provide input and recommendations to the principal investigator regarding significant developments in research projects; project management, data coding, management, and analysis of databases; participate in the coordination of activities of research staff; co-author reports and manuscripts; and meeting regularly with community partners, law enforcement agencies, courts, and other government entities to provide information and technical assistance.  This position is funded by a variety of grants addressing firearm violence.  The position is expected to be funded for at least a period of two years.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS 

• Collect, manage, and analyze firearm and criminal justice system related data appropriate to the particular project scope of service and deliverables.  Research and develop/create evaluation instruments/surveys. Develop databases/spreadsheets and carry out complex on-going and new data analyses within the research projects using SPSS or similar statistical analysis software such as R or Python. Create data visualizations for inclusion in project reports or websites using software such as Power BI, Tableau, or Excel. (60%) 
• Participate in the day-to-day evaluation of various research projects and assist with comprehensive program evaluation, report preparation and writing. Collaborate with other team members.  Projects may involve assessing organizational capacity and providing technical assistance to agencies as it relates to program evaluation. Track and follow up on daily project operations. (20%).
• Establish and maintain relationships with external partners and sponsors and collaborate with them to 

create grant proposals and launch new evaluation projects with very little supervision. External partners include but not limited to local and state government, foundations, non-profit community-based agencies, etc. (20%) 

NONESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS 

Perform other duties as assigned. 

May supervise students. 

Department: Daily contact with supervisor and research staff in the center. 

University: Occasional contact with other departments. 

External: Frequent contact with community partners. 

Students: Contact with student employees. 

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY 

No direct supervisory responsibility; may direct the work of students and research assistants. 

QUALIFICATIONS 

Education/Experience: Master's Degree or higher in the social sciences, criminal justice, public health or related field is required. Experience working in funded evaluation/research, with criminal justice, law enforcement, and government or county agencies, or conducting/participating in program evaluations is preferred. Experience with data collection, data management, and data analysis is preferred.  This position could be upgraded to a Senior Research Associate if the candidate currently holds a PhD in a relevant field and has at least 5 years of research leadership experience.

REQUIRED SKILLS 

1. Ability to work closely with criminal justice- and community-based agencies. 

2. Highly organized with strong quantitative skills. 

3. Ability to create IRB applications for new projects and monitor compliance for existing projects. 

4. Ability to assist with both the development and execution of program evaluations. Experience in REDcap preferred.

5. Experience in Microsoft Suite (Word, Access, Excel), email and internet applications; proficient with 

statistical packages such as SPSS, SAS, R, or Python, etc. 

6. Experience creating data visualizations using programs such as Tableau, Python, R, Power BI, Excel, PowerPoint, etc. 

7. Ability to work collaboratively in a small team environment. 

8. Ability to work with general supervision while being highly self-motivated and self-directed. 

9. Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills. 

WORKING CONDITIONS 

General working conditions. May be required to attend evening and weekend meetings. 

DIVERSITY STATEMENT 

In employment, as in education, Case Western Reserve University is committed to Equal Opportunity and Diversity. Women, veterans, members of underrepresented minority groups, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. 

HOW TO APPLY 

Please send CV to Edward Dabkowski at [email protected] 

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK

Coordinator-Research Policy Pg

• Knight Institute
• Morningside
• Opening on: May 15 2024
• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Salary Range: 62,400 - 68,000

Position Summary

The Knight First Amendment Institute defends the freedoms of speech and the press in the digital age through strategic litigation, research, policy advocacy, and public education. We aim to promote a system of free expression that is open and inclusive; that broadens and elevates public discourse; and that fosters creativity, accountability, and effective self-government.

Since its establishment in 2016, the Institute has filed precedent-setting litigation, undertaken major interdisciplinary research initiatives, and become an influential voice in debates about the freedoms of speech and the press in the digital age. The Institute’s research program engages leading scholars and researchers to explore pressing questions at the intersection of free expression, First Amendment law, and new technologies; convenes symposiums and other important events to cultivate scholarship and advance public understanding of important research questions; and publishes influential and widely-read scholarship and other essays in the field. Major research projects have focused on subjects including emerging threats to freedom of expression, the impact of large-scale data collection on self-government, the effects of algorithmic amplification on the online speech environment, and how the law should respond to lies and disinformation. The Institute’s recently-launched policy program engages with policymakers on issues including privacy and surveillance, press freedom, AI governance, and platform accountability and transparency; deepens the Institute’s internal understanding of the current and emerging regulatory landscape with respect to speech and privacy online; and cultivates policy-focused partnerships within the broader Columbia community.

Reporting to the Research Director as well as the Policy Director, and working closely with the Institute’s research program staff, visiting research scholars, and other contributors, the Research and Policy Program Coordinator will lead or assist with a broad range of activities in support of our research and policy priorities. The coordinator must be creative, resourceful, proactive, able to work both independently and collaboratively, and enthusiastic about the mission of the Institute. 

Responsibilities

1. Coordinate production and publication processes for all Institute publications, including blog posts, white papers, essays, reports, event programs and posters, and other materials as needed. These processes include:

• Working with a team of external contractors and interns to ensure that all research and policy publications are thoroughly fact-checked, formatted, and proofread before publication.
• Reviewing and correcting the work of the team as needed to ensure all written material is typo- and error-free prior to publication.
• Compiling event materials including participant bios, agendas, paper abstracts, and event programs.
• Ensuring that the Institute’s style guide is applied consistently across all written material.
• Posting finished products on the Institute’s website.
• Working with outside vendors, including graphic designers and printers.
• Drafting social media copy to promote new projects and publications.

2. Coordinate the research and policy programs’ short- and medium-term planning for upcoming projects and events, including:

• Maintaining the program calendar.
• Organizing meetings and compiling agendas for editorial and project planning and review.
• Keeping track of current year program budgets and assembling proposed future program budgets.

3. Assist in monitoring, viewing, and summarizing for the Institute relevant Congressional hearings, press conferences, bill introductions, and executive branch actions.

4. Assist in preparing materials for policymaker briefings, Congressional hearings, panel discussions, and similar events, including talking points, written statements, remarks, and presentation materials.

5. Maintain research and policy program webpages.

6. Assist in hiring and supervision of research and communications program interns.

7. Track and oversee permissions requests.

8. Assist in maintaining record of program outputs, including papers published, citation counts, event participants, and media mentions.

9. Assist in preparing program reports for the board and for funders.

10. Perform related duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• BA or BS degree or equivalent. 0-2 years of related experience, including internships and/or research assistant positions.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Exceptionally strong proofreading skills. The Knight Institute holds all its publications to the high standards expected throughout the legal profession. This requires meticulous proofreading and formatting of everything from blog posts to research essays, including close attention to citation formatting.
• Excellent project management skills, including ability to manage multiple fast-moving projects at once.
• Strong computer skills, including proficiency with Microsoft Word, Office, and Outlook.
• Flexibility and ability to manage multiple tasks efficiently while working proactively and cooperatively in a team-oriented, start-up environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with Notion, the project management software.
• Familiarity with The Bluebook, the system used for legal citation.

Other Requirements

Applications should include:

• Cover letter explaining your interest in the position, including a description of any relevant life or work experience
• One writing sample
• Official or unofficial transcript

Additional information may be requested during the application process. 

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.

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• Open access
• Published: 14 May 2024

Assessing public health service capability of primary healthcare personnel: a large-scale survey in Henan Province, China

• Rongmei Liu 1 ,
• Qiuping Zhao 1 ,
• Wenyong Dong 2 ,
• Dan Guo 3 , 4 ,
• Zhanlei Shen 3 ,
• Wanliang Zhang 3 ,
• Dongfang Zhu 3 ,
• Jingbao Zhang 3 ,
• Junwen Bai 3 ,
• Ruizhe Ren 3 ,
• Mingyue Zhen 3 ,
• Jiajia Zhang 3 ,
• Jinxin Cui 3 ,
• Xinran Li 3 &
• Yudong Miao 3  

BMC Health Services Research volume  24 , Article number:  627 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

12 Accesses

Metrics details

The public health service capability of primary healthcare personnel directly affects the utilization and delivery of health services, and is influenced by various factors. This study aimed to examine the status, factors, and urban-rural differences of public health service capability among primary healthcare personnel, and provided suggestions for improvement.

We used cluster sampling to survey 11,925 primary healthcare personnel in 18 regions of Henan Province from 20th to March 31, 2023. Data encompassing demographics and public health service capabilities, including health lifestyle guidance, chronic disease management, health management of special populations, and vaccination services. Multivariable regression analysis was employed to investigate influencing factors. Propensity Score Matching (PSM) quantified urban-rural differences.

The total score of public health service capability was 80.17 points. Chronic disease management capability scored the lowest, only 19.60. Gender, education level, average monthly salary, professional title, health status, employment form, work unit type, category of practicing (assistant) physician significantly influenced the public health service capability (all P  < 0.05). PSM analysis revealed rural primary healthcare personnel had higher public health service capability scores than urban ones.

Conclusions

The public health service capability of primary healthcare personnel in Henan Province was relatively high, but chronic disease management required improvement. Additionally, implementing effective training methods for different subgroups, and improving the service capability of primary medical and health institutions were positive measures.

Peer Review reports

Public health services play a pivotal role in safeguarding people’s health and shaping their future. In this domain, primary healthcare personnel are the direct providers of essential public health services and the backbone of China’s primary health care [ 1 ]. They deliver various public health services, such as health lifestyle guidance, chronic disease management, health management of special populations, and vaccination services. Studies have shown that the implementation of the national basic public health service project [ 2 , 3 ], which is one of the important components of China’s basic medical and health service system [ 4 ], has successfully achieved its intended outcome [ 5 ]. This initiative not only effectively manages the risk factors affecting the population, leading to a decrease in the occurrence of common and chronic diseases, but also improves the overall health quality of the population [ 6 , 7 ].

However, the public health service capability of primary healthcare personnel may be difficult to cope with the growing demands and challenges [ 8 , 9 ] of public health service projects. As public health service projects gradually advance, China’s primary healthcare personnel face more and more requirements [ 10 ]. Hence, there is a pressing need to evaluate their current public health service capability [ 11 ]. However, the current research on primary healthcare personnel mainly focuses on personnel training itself [ 12 ], while there are few studies based on the capability of basic public health service projects. In addition, in the existing studies, the public health service capability is embodied in the medical and health institutions [ 13 ], and there is a lack of comprehensive evaluation of the service capability of primary healthcare personnel. This assessment is critical for accelerating the progressive equalization of basic public health service projects, strengthening the development of a more comprehensive public health service system [ 14 ], and ultimately elevating the overall health status of the population.

The public health service capability of primary healthcare personnel may be influenced by various factors, such as gender, age, profession, region, etc [ 15 ]. . . Studies have reported that primary health institutions face many problems [ 16 ] such as excessive work pressure [ 17 , 18 ], uneven distribution of medical and health resources [ 19 ], and service quality [ 20 ] among the primary healthcare personnel. Furthermore, some studies have suggested that primary healthcare personnel possess limited theoretical knowledge and practical skills [ 21 ] in public health service capability. These limitations hinder the effective implementation and widespread adoption of basic public health services [ 22 ]. Moreover, primary healthcare personnel may experience different levels of job burnout [ 23 , 24 ] due to heavy workloads and excessive temporary assignment by their work. There may also be regional differences in the delivery of public health services between urban and rural areas [ 25 , 26 ], which may affect the public health service capability of primary healthcare personnel.

Henan Province, an important province in the Central Plains of China with a large primary population and great medical needs, is a pioneer of primary public health service reform. Therefore, this study chose Henan Province as the research site, which helped to reflect the current status, influencing factors, and formation mechanism of the public health service capability of primary healthcare personnel in China. It also analyzed the differences in basic public health services between urban and rural areas, explored ways to improve the public health service capability of primary healthcare personnel, and provides empirical support for the sustainable development of basic public health services.

Participants and study procedure

We conducted a cross-sectional survey of primary healthcare personnel in 18 cities of Henan Province, China, one of the most populous and important provinces in central China. The survey period was from March 20, 2023 to March 31, 2023. A self-designed questionnaire was used to collect data, mainly through the municipal disease prevention and control, community health service centers, and township health centers in Henan Province. And a total of 14,604 questionnaires were collected, excluding those with incomplete basic information and irregular information filling, those under 18 years old, irregular age filling, short response time and those with age minus working experience less than 18 years. After screening, there were 11,925 valid questionnaires, with an effective recovery rate of 81.66%. The inclusion and exclusion process were shown in Fig.  1 .

Inclusion and exclusion of participants

Based on the World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA) tree model [ 25 ] and the European Quality and Cost of Primary Care (QUALICOPC), we designed a questionnaire for primary healthcare personnel [ 26 ], which is widely recognized internationally and has high scientific and reliability. At the same time, according to the structure of national basic public health service project [ 27 , 28 ], the regional characteristics, population structure and medical and health service needs of Henan Province, some indicators in the questionnaire were added, deleted and adjusted to design the questionnaire (Supplementary file 1 ). After expert consultation and review, a preliminary survey was conducted in two communities and two townships within Zhengzhou to assess the reliability and validity of the questionnaire. The scale consists of two parts: basic information of primary healthcare personnel and public health service capability rating scale. The Cronbach’s α coefficient of the scale was 0.980, and the KMO test value was 0.973, indicating good reliability and validity of the scale.

Basic information

The first part of the questionnaire collected basic information of the participants, such as gender, age, marital status, education level, health status, working area, working years, forms of employment, type of work unit, category of practicing (assistant) physicians, professional title, average monthly salary.

Dependent variable

The second part of the questionnaire measured the public health service capability of the participants. It had four dimensions: (1) healthy lifestyle guidance capability, including guidance capability of diet, exercise, decompression, weight, smoking cessation, alcohol limit; (2) chronic disease management capability, including chronic disease screening, risk prediction, integrated chronic disease management, management effect evaluation; (3) health management capability of special populations (It refers to children aged 0–6 years, pregnant women, the elderly, patients with hypertension, or type 2 diabetes, etc.), including professional and technical training, information mastery, health education, health records capability; and (4) vaccination service capability, including receive vaccination training, understand immunization programmer, vaccination procedures, vaccine alternatives, safety precaution, etc.

Using a five-point likert scale, the options for each item were “strongly disagree”, “disagree”, “neutral”, “agree”, and “strongly agree”, scored from 1 to 5 respectively. The score of each dimension ranged from 5 to 25, and the overall score ranged from 20 to 100. A higher score indicated a higher level of public health service capability.

Statistical analysis

The means with standard deviation was used to describe the continuous quantitative variables and percentages was used to present the categorical variables. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and student’s t- test were used to test the difference in mean scores among the groups. Collinearity testing was employed to examine the relationships between independent variables. The results revealed no significant collinearity among the independent variables, as indicated by variance inflation factors (VIF) below 5. Multivariate linear regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of primary public health service capability. The Propensity Score Matching (PSM) was used to analyze the differences in the public health service capability of primary healthcare personnel between urban and rural areas.

Baseline characteristics of primary healthcare personnel

The study included 11,925 primary healthcare personnel. Of these, 296 (2.48%) did not meet the required criteria, while 4,175 individuals (35.02%) demonstrated excellent public health service capacities. The table shows the score of public health service capability of primary healthcare personnel in Henan Province as 80.17 (Table  1 ). Male public health service capability score was 81.21 points, 1.8 points higher than female. The primary healthcare personnel aged 51–60 had a mean score of 80.71, while those with 21 years of work experience had a mean score of 80.83 points. The public health service score of high school education and below was 80.42 points. Public health services with the average monthly salary of 3001–4500 yuan scored 80.80. The score of intermediate professional title was 80.80, and the score of healthy people was 80.55. The score of those who were regular employee was 80.65, and the village clinic was 81.19. Within the category of practicing or assistant physicians, public health and clinical category scored higher (Table  1 ).

In addition, there were statistical differences in the public health service capability scores of primary healthcare personnel among different groups, such as gender, age, marital status, working years, average monthly salary, professional title, health status, form of employment, type of work unit, category of practicing (assistant) physicians (All P  < 0.05).

The mean scores for all four dimensions are clustered around 20, with 20.16 points for health lifestyle guidance, 19.60 points for chronic disease management, 20.14 points for health management of special population, and 20.27 points for vaccination service. Chronic disease management had the lowest score, and sub-health and oral category was significantly lower than other subgroups in four dimensions (Fig.  2 ). There were significant differences in the scores for the four dimensions in terms of gender, health status, employment form and type of work (all p  < 0.05). (Supplemental file 2 )

Heatmap of four dimensions service capability score. Note: HLG (healthy lifestyle guidance); CDM (chronic disease management); HMC (health management of special populations); VSC (Vaccination service capability); a for age; b for working years; c for average monthly salary

Factors influencing public health service capability of primary healthcare personnel

The multiple linear regression analysis showed that male public health service capability scored higher than female ( P < 0.001 , 95%CI: 0.82–1.96). The participants with a bachelor’s degree scored higher than those with high school education or higher ( P = 0.019 , 95%CI: 0.18– 2.01). In comparison to average monthly salary of less than 3000 yuan, those with 3001–4500 yuan or above had higher public health service capability scores ( P  < 0.001, 95%CI: 0.79–2.05; P  = 0.003, 95%CI: 0.72–3.44). Those with intermediate and senior professional title had higher scores for public health service capability than those without professional title ( P = 0.005 , 95%CI: 0.35–1.97; P  = 0.010, 95%CI: 0.47–3.48). The sub-health population had lower scores of public health services than the healthy population (P < 0.001 , 95%CI: -4.38– -2.70); The regular employees had higher public health service scores than other public health personnel ( P = 0.004 , 95%CI: -2.59–0.08). Those working in village clinics had higher scores ( P = 0.002 , 95%CI: -5.63– -1.30) than their counterparts. Those in public health, clinical, and traditional Chinese medicine scored higher than those in oral medicine ( P = 0.006 , 95%CI: 0.91–5.55; P  = 0.007, 95%CI: 0.87–5.53; P  = 0.034, 95%CI: 0.20–5.01). Age, marital status and working years had no effect on the public health service capability of primary healthcare personnel ( P = 0.914 , 95%CI: -1.17–1.05; P  = 0.225, 95%CI: -2.01–0.47; P  = 0.143, 95%CI: P  = 0.402, 95%CI: -2.49–0.99; P  = 0.705, 95%CI: -0.70–1.04; P  = 0.863, 95%CI: -0.84–1.00; P  = 0.572, 95%CI: -0.76–1.37; P = 0,543 , 95%CI: -1.43–0.75; P  = 0.590, 95%CI: -0.72–1.25). See Table  2 for details.

Differences in public health service capability between urban and rural primary healthcare personnel

We selected rural primary healthcare personnel as the matched group and urban primary healthcare personnel as the control group. We employed a 1:1 nearest neighbor matching method with a caliper value of 0.03, incorporating the previously mentioned control variables as covariates. There were 1,825 (15.3%) healthcare personnel from community health service centers and 10,100 (84.7%) were from township hospitals or village clinics. Before PSM analysis, there were statistically significant differences in gender, marital status, education level, working years, average monthly salary, professional title, employment form and type of work unit between urban and rural healthcare personnel (all P  < 0.05). The public health service capability of primary healthcare personnel in urban areas was 79.50 ± 0.33, while in rural areas was 80.30 ± 0.14. The difference between these two groups was statistically significant ( P = 0.042 ), with rural personnel demonstrating higher scores than their urban counterparts.

Using PSM, we matched the basic information of urban and rural healthcare personnel at a 1:1 ratio, and successfully matched 1684 pairs of subjects, with a total of 3,368 participants. After PSM, there was no statistically significant difference in the basic characteristics (all P  > 0.05; Table  3 ) . The findings indicate that the sample achieved a good balance, effectively mitigating the influence of covariates that could have contributed to the disparity in public health service capability between urban and rural primary healthcare personnel. The public health service capability scores of urban and rural primary healthcare personnel were (78.98 ± 0.36) and (79.32 ± 0.34), respectively. After PAM, the difference remained statistically significant ( P = 0.025 ), with rural areas continuing to exhibit higher public health service capacities than urban areas (Fig.  3 ).

Changes of public health service capability scores in urban and rural before and after PSM

The welfare benefits of primary public healthcare personnel are limited

Over 50% of the elderly are working in public health services, nearly half of employees have accumulated more than twenty working years, and approximately one-third is regular employee. Most primary healthcare personnel earned less than 3,000 yuan a month. In addition, less than one-fifth of the primary healthcare personnel had bachelor’s degree or above, and few had senior professional titles. These findings indicate that the majority of primary healthcare personnel face challenges associated with a being older [ 29 , 30 ], limited authorized strength, lower income and education level. Studies have shown that due to the limited number of senior professional titles, the number of promotion opportunities for healthcare personnel is limited in primary medical institutions, which seriously weakens the willingness of primary health personnel to serve [ 31 ]. Moreover, studies have shown that primary healthcare personnel will have high turnover due to heavy workload, low income and low sense of achievement [ 32 ]. This has a great impact on the quantity and quality of basic public health services in primary areas.

Hence, it becomes imperative to facilitate the rejuvenation of primary healthcare personnel by introducing fresh talent and enhancing welfare benefits [ 33 , 34 ] as a measure to mitigate the attrition of skilled professionals. It is imperative to optimize the talent recruitment mechanism of primary health institutions, augment the number of professional healthcare personnel, and attract more outstanding undergraduate and postgraduate graduates to serve the primary areas and public health service. By offering attractive welfare for high educational talent, it can maintain the stability of primary healthcare personnel, and ultimately curb the attrition of talent.

The public health service capability of primary healthcare personnel is not balanced

The average scores of the healthy lifestyle guidance capability, chronic disease management capability, health management capability of special population, and vaccination service capability were all about 20 points. This shows that most primary healthcare personnel had a good grasp of these public health service capability projects. However, the capability of chronic disease management was relatively poor among the four capabilities [ 35 ], followed by the health management capability of special population. This indicates that primary healthcare personnel still need to strengthen the training of this aspect. Research has indicated that the effective management of chronic diseases, such as pregnant women and individuals with severe mental disorders, as well as initiatives targeting special population health management, require a high degree of professional expertise and it takes years to cultivate professionals in these areas [ 35 , 36 ].

Limited by the scarcity of health resources and the existence of manifold patients and various chronic diseases in primary areas, primary prevention is about improving the capability of chronic disease management and health management of special populations [ 37 , 38 ], so as to protect the life and health of the population. Therefore, implementing a scientifically sound and effective training is also a crucial step in enhancing the knowledge and capability of primary healthcare service personnel. Primary health institutions should consider providing targeted training for the weak areas of primary healthcare personnel, such as chronic disease management capability and special groups health management capability. Strengthening the links between primary medical institutions and higher-level hospitals may increase the clinical knowledge and skills of healthcare personnel, which are relatively insufficient.

The public health service capability of primary healthcare personnel is affected by many factors

The educational attainment of primary healthcare personnel in Henan Province is generally low. Less than one-fifth of these personnel hold a bachelor’s degree or higher, and even fewer possess a graduate degree or above. This underscores a significant deficiency of highly educated professionals in the extensive primary regions [ 39 ]. In addition, this study found that those with higher professional titles and working units in village clinics had better public health service capability. This could be attributed to the fact that these primary healthcare personnel often handle a substantial workload [ 40 ]. As a result, they gain more experience and attain a higher level of proficiency in public health services. This study also found that the primary healthcare personnel who were hired by regular employees and whose practice categories were clinical medicine, traditional Chinese medicine and public health had stronger public health capability. These public healthcare personnel will also enhance their knowledge and theory reserve [ 41 ]. As a reward and incentive system, the average monthly salary can directly affect the work enthusiasm of primary healthcare personnel [ 17 ] in their work.

An appropriate assessment mechanism for primary health institutions can be established to break the “ceiling effect”, overcome the limitation of performance-based salary cap. Therefore, a mechanism can be established to adjust the salary synchronously with the workload increase of primary healthcare personnel.

There are differences in public health service capability between urban and rural primary healthcare personnel

The outcomes of the PSM analysis indicated that the service capability of rural primary healthcare personnel was slightly higher than their urban counterparts. This underscores the unequal distribution of public health service resources between urban and rural areas, potentially stemming from deficiencies in financial and human resources within rural public health services, as well as the absence of modern equipment and technology [ 42 ]. Urban primary services were more adequate in terms of capital, human resources, technology, etc., which cause populations tend to choose the superior hospital. Hence, urban primary healthcare personnel got less training in public health service. In contrast, rural primary public health institutions were the most important approaches of accessing to health services in rural areas.

Considering the influencing factors specific to region, it is essential to adopt suitable strategies and measures to foster equilibrium in public health services between urban and rural areas. In addition, attention should also be paid to the construction of professional personnel to enhance the service capability of primary healthcare personnel. Therefore, the government may also consider facilitating collaboration [ 43 ] between urban and rural public health services, through the adoption of internet technology [ 44 ] and the establishment of a consortium for urban and rural health services.

Strength and limitation of the study

This study has the following advantages: first, the current study marks a pioneering effort by focusing on primary healthcare personnel, breaking away from the previous convention of primarily investigating public health service capabilities at the institutional levels of healthcare. Second, it is the first large-scale survey in Henan province, which can truly reflect the current public health service capability of primary healthcare personnel in Henan Province. Third, PSM was deployed to effectively control for confounding variables and to reveal the net difference in public health service capability between urban and rural areas. However, the study also has some limitations. First, it relied on self-reported survey data, which may have introduced some bias. Secondly, it used PSM with fewer variables than the total number of sets available. Thirdly, due to the cross-sectional design of this study, it could not examine causality.

Primary healthcare personnel in Henan have above-average public health service capability. This approach will expedite efforts to achieve universal coverage of public health service capability and foster the equalization of public health services between urban and rural areas. A systematic, rational, and precisely targeted training approach should be implemented for individuals with lower education levels, lower mean monthly income, lower professional titles, and contracted employees. Moreover, the number of primary health professionals should be increased, and the professional title evaluation and promotion system should be improved to enhance the stability of primary public health team construction. These measures can greatly reduce the loss of professionals, improve the public health service capability of primary healthcare personnel, and guard the first line of defense for population health.

Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

All authors thank participants involved in the study.

The study was funded by the National Social Science Fund of China, Study on Transaction Cost measurement and solutions of Integrated Delivery System (21BGL222).

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Henan Key Laboratory for Health Management of Chronic Diseases, Central China Fuwai Hospital, Central China Fuwai Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China

Rongmei Liu & Qiuping Zhao

Department of Hypertension, Henan Provincial People’s Hospital, People’s Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan, China

Wenyong Dong

Department of Health Management, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, No.100 Kexue Road, Zhongyuan District, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450001, China

Dan Guo, Zhanlei Shen, Yi Li, Wanliang Zhang, Dongfang Zhu, Jingbao Zhang, Junwen Bai, Ruizhe Ren, Mingyue Zhen, Jiajia Zhang, Jinxin Cui, Xinran Li & Yudong Miao

Department of Neurology, Henan Provincial People’s Hospital, People’s Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan, China

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Conceptualization: Yudong Miao, Rongmei Liu, Qiuping Zhao, Wenyong DongData curation: Yudong Miao, Qiuping Zhao, Wenyong Dong, Dan Guo, Zhanlei ShenMethodology: Zhanlei Shen, Wanliang Zhang, Yi Li, Junwen Bai, Ruizhe Ren, Dongfang Zhu, Jinxin Cui, Dan GuoProject administration: Rongmei Liu Resources: Rongmei Liu, Qiuping ZhaoSoftware: Zhanlei Shen, Dongfang Zhu, Wanliang ZhangWriting original draft: Yudong Miao, Zhanlei Shen, Rongmei Liu, Mingyue ZhenWriting, review & editing: Yudong Miao, Jingbao Zhang, Jiajia Zhang, Xinran Li.

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Liu, R., Zhao, Q., Dong, W. et al. Assessing public health service capability of primary healthcare personnel: a large-scale survey in Henan Province, China. BMC Health Serv Res 24 , 627 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-024-11070-4

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Asteroids, Resident Evil among latest titles inducted into World Video Game Hall of Fame

The strong museum of play's 10th class also includes myst, simcity and ultima.

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The World Video Game Hall of Fame inducted its 10th class of honourees Thursday, recognizing Asteroids , Myst , Resident Evil , SimCity and Ultima for their impacts on the video game industry and popular culture.

The inductees debuted across decades, advancing technologies along the way and expanding not only the number of players, but the ages and interests of those at the controls, Hall of Fame authorities said in revealing the winners. The Hall of Fame recognizes electronic games of all types — arcade, console, computer, handheld and mobile.

The Class of 2024 was selected by experts from among a field of 12 finalists that also included Elite , Guitar Hero , Metroid , Neopets , Tokimeki Memorial , Tony Hawk's Pro Skater and You Don't Know Jack .

The honour for Atari's Asteroids comes 45 years after its 1979 debut in arcades, where it was Atari's bestselling coin-operated game. The game's glowing space-themed graphics and sound effects made their way from more than 70,000 arcade units into millions of living rooms when a home version was made available on the Atari 2600.

"Through endless variants and remakes ... Asteroids made a simple, yet challenging game about blasting rocks into one of the most widely played and influential video games of all time," said Jeremy Saucier, assistant vice-president for interpretation and electronic games at the Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, N.Y., where the World Video Game Hall of Fame is located.

The next inductee to debut was Ultima , not necessarily a household name, but a force in the development of the computer role-playing genre, digital preservation director Andrew Borman said in the news release.

Designed by Richard Garriott and released in 1981, Ultima: The First Age of Darkness inspired eight sequels and is credited with inspiring later role-playing games like Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy .

"Role-playing games have helped me explore who I am, and who I want to be. Lately, I've been playing some with my daughter, and it's been rewarding to chat with her about how our characters and our actions impact the game and the other characters," Borman told CBC.

The urban design-inspired SimCity was released by Maxis in 1989 and found an audience among adults as well as children who were challenged to build their own city and respond to problems. Among the sequels and offshoots it inspired was 2016 World Video Game Hall of Fame inductee The Sims .

"At a time when many people thought of video games in terms of arcade shooters or console platformers, SimCity appealed to players who wanted intellectually stimulating fun on their newly bought personal computers," said Aryol Prater, the Strong's research specialist for Black play and culture.

The adventure game Myst sold more than six million copies, making it a best-selling computer game in the 1990s. The 1993 Broderbund release used early CD-ROM technology and allowed for a level of player immersion that until then had not been available in computer games, the Hall of Fame said.

"Few other games can match Myst 's ability to open imaginative worlds," said Kristy Hisert, the Strong's collections manager. "It was a work of artistic genius that captured the imagination of an entire generation of computer game players, and its influence can be seen in many of today's open-world games."

The final honouree, Resident Evil , featured "cheesy B-movie dialogue, engrossing gameplay, and chilling suspense" that helped popularize the "survival horror" genre following its release by Capcom in 1996 and offered mature entertainment for older teenagers and adults, video game curator Lindsey Kurano said. Created by game director Shinji Mikami, it also inspired an action horror film series that as of 2022 had grossed more than $1.2 billion US ($1.64 billion Cdn), according to the Hall of Fame.

• Nearly 9 out of 10 classic video games are out of print. Here's why saving games matters
• Resident Evil's 'tall vampire lady' a welcome twist on style and terror, says game designer

How do games make it into the hall of fame?

The Strong established the Video Game Hall of Fame in 2015. Its first class of inductees included Doom , Pac-Man , Pong , Super Mario Bros. , Tetris and World of Warcraft .

Anyone can nominate a game to the hall of fame. Members of an international selection advisory committee submit their top three choices from the list of finalists. Fans also are invited to weigh in online. The public as a whole is treated as a single committee member.

Visitors to the museum can peruse exhibits with information about past inductees — with many of them playable, as well.

According to Borman, deliberations on each year's inductees focus on four key criteria.

First is "icon status," meaning it's widely recognized and remembered. Second is longevity: the game must be "more than just a passing fad and has enjoyed popularity over time," Borman told CBC News.

Massive video game collection at U of T Mississauga a gamechanger for research, education

Third is a game's geographical reach, to recognize that games can become popular outside of the U.S. or North America and shape the gaming industry across international borders.

Fourth is influence — mainly if a game's design or characters have influenced later releases, but also taking into account other forms of entertainment or society at large.

"Think about the Mario [games], which were huge in the game world. But then they had cartoons, they had products, they had all these things that went beyond," he said. 

Borman says the selection process for each year's inductees has become more difficult, but added there's still a long list of titles worthy of contention to go.

"I love the discussions that come out of it. I love when we nominate a game like [2019 inductee] Candy Crush , and, you know, those that maybe identify themselves as gamers think that it shouldn't be in. 

"But then you look at the millions upon millions of people that have played it, the impact that it's had? I think it's a fascinating discussion."

With files from Jonathan Ore

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