what are some action research topics in education

225+ Action Research Topics In Education (Updated 2023)

Action research in education offers a powerful tool for educators to actively engage in improving their teaching practices and student outcomes. By combining research and action, this approach encourages teachers to become reflective practitioners and agents of change within their classrooms and schools. Action research topics in education encompass a wide range of issues that educators can investigate to address specific challenges and enhance their instructional strategies.

From examining the impact of technology integration to exploring innovative assessment methods, action research empowers teachers to develop evidence-based solutions tailored to their unique educational contexts. By conducting small-scale studies, educators can gather data, analyze it, and implement targeted interventions to make tangible improvements in student learning.

In this blog, we will delve into a variety of action research topics in education, exploring how they can empower educators to drive meaningful change and foster a dynamic and effective learning environment for their students.

Table of Contents

Format of action research paper in education

Please note that this table provides a general outline and can be customized based on the specific requirements and guidelines of your research paper.

What to consider while selecting action research topics in education

When selecting action research topics in education, it is important to consider several factors to ensure that your research is meaningful, relevant, and feasible. Here are some key considerations to keep in mind:

Personal Interest

Choose action research topics in education that genuinely interests you. When you are passionate about the subject matter, you will be more motivated and engaged throughout the research process.

Educational Context

Consider the specific educational context in which you work or are interested in. Reflect on the challenges, needs, or areas of improvement within that context. Your research should address a problem or issue that is relevant and impactful within the educational setting.

Research Gap

Review existing literature and research in your chosen area to identify any gaps or unanswered questions. Select action research topics in education that contributes to the existing knowledge base and fills a research gap.

Feasibility

Evaluate the feasibility of conducting the research within the available resources, time frame, and constraints. Consider factors such as access to participants, data collection methods, ethical considerations, and potential support from colleagues or institutions.

Relevance and Impact

Choose action research topics in education that have practical implications and can lead to positive changes in teaching practices, student learning, or educational policies. Aim for research that can make a difference in the educational field.

Collaboration Opportunities

Consider if there are opportunities for collaboration with colleagues, researchers, or educational organizations. Collaborative research can provide additional support, expertise, and diverse perspectives.

Ethical Considerations

Ensure that your research topic aligns with ethical guidelines and regulations. Consider the potential impact on participants and ensure their rights, privacy, and confidentiality are protected.

Remember, selecting an action research topic is an important decision, so take the time to thoroughly evaluate and choose a topic that aligns with your goals and the needs of the educational community you serve.

200+ Action research topics in education

• The impact of technology integration on student engagement in the classroom.
• Strategies to improve reading comprehension in elementary school students.
• Enhancing parental involvement in student learning and academic success.
• Investigating the effectiveness of cooperative learning strategies in promoting peer interaction and collaboration.
• Addressing the achievement gap in mathematics between different student groups.
• Examining the impact of inclusive education on the academic and social development of students with disabilities.
• Enhancing critical thinking skills through project-based learning.
• Implementing differentiated instruction to meet the diverse needs of students in the classroom.
• Investigating the effects of homework on student learning and academic performance.
• Promoting positive classroom behavior and reducing disruptive behaviors.
• Assessing the effectiveness of teacher feedback in improving student writing skills.
• Strategies to promote a growth mindset and enhance student motivation.
• Examining the impact of physical activity on student concentration and academic performance.
• Enhancing teacher-student relationships and its impact on student engagement and achievement.
• Investigating the effects of arts integration on student creativity and academic achievement.
• Strategies to support English language learners in mainstream classrooms.
• Examining the impact of peer tutoring on student learning and academic achievement.
• Enhancing teacher collaboration and its impact on instructional practices and student outcomes.
• Investigating the effectiveness of inquiry-based science instruction in promoting student understanding.
• Promoting gender equity in STEM education.
• Examining the impact of mindfulness practices on student well-being and academic success.
• Strategies for reducing test anxiety and promoting test-taking skills.
• Investigating the effects of the classroom environment on student learning and engagement.
• Enhancing student self-regulation skills through metacognitive strategies.
• Promoting multicultural education and inclusivity in the classroom.
• Examining the impact of flipped classroom models on student learning outcomes.
• Strategies for integrating technology effectively in early childhood education.
• Investigating the effects of outdoor education on student engagement and academic achievement.
• Enhancing teacher professional development programs to improve instructional practices.
• Promoting environmental education and sustainable practices in schools.
• Examining the impact of social-emotional learning programs on student behavior and well-being.
• Strategies for supporting students with ADHD in the classroom.
• Investigating the effects of classroom management strategies on student behavior and academic performance.
• Enhancing parental involvement in early childhood education settings.
• Promoting digital literacy skills among students.
• Examining the impact of peer assessment on student learning and achievement.
• Strategies for fostering creativity and innovation in the classroom.
• Investigating the effects of inclusive literature on promoting empathy and cultural understanding.
• Enhancing the use of formative assessment in the classroom.
• Promoting critical media literacy skills among students.
• Examining the impact of outdoor learning on student engagement and academic achievement.
• Strategies for promoting positive social skills and reducing bullying in schools.
• Investigating the effects of flexible seating arrangements on student behavior and learning outcomes.
• Enhancing the use of educational technology in special education settings.
• Promoting student self-efficacy and academic motivation.
• Examining the impact of project-based learning on student problem-solving skills.
• Strategies for promoting positive school climate and student well-being.
• Investigating the effects of parental involvement on student homework completion and academic performance.
• Enhancing teacher feedback practices to improve student learning and achievement.
• Promoting inclusive practices for students with diverse cultural backgrounds.
• Examining the impact of arts education on student creativity and academic success.
• Strategies for supporting students with learning disabilities
• Investigating the effects of gamification on student motivation and engagement.
• Enhancing collaborative learning in online education settings.
• Promoting effective study habits and time management skills among students.
• Examining the impact of parental involvement on early literacy skills development.
• Strategies for promoting positive teacher-student relationships in high school settings.
• Investigating the effects of mindfulness practices on reducing stress and anxiety in students.
• Enhancing student self-esteem and self-confidence through targeted interventions.
• Promoting gender equality in science education.
• Examining the impact of teacher-led professional learning communities on instructional practices and student outcomes.
• Strategies for supporting students with autism spectrum disorder in inclusive classrooms.
• Investigating the effects of project-based learning on student problem-solving skills in mathematics.
• Enhancing cultural competency among educators to meet the needs of diverse student populations.
• Promoting digital citizenship and online safety education.
• Examining the impact of restorative justice practices on reducing disciplinary incidents and promoting a positive school climate.
• Strategies for integrating social justice education across the curriculum.
• Investigating the effects of parental involvement on student transitions from elementary to middle school.
• Enhancing teacher collaboration for effective interdisciplinary instruction.
• Promoting global citizenship and cross-cultural understanding in the classroom.
• Examining the impact of music education on student cognitive development and academic performance.
• Strategies for supporting students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in mainstream classrooms.
• Investigating the effects of cooperative learning strategies on improving students’ social skills.
• Enhancing the use of educational technology for students with visual impairments.
• Promoting inclusive practices for students with diverse learning needs.
• Examining the impact of teacher-led professional development on instructional practices and student outcomes.
• Strategies for promoting positive classroom behavior in early childhood settings.
• Investigating the effects of growth mindset interventions on student resilience and academic achievement.
• Enhancing parent-teacher communication for improved student support and academic success.
• Promoting environmental sustainability education in primary schools.
• Examining the impact of outdoor play on children’s physical and cognitive development.
• Strategies for supporting students with English language learning difficulties.
• Investigating the effects of mindfulness practices on reducing test anxiety in students.
• Enhancing the use of educational technology for students with learning disabilities.
• Promoting critical thinking and problem-solving skills in mathematics education.
• Examining the impact of peer mentoring programs on student academic and social-emotional development.
• Strategies for creating inclusive classrooms for students with hearing impairments.
• Investigating the effects of student-led conferences on student ownership of learning.
• Enhancing the use of formative assessment for personalized instruction.
• Promoting positive classroom discourse and student participation.
• Examining the impact of outdoor experiential learning on student environmental awareness and action.
• Strategies for supporting students with emotional and behavioral disorders in inclusive settings.
• Investigating the effects of teacher self-reflection on instructional practices and student outcomes.
• Enhancing the use of assistive technology for students with physical disabilities.
• Promoting media literacy education to develop critical media consumers.
• Examining the impact of service-learning on student civic engagement and social responsibility.
• Strategies for creating inclusive classrooms for students with specific learning disabilities.
• Investigating the effects of inquiry-based science instruction on student scientific inquiry skills.
• Enhancing teacher-parent partnerships for collaborative support of student learning.
• Promoting cultural diversity education in secondary schools.
• Examining the impact of cooperative learning on student academic achievement in science education.
• Strategies for promoting inclusive practices for students with speech and language disorders.
• Investigating the effects of flipped classroom models on student engagement and learning outcomes in social studies.
• Enhancing teacher feedback practices to improve student writing skills in English language arts.
• Promoting social-emotional learning through mindfulness-based interventions in elementary schools.
• Examining the impact of project-based learning on student creativity and problem-solving skills in the arts.
• Strategies for supporting students with executive functioning difficulties in the classroom.
• Investigating the effects of differentiated instruction on student motivation and academic achievement in mathematics.
• Enhancing parental involvement in supporting early literacy development at home.
• Promoting inclusive practices for students with physical disabilities in physical education classes.
• Examining the impact of teacher-student relationships on student attendance and classroom behavior.
• Strategies for promoting positive peer relationships and reducing social isolation in middle school.
• Investigating the effects of drama-based pedagogy on student engagement and understanding in literature studies.
• Enhancing the use of educational technology for students with learning difficulties in computer science education.
• Promoting character education and ethical decision-making in schools.
• Examining the impact of teacher self-efficacy on instructional practices and student outcomes.
• Strategies for supporting students with English language learning difficulties in content area classes.
• Investigating the effects of arts integration on student motivation and academic achievement in history education.
• Enhancing family-school partnerships for students with special educational needs.
• Promoting critical digital literacy skills for responsible online information consumption.
• Examining the impact of inclusive physical education on student attitudes towards fitness and physical activity.
• Strategies for supporting students with dyslexia in reading instruction.
• Investigating the effects of outdoor education on student environmental attitudes and behaviors.
• Enhancing the use of educational technology for students with autism spectrum disorder.
• Promoting career readiness and employability skills in high school education.
• Examining the impact of parent-led reading interventions on early literacy skills in kindergarten.
• Strategies for promoting positive teacher-student relationships in online learning environments.
• Investigating the effects of arts integration on student creativity and academic achievement in science education.
• Enhancing teacher collaboration for effective co-teaching in inclusive classrooms.
• Promoting global perspectives and intercultural understanding in social studies education.
• Examining the impact of cooperative learning on student social skills and peer relationships.
• Strategies for supporting students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in physical education classes.
• Investigating the effects of project-based learning on student problem-solving skills in computer science.
• Enhancing cultural competence among educators for working with diverse student populations.
• Promoting digital citizenship and online safety in digital media literacy education.
• Examining the impact of restorative practices on reducing disciplinary incidents and fostering a positive school climate.
• Strategies for supporting students with emotional and behavioral challenges in mainstream classrooms.
• Investigating the effects of growth mindset interventions on student academic resilience in mathematics education.
• Enhancing parent-teacher communication for effective student support and academic success.
• Promoting environmental sustainability education in secondary schools.
• Examining the impact of outdoor experiential learning on student STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) interest and career aspirations.
• Strategies for creating inclusive classrooms for students with visual impairments.
• Investigating the effects of student-led conferences on student self-evaluation and goal setting.
• Enhancing the use of formative assessment for personalized instruction in physical education.
• Promoting positive classroom management strategies.
• Examining the impact of cooperative learning on student academic achievement in foreign language education.
• Strategies for promoting inclusive practices for students with autism spectrum disorder in inclusive classrooms.
• Investigating the effects of blended learning models on student engagement and learning outcomes in mathematics.
• Enhancing teacher feedback practices to improve student oral communication skills in language arts.
• Promoting social-emotional learning through mindfulness-based interventions in high schools.
• Examining the impact of project-based learning on student creativity and problem-solving skills in technology education.
• Strategies for supporting students with learning difficulties in inclusive science classrooms.
• Investigating the effects of differentiated instruction on student motivation and academic achievement in social studies.
• Enhancing parental involvement in supporting numeracy development at home.
• Promoting inclusive practices for students with sensory impairments in inclusive classrooms.
• Examining the impact of teacher-student relationships on student motivation and academic achievement in physical education.
• Strategies for promoting positive peer relationships and reducing bullying in high schools.
• Investigating the effects of arts integration on student motivation and academic achievement in mathematics education.
• Enhancing the use of educational technology for students with learning difficulties in science education.
• Promoting character education and ethical decision-making in elementary schools.
• Examining the impact of teacher self-efficacy on instructional practices and student outcomes in music education.
• Strategies for supporting students with English language learning difficulties in mathematics classes.
• Investigating the effects of arts integration on student creativity and academic achievement in social-emotional learning.
• Enhancing family-school partnerships for students with special educational needs in inclusive settings.
• Promoting critical digital literacy skills for responsible online communication in language arts education.
• Examining the impact of inclusive physical education on student attitudes towards physical fitness and well-being.
• Strategies for supporting students with dyscalculia in mathematics instruction.
• Investigating the effects of outdoor education on student environmental knowledge and sustainability practices.
• Enhancing the use of educational technology for students with hearing impairments in inclusive classrooms.
• Promoting career exploration and development in middle school education.
• Examining the impact of parent-led science experiments on student interest and learning outcomes in science education.
• Strategies for promoting positive teacher-student relationships in virtual learning environments.
• Investigating the effects of arts integration on student creativity and academic achievement in language arts.
• Enhancing teacher collaboration for effective co-planning and instructional delivery in inclusive classrooms.
• Promoting global citizenship and cultural competence in foreign language education.
• Examining the impact of cooperative learning on student social-emotional development and well-being.
• Strategies for supporting students with physical disabilities in adaptive physical education classes.
• Investigating the effects of project-based learning on student problem-solving skills in engineering education.
• Enhancing cultural competence among educators for working with diverse student populations in social studies.
• Promoting digital literacy skills for responsible online research and information evaluation.
• Examining the impact of restorative practices on reducing conflicts and promoting positive relationships in middle schools.
• Strategies for supporting students with emotional and behavioral challenges in inclusive classrooms.
• Investigating the effects of growth mindset interventions on student academic resilience in language arts.
• Enhancing parent-teacher communication for effective collaboration and student support in mathematics education.
• Promoting environmental sustainability education in primary schools through cross-curricular integration.
• Examining the impact of outdoor experiential learning on student ecological literacy and environmental stewardship.
• Strategies for creating inclusive classrooms for students with cognitive impairments.
• Investigating the effects of student-led conferences on student self-reflection and goal-setting in science education.
• Enhancing the use of formative assessment for personalized instruction in social studies.
• Promoting positive classroom management strategies for students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
• Examining the impact of cooperative learning on student academic achievement in physical sciences.
• Strategies for promoting inclusive practices for students with speech and language difficulties in inclusive classrooms.
• Investigating the effects of blended learning models on student engagement and learning outcomes in language arts.
• Enhancing teacher feedback practices to improve student presentation skills in communication studies.
• Promoting social-emotional learning through mindfulness-based interventions in middle schools.
• Examining the impact of project-based learning on student creativity and problem-solving skills in fine arts.
• Strategies for supporting students with learning difficulties in inclusive social-emotional learning programs.
• Investigating the effects of differentiated instruction on student motivation and academic achievement in physical education.
• Enhancing parental involvement in supporting STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education at home.
• Promoting inclusive practices for students with intellectual disabilities in inclusive classrooms.
• Examining the impact of teacher-student relationships on student motivation and academic achievement in music education.
• Strategies for promoting positive peer relationships and fostering social-emotional development in high schools.
• Investigating the effects of arts integration on student motivation and academic achievement in physical sciences.
• Enhancing the use of educational technology for students with learning difficulties in social studies education.
• Promoting character education and ethical decision-making in secondary schools.
• Examining the impact of teacher self-efficacy on instructional practices and student outcomes in physical education.
• Strategies for supporting students with English language learning difficulties in science classes.
• Investigating the effects of arts integration on student creativity and academic achievement in physical education.
• Enhancing family-school partnerships for students with special educational needs in inclusive physical education settings.
• Promoting critical digital literacy skills for responsible online communication in social studies education.
• Strategies for supporting students with dysgraphia in writing instruction.
• Investigating the effects of outdoor education on student environmental knowledge and sustainable practices in science education.
• Enhancing the use of educational technology for students with visual impairments in inclusive classrooms.
• Promoting career exploration and development in high school education.
• Examining the impact of parent-led math activities on student interest and learning outcomes in mathematics education.
• Investigating the effects of arts integration on student creativity and academic achievement in social sciences.
• Enhancing teacher collaboration for effective co-planning and instructional delivery in inclusive physical education settings.
• Promoting global citizenship and cultural competence in history education.
• Examining the impact of cooperative learning on student social-emotional development and well-being in language arts.
• Strategies for supporting students with physical disabilities in inclusive arts education classes.
• Investigating the effects of project-based learning on student problem-solving skills in computer programming education.
• Enhancing cultural competence among educators for working with diverse student populations in mathematics education.
• Promoting digital literacy skills for responsible online communication and information sharing.
• Examining the impact of restorative practices on reducing conflicts and promoting positive relationships in high schools.
• Strategies for supporting students with emotional and behavioral challenges in inclusive language arts classrooms.
• Investigating the effects of growth mindset interventions on student academic resilience in social sciences.
• Enhancing parent-teacher communication for effective collaboration and student support in science education.
• Promoting environmental sustainability education in elementary schools through interdisciplinary integration.

Tips to write appealing action research paper in education

Here are some tips to write an appealing action research paper in education:

• Select a Relevant and Engaging Topic: Choose action research topics in education that is relevant to the field of education and aligns with your interests and goals. Select a topic that has practical implications and can contribute to improving educational practices.
• Clearly Define the Problem: Clearly define the problem or issue you want to address through your action research. Provide a concise and focused problem statement that highlights the specific area you aim to investigate.
• Set Clear Objectives: State clear and measurable objectives for your research. Identify what you want to achieve through your study and how you plan to measure your outcomes.
• Conduct a Literature Review: Conduct a thorough review of existing literature related to your research topic. Identify gaps in current knowledge and highlight how your research will contribute to filling those gaps.
• Use a Rigorous Research Design: Choose an appropriate research design that aligns with your research objectives. Consider whether a quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods approach is most suitable for your study.
• Collect and Analyze Data: Collect relevant data through appropriate methods, such as surveys, interviews, observations, or document analysis. Use rigorous data analysis techniques to derive meaningful findings from your data.
• Reflect and Take Action: Reflect on your findings and consider their implications for educational practice. Based on your findings, develop actionable recommendations or interventions that can be implemented to address the identified problem.
• Write Clearly and Concisely: Present your research in a clear and concise manner. Use appropriate academic language and structure your paper logically. Clearly explain your methodology, findings, and conclusions.
• Support Findings with Evidence: Use evidence from your data analysis to support your findings and conclusions. Use graphs, charts, or quotes from participants to enhance the credibility of your research.
• Discuss Limitations and Future Directions: Acknowledge the limitations of your study and discuss areas for future research. Address any potential biases or challenges that may have influenced your findings.
• Consider the Audience: Keep in mind the intended audience for your research paper, which may include educators, researchers, or policymakers. Write in a way that engages and appeals to your target audience.
• Revise and Edit: Proofread your paper for any grammatical or spelling errors. Revise your content to ensure clarity and coherence. Seek feedback from peers or mentors to improve the quality of your paper.

Remember, an appealing action research paper in education is one that not only presents valuable findings but also offers practical insights and recommendations for improving educational practices.

In conclusion, action research topics in education provide a powerful framework for addressing real-world issues and improving teaching and learning practices. This research approach empowers educators to take an active role in identifying challenges, implementing interventions, and evaluating their impact within their own classrooms or educational settings. 

By engaging in systematic inquiry, educators can generate valuable insights, evidence-based strategies, and meaningful changes that positively influence student outcomes. Action research promotes a reflective and collaborative approach, encouraging teachers to continuously refine their instructional methods, adapt to diverse student needs, and create inclusive learning environments. 

Ultimately, action research in education empowers educators to be agents of change, fostering innovation and improvement in education while enhancing student engagement, achievement, and well-being.

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21 Action Research Examples (In Education)

Action research is an example of qualitative research . It refers to a wide range of evaluative or investigative methods designed to analyze professional practices and take action for improvement.

Commonly used in education, those practices could be related to instructional methods, classroom practices, or school organizational matters.

The creation of action research is attributed to Kurt Lewin , a German-American psychologist also considered to be the father of social psychology.

Gillis and Jackson (2002) offer a very concise definition of action research: “systematic collection and analysis of data for the purpose of taking action and making change” (p.264).

The methods of action research in education include:

• conducting in-class observations
• taking field notes
• surveying or interviewing teachers, administrators, or parents
• using audio and video recordings.

The goal is to identify problematic issues, test possible solutions, or simply carry-out continuous improvement.

There are several steps in action research : identify a problem, design a plan to resolve, implement the plan, evaluate effectiveness, reflect on results, make necessary adjustment and repeat the process.

Action Research Examples

• Digital literacy assessment and training: The school’s IT department conducts a survey on students’ digital literacy skills. Based on the results, a tailored training program is designed for different age groups.
• Library resources utilization study: The school librarian tracks the frequency and type of books checked out by students. The data is then used to curate a more relevant collection and organize reading programs.
• Extracurricular activities and student well-being: A team of teachers and counselors assess the impact of extracurricular activities on student mental health through surveys and interviews. Adjustments are made based on findings.
• Parent-teacher communication channels: The school evaluates the effectiveness of current communication tools (e.g., newsletters, apps) between teachers and parents. Feedback is used to implement a more streamlined system.
• Homework load evaluation: Teachers across grade levels assess the amount and effectiveness of homework given. Adjustments are made to ensure a balance between academic rigor and student well-being.
• Classroom environment and learning: A group of teachers collaborates to study the impact of classroom layouts and decorations on student engagement and comprehension. Changes are made based on the findings.
• Student feedback on curriculum content: High school students are surveyed about the relevance and applicability of their current curriculum. The feedback is then used to make necessary curriculum adjustments.
• Teacher mentoring and support: New teachers are paired with experienced mentors. Both parties provide feedback on the effectiveness of the mentoring program, leading to continuous improvements.
• Assessment of school transportation: The school board evaluates the efficiency and safety of school buses through surveys with students and parents. Necessary changes are implemented based on the results.
• Cultural sensitivity training: After conducting a survey on students’ cultural backgrounds and experiences, the school organizes workshops for teachers to promote a more inclusive classroom environment.
• Environmental initiatives and student involvement: The school’s eco-club assesses the school’s carbon footprint and waste management. They then collaborate with the administration to implement greener practices and raise environmental awareness.
• Working with parents through research: A school’s admin staff conduct focus group sessions with parents to identify top concerns.Those concerns will then be addressed and another session conducted at the end of the school year.
• Peer teaching observations and improvements: Kindergarten teachers observe other teachers handling class transition techniques to share best practices.
• PTA surveys and resultant action: The PTA of a district conducts a survey of members regarding their satisfaction with remote learning classes.The results will be presented to the school board for further action.
• Recording and reflecting: A school administrator takes video recordings of playground behavior and then plays them for the teachers. The teachers work together to formulate a list of 10 playground safety guidelines.
• Pre/post testing of interventions: A school board conducts a district wide evaluation of a STEM program by conducting a pre/post-test of students’ skills in computer programming.
• Focus groups of practitioners : The professional development needs of teachers are determined from structured focus group sessions with teachers and admin.
• School lunch research and intervention: A nutrition expert is hired to evaluate and improve the quality of school lunches.
• School nurse systematic checklist and improvements: The school nurse implements a bathroom cleaning checklist to monitor cleanliness after the results of a recent teacher survey revealed several issues.
• Wearable technologies for pedagogical improvements; Students wear accelerometers attached to their hips to gain a baseline measure of physical activity.The results will identify if any issues exist.
• School counselor reflective practice : The school counselor conducts a student survey on antisocial behavior and then plans a series of workshops for both teachers and parents.

Detailed Examples

1. cooperation and leadership.

A science teacher has noticed that her 9 th grade students do not cooperate with each other when doing group projects. There is a lot of arguing and battles over whose ideas will be followed.

So, she decides to implement a simple action research project on the matter. First, she conducts a structured observation of the students’ behavior during meetings. She also has the students respond to a short questionnaire regarding their notions of leadership.

She then designs a two-week course on group dynamics and leadership styles. The course involves learning about leadership concepts and practices . In another element of the short course, students randomly select a leadership style and then engage in a role-play with other students.

At the end of the two weeks, she has the students work on a group project and conducts the same structured observation as before. She also gives the students a slightly different questionnaire on leadership as it relates to the group.

She plans to analyze the results and present the findings at a teachers’ meeting at the end of the term.

2. Professional Development Needs

Two high-school teachers have been selected to participate in a 1-year project in a third-world country. The project goal is to improve the classroom effectiveness of local teachers. 

The two teachers arrive in the country and begin to plan their action research. First, they decide to conduct a survey of teachers in the nearby communities of the school they are assigned to.

The survey will assess their professional development needs by directly asking the teachers and administrators. After collecting the surveys, they analyze the results by grouping the teachers based on subject matter.

They discover that history and social science teachers would like professional development on integrating smartboards into classroom instruction. Math teachers would like to attend workshops on project-based learning, while chemistry teachers feel that they need equipment more than training.

The two teachers then get started on finding the necessary training experts for the workshops and applying for equipment grants for the science teachers.

3. Playground Accidents

The school nurse has noticed a lot of students coming in after having mild accidents on the playground. She’s not sure if this is just her perception or if there really is an unusual increase this year.  So, she starts pulling data from the records over the last two years. She chooses the months carefully and only selects data from the first three months of each school year.

She creates a chart to make the data more easily understood. Sure enough, there seems to have been a dramatic increase in accidents this year compared to the same period of time from the previous two years.

She shows the data to the principal and teachers at the next meeting. They all agree that a field observation of the playground is needed.

Those observations reveal that the kids are not having accidents on the playground equipment as originally suspected. It turns out that the kids are tripping on the new sod that was installed over the summer.

They examine the sod and observe small gaps between the slabs. Each gap is approximately 1.5 inches wide and nearly two inches deep. The kids are tripping on this gap as they run.

They then discuss possible solutions.

4. Differentiated Learning

Trying to use the same content, methods, and processes for all students is a recipe for failure. This is why modifying each lesson to be flexible is highly recommended. Differentiated learning allows the teacher to adjust their teaching strategy based on all the different personalities and learning styles they see in their classroom.

Of course, differentiated learning should undergo the same rigorous assessment that all teaching techniques go through. So, a third-grade social science teacher asks his students to take a simple quiz on the industrial revolution. Then, he applies differentiated learning to the lesson.

By creating several different learning stations in his classroom, he gives his students a chance to learn about the industrial revolution in a way that captures their interests. The different stations contain: short videos, fact cards, PowerPoints, mini-chapters, and role-plays.

At the end of the lesson, students get to choose how they demonstrate their knowledge. They can take a test, construct a PPT, give an oral presentation, or conduct a simulated TV interview with different characters.

During this last phase of the lesson, the teacher is able to assess if they demonstrate the necessary knowledge and have achieved the defined learning outcomes. This analysis will allow him to make further adjustments to future lessons.

5. Healthy Habits Program

While looking at obesity rates of students, the school board of a large city is shocked by the dramatic increase in the weight of their students over the last five years. After consulting with three companies that specialize in student physical health, they offer the companies an opportunity to prove their value.

So, the board randomly assigns each company to a group of schools. Starting in the next academic year, each company will implement their healthy habits program in 5 middle schools.

Preliminary data is collected at each school at the beginning of the school year. Each and every student is weighed, their resting heart rate, blood pressure and cholesterol are also measured.

After analyzing the data, it is found that the schools assigned to each of the three companies are relatively similar on all of these measures.

At the end of the year, data for students at each school will be collected again. A simple comparison of pre- and post-program measurements will be conducted. The company with the best outcomes will be selected to implement their program city-wide.

Action research is a great way to collect data on a specific issue, implement a change, and then evaluate the effects of that change. It is perhaps the most practical of all types of primary research .

Most likely, the results will be mixed. Some aspects of the change were effective, while other elements were not. That’s okay. This just means that additional modifications to the change plan need to be made, which is usually quite easy to do.

There are many methods that can be utilized, such as surveys, field observations , and program evaluations.

The beauty of action research is based in its utility and flexibility. Just about anyone in a school setting is capable of conducting action research and the information can be incredibly useful.

Aronson, E., & Patnoe, S. (1997). The jigsaw classroom: Building cooperation in the classroom (2nd ed.). New York: Addison Wesley Longman.

Gillis, A., & Jackson, W. (2002). Research Methods for Nurses: Methods and Interpretation . Philadelphia: F.A. Davis Company.

Lewin, K. (1946). Action research and minority problems. Journal of SocialIssues, 2 (4), 34-46.

Macdonald, C. (2012). Understanding participatory action research: A qualitative research methodology option. Canadian Journal of Action Research, 13 , 34-50. https://doi.org/10.33524/cjar.v13i2.37 Mertler, C. A. (2008). Action Research: Teachers as Researchers in the Classroom . London: Sage.

Dave Cornell (PhD)

Dr. Cornell has worked in education for more than 20 years. His work has involved designing teacher certification for Trinity College in London and in-service training for state governments in the United States. He has trained kindergarten teachers in 8 countries and helped businessmen and women open baby centers and kindergartens in 3 countries.

• Dave Cornell (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/dave-cornell-phd/ 15 Cooperative Play Examples
• Dave Cornell (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/dave-cornell-phd/ 15 Parallel Play Examples
• Dave Cornell (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/dave-cornell-phd/ Parten’s 6 Stages of Play in Childhood, Explained!
• Dave Cornell (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/dave-cornell-phd/ 50 Pretend Play Examples

Chris Drew (PhD)

This article was peer-reviewed and edited by Chris Drew (PhD). The review process on Helpful Professor involves having a PhD level expert fact check, edit, and contribute to articles. Reviewers ensure all content reflects expert academic consensus and is backed up with reference to academic studies. Dr. Drew has published over 20 academic articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education and holds a PhD in Education from ACU.

• Chris Drew (PhD) #molongui-disabled-link 15 Cooperative Play Examples
• Chris Drew (PhD) #molongui-disabled-link 15 Parallel Play Examples
• Chris Drew (PhD) #molongui-disabled-link 50 Pretend Play Examples
• Chris Drew (PhD) #molongui-disabled-link 10 Dramatic Play Examples

2 thoughts on “21 Action Research Examples (In Education)”

Where can I capture this article in a better user-friendly format, since I would like to provide it to my students in a Qualitative Methods course at the University of Prince Edward Island? It is a good article, however, it is visually disjointed in its current format. Thanks, Dr. Frank T. Lavandier

Hi Dr. Lavandier,

I’ve emailed you a word doc copy that you can use and edit with your class.

Best, Chris.

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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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65 Comments

This is an helpful tool 🙏

Special education

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Research title related to school of students

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Research title related to students

My field is research measurement and evaluation. Need dissertation topics in the field

Assalam o Alaikum I’m a student Bs educational Resarch and evaluation I’m confused to choose My thesis title please help me in choose the thesis title

Good idea I’m going to teach my colleagues

You can find our list of nursing-related research topic ideas here: https://gradcoach.com/research-topics-nursing/

Write on action research topic, using guidance and counseling to address unwanted teenage pregnancy in school

Thanks a lot

I learned a lot from this site, thank you so much!

Thank you for the information.. I would like to request a topic based on school major in social studies

parental involvement and students academic performance

Science education topics?

plz tell me if you got some good topics, im here for finding research topic for masters degree

How about School management and supervision pls.?

Hi i am an Deputy Principal in a primary school. My wish is to srudy foe Master’s degree in Education.Please advice me on which topic can be relevant for me. Thanks.

Every topic proposed above on primary education is a starting point for me. I appreciate immensely the team that has sat down to make a detail of these selected topics just for beginners like us. Be blessed.

Kindly help me with the research questions on the topic” Effects of workplace conflict on the employees’ job performance”. The effects can be applicable in every institution,enterprise or organisation.

Greetings, I am a student majoring in Sociology and minoring in Public Administration. I’m considering any recommended research topic in the field of Sociology.

I’m a student pursuing Mphil in Basic education and I’m considering any recommended research proposal topic in my field of study

Research Defense for students in senior high

Kindly help me with a research topic in educational psychology. Ph.D level. Thank you.

Project-based learning is a teaching/learning type,if well applied in a classroom setting will yield serious positive impact. What can a teacher do to implement this in a disadvantaged zone like “North West Region of Cameroon ( hinterland) where war has brought about prolonged and untold sufferings on the indegins?

I wish to get help on topics of research on educational administration

I wish to get help on topics of research on educational administration PhD level

I am also looking for such type of title

I am a student of undergraduate, doing research on how to use guidance and counseling to address unwanted teenage pregnancy in school

the topics are very good regarding research & education .

Can i request your suggestion topic for my Thesis about Teachers as an OFW. thanx you

Would like to request for suggestions on a topic in Economics of education,PhD level

Would like to request for suggestions on a topic in Economics of education

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Am offering degree in education senior high School Accounting. I want a topic for my project work

l would like to request suggestions on a topic in managing teaching and learning, PhD level (educational leadership and management)

request suggestions on a topic in managing teaching and learning, PhD level (educational leadership and management)

I would to inquire on research topics on Educational psychology, Masters degree

I am PhD student, I am searching my Research topic, It should be innovative,my area of interest is online education,use of technology in education

request suggestion on topic in masters in medical education .

Look at British Library as they keep a copy of all PhDs in the UK Core.ac.uk to access Open University and 6 other university e-archives, pdf downloads mostly available, all free.

May I also ask for a topic based on mathematics education for college teaching, please?

Please I am a masters student of the department of Teacher Education, Faculty of Education Please I am in need of proposed project topics to help with my final year thesis

Am a PhD student in Educational Foundations would like a sociological topic. Thank

please i need a proposed thesis project regardging computer science

Greetings and Regards I am a doctoral student in the field of philosophy of education. I am looking for a new topic for my thesis. Because of my work in the elementary school, I am looking for a topic that is from the field of elementary education and is related to the philosophy of education.

Masters student in the field of curriculum, any ideas of a research topic on low achiever students

In the field of curriculum any ideas of a research topic on deconalization in contextualization of digital teaching and learning through in higher education

Amazing guidelines

I am a graduate with two masters. 1) Master of arts in religious studies and 2) Master in education in foundations of education. I intend to do a Ph.D. on my second master’s, however, I need to bring both masters together through my Ph.D. research. can I do something like, ” The contribution of Philosophy of education for a quality religion education in Kenya”? kindly, assist and be free to suggest a similar topic that will bring together the two masters. thanks in advance

Hi, I am an Early childhood trainer as well as a researcher, I need more support on this topic: The impact of early childhood education on later academic success.

I’m a student in upper level secondary school and I need your support in this research topics: “Impact of incorporating project -based learning in teaching English language skills in secondary schools”.

Although research activities and topics should stem from reflection on one’s practice, I found this site valuable as it effectively addressed many issues we have been experiencing as practitioners.

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Action research in the classroom: A teacher's guide

November 26, 2021

Discover best practices for action research in the classroom, guiding teachers on implementing and facilitating impactful studies in schools.

Main, P (2021, November 26). Action research in the classroom: A teacher's guide. Retrieved from https://www.structural-learning.com/post/action-research-in-the-classroom-a-teachers-guide

What is action research?

Action research is a participatory process designed to empower educators to examine and improve their own practice. It is characterized by a cycle of planning , action, observation, and reflection, with the goal of achieving a deeper understanding of practice within educational contexts. This process encourages a wide range of approaches and can be adapted to various social contexts.

At its core, action research involves critical reflection on one's actions as a basis for improvement. Senior leaders and teachers are guided to reflect on their educational strategies , classroom management, and student engagement techniques. It's a collaborative effort that often involves not just the teachers but also the students and other stakeholders, fostering an inclusive process that values the input of all participants.

The action research process is iterative, with each cycle aiming to bring about a clearer understanding and improvement in practice. It typically begins with the identification of real-world problems within the school environment, followed by a circle of planning where strategies are developed to address these issues. The implementation of these strategies is then observed and documented, often through journals or participant observation, allowing for reflection and analysis.

The insights gained from action research contribute to Organization Development, enhancing the quality of teaching and learning. This approach is strongly aligned with the principles of Quality Assurance in Education, ensuring that the actions taken are effective and responsive to the needs of the school community.

Educators can share their findings in community forums or through publications in journals, contributing to the wider theory about practice . Tertiary education sector often draws on such studies to inform teacher training and curriculum development.

In summary, the significant parts of action research include:

• A continuous cycle of planning, action, observation, and reflection.
• A focus on reflective practice to achieve a deeper understanding of educational methodologies.
• A commitment to inclusive and participatory processes that engage the entire school community.

Creating an action research project

The action research process usually begins with a situation or issue that a teacher wants to change as part of school improvement initiatives .

Teachers get support in changing the ' interesting issue ' into a 'researchable question' and then taking to experiment. The teacher will draw on the outcomes of other researchers to help build actions and reveal the consequences .

Participatory action research is a strategy to the enquiry which has been utilised since the 1940s. Participatory action involves researchers and other participants taking informed action to gain knowledge of a problematic situation and change it to bring a positive effect. As an action researcher , a teacher carries out research . Enquiring into their practice would lead a teacher to question the norms and assumptions that are mostly overlooked in normal school life . Making a routine of inquiry can provide a commitment to learning and professional development . A teacher-researcher holds the responsibility for being the source and agent of change.

Examples of action research projects in education include a teacher working with students to improve their reading comprehension skills , a group of teachers collaborating to develop and implement a new curriculum, or a school administrator conducting a study on the effectiveness of a school-wide behavior management program.

In each of these cases, the research is aimed at improving the educational experience for students and addressing a specific issue or problem within the school community . Action research can be a powerful tool for educators to improve their practice and make a positive impact on their students' learning.

Potential research questions could include:

• How can dual-coding be used to improve my students memory ?
• Does mind-mapping lead to creativity?
• How does Oracy improve my classes writing?
• How can we advance critical thinking in year 10?
• How can graphic organisers be used for exam preparation?

Regardless of the types of action research your staff engage in, a solid cycle of inquiry is an essential aspect of the action research spiral. Building in the process of reflection will ensure that key points of learning can be extracted from the action research study.

What is an action research cycle?

Action research in education is a cycle of reflection and action inquiry , which follows these steps:

1. Identifying the problem

It is the first stage of action research that starts when a teacher identifies a problem or question that they want to address. To make an a ction research approach successful, the teacher needs to ensure that the questions are the ones 'they' wish to solve. Their questions might involve social sciences, instructional strategies, everyday life and social management issues, guide for students analytical research methods for improving specific student performance or curriculum implementation etc. Teachers may seek help from a wide variety of existing literature , to find strategies and solutions that others have executed to solve any particular problem. It is also suggested to build a visual map or a table of problems, target performances, potential solutions and supporting references in the middle.

2. Developing an Action Plan

After identifying the problem, after r eviewing the relevant literature and describing the vision of how to solve the problem; the next step would be action planning which means to develop a plan of action . Action planning involves studying the literature and brainstorming can be used by the action research planner to create new techniques and strategies that can generate better results of both action learning and action research. One may go back to the visual map or table of contents and reorder or colour-code the potential outcomes. The items in the list can be ranked in order of significance and the amount of time needed for these strategies.

An action plan has the details of how to implement each idea and the factors that may keep them from their vision of success . Identify those factors that cannot be changed –these are the constants in an equation. The focus of action research at the planning stage must remain focused on the variables –the factors that can be changed using actions. An action plan must be how to implement a solution and how one's instruction, management style, and behaviour will affect each of the variables.

3. Data Collection

Before starting to implement a plan of action , the researcher must have a complete understanding of action research and must have knowledge of the type of data that may help in the success of the plan and must assess how to collect that data. For instance, if the goal is to improve class attendance, attendance records must be collected as useful data for the participatory action. If the goal is to improve time management, the data may include students and classroom observations . There are many options to choose from to collect data from. Selecting the most suitable methodology for data collection will provide more meaningful , accurate and valid data. Some sources of data are interviews and observation. Also, one may administer surveys , distribute questionnaires and watch videotapes of the classroom to collect data.

4. Data Analysis and Conclusions

At this action stage, an action researcher analyses the collected data and concludes. It is suggested to assess the data during the predefined process of data collection as it will help refine the action research agenda. If the collected data seems insufficient , the data collection plan must be revised. Data analysis also helps to reflect on what exactly happened. Did the action researcher perform the actions as planned? Were the study outcomes as expected? Which assumptions of the action researcher proved to be incorrect?

Adding details such as tables, opinions, and recommendations can help in identifying trends (correlations and relationships). One must share the findings while analysing data and drawing conclusions . Engaging in conversations for teacher growth is essential; hence, the action researcher would share the findings with other teachers through discussion of action research, who can yield useful feedback. One may also share the findings with students, as they can also provide additional insight . For example, if teachers and students agree with the conclusions of action research for educational change, it adds to the credibility of the data collection plan and analysis. If they don't seem to agree with the data collection plan and analysis , the action researchers may take informed action and refine the data collection plan and reevaluate conclusions .

5. Modifying the Educational Theory and Repeat

After concluding, the process begins again. The teacher can adjust different aspects of the action research approach to theory or make it more specific according to the findings . Action research guides how to change the steps of action research development, how to modify the action plan , and provide better access to resources, start data collection once again, or prepare new questions to ask from the respondents.

6. Report the Findings

Since the main approach to action research involves the informed action to introduce useful change into the classroom or schools, one must not forget to share the outcomes with others. Sharing the outcomes would help to further reflect on the problem and process, and it would help other teachers to use these findings to enhance their professional practice as an educator. One may print book and share the experience with the school leaders, principal, teachers and students as they served as guide to action research. Or, a community action researcher may present community-based action research at a conference so people from other areas can take advantage of this collaborative action. Also, teachers may use a digital storytelling tool to outline their results.

There are plenty of creative tools we can use to bring the research projects to life. We have seen videos, podcasts and research posters all being used to communicate the results of these programs. Community action research is a unique way to present details of the community-related adventures in the teacher profession, cultivate expertise and show how teachers think about education , so it is better to find unique ways to report the findings of community-led action research.

Final thoughts on action-research for teachers

As we have seen, action research can be an effective form of professional development, illuminating the path for teachers and school leaders seeking to refine their craft. This cyclical process of inquiry and reflection is not merely a methodological pursuit but a profound professional journey. The definition of action research, as a systematic inquiry conducted by teachers, administrators, and other stakeholders in the teaching/learning environment, emphasizes the collaborative nature of improving educational strategies and outcomes.

Action research transcends traditional disciplinary practices by immersing educators in the social contexts of their work, prompting them to question and adapt their methods to meet the evolving needs of their students . It is a form of reflective practice that demands critical thinking and flexibility, as one navigates through the iterative stages of planning, acting, observing, and reflecting.

The process of action research is inherently participatory, encouraging educators to engage with their learning communities to address key issues and social issues that impact educational settings. This method empowers professionals within universities and schools alike to take ownership of their learning and development, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and participatory approaches.

In summary, action research encapsulates the essence of what it means to be a learning professional in a dynamic educational landscape. It is the embodiment of a commitment to lifelong learning and a testament to the capacity of educators to enact change . The value of action research lies in its ability to transform practitioners into researchers, where the quest for knowledge becomes a powerful conduit for change and innovation. Thus, for educators at every level, embracing the rigorous yet rewarding path of action research can unveil potent insights and propel educational practice to new heights.

Key Papers on Action Research

• Utilizing Action Research During Student Teaching by James O. Barbre and Brenda J. Buckner (2013): This study explores how action research can be effectively utilized during student teaching to enhance professional pedagogical disposition through active reflection. It emphasizes developing a reflective habit of mind crucial for teachers to be effective in their classrooms and adaptive to the changing needs of their students.
• Repositioning T eacher Action Research in Science Teacher Education by B. Capobianco and A. Feldman (2010): This paper discusses the promotion of action research as a way for teachers to improve their practice and students' learning for over 50 years, focusing on science education. It highlights the importance of action research in advancing knowledge about teaching and learning in science.
• Action research and teacher leadership by K. Smeets and P. Ponte (2009): This article reports on a case study into the influence and impact of action research carried out by teachers in a special school. It found that action research not only helps teachers to get to grips with their work in the classroom but also has an impact on the work of others in the school.
• Teaching about the Nature of Science through History: Action Research in the Classroom by J. Solomon, Jon Duveen, Linda Scot, S. McCarthy (1992): This article reports on 18 months of action research monitoring British pupils' learning about the nature of science using historical aspects. It indicates areas of substantial progress in pupils' understanding of the nature of science.
• Action Research in the Classroom by V. Baumfield, E. Hall, K. Wall (2008): This comprehensive guide to conducting action research in the classroom covers various aspects, including deciding on a research question, choosing complementary research tools, collecting and interpreting data, and sharing findings. It aims to move classroom inquiry forward and contribute to professional development.

These studies highlight the significant role of action research in enhancing teacher effectiveness, student learning outcomes, and contributing to the broader educational community's knowledge and practices.

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Classroom Practice

Action Research

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Action research is a method used by teachers to solve everyday issues in the classroom. It is a reflective, democratic, and action-based approach to problem-solving or information-seeking in the classroom. Instead of waiting for a solution, action research empowers teachers to become critical and reflective thinkers and lifelong learners that are dedicated to helping improve student learning and teaching effectiveness.

Teachers or program leaders can take on an action research project by framing a question, carrying out an intervention or experiment, and reporting on the results. Below you’ll find resources, examples, and simple steps to help you get started.

Action Research in Early Childhood Education

Steps for action research.

1. Identify a Topic

Topics for action research can include the following:

• Changes in classroom practice
• Effects of program restructuring
• New understanding of students
• Teacher skills and competencies
• New professional relationships
• New content or curricula
• What problem do you want to solve? What information are you seeking?
• What data will need to be collected to help find a solution or answer?
• How will it be collected, by whom and from whom?
• How can you assure that your data will be reliable?

3. Collect Data

A mixed-method approach is a great way to ensure that your data is valid and reliable since you are gathering data from more than one source. This is called triangulation.

Mixed-methods research is when you integrate quantitative and qualitative research and analysis in a single study. Quantitative data is data that can be measured and written down with numbers. Some examples include attendance records, developmental screening tests, and attitude surveys. Qualitative data is data that cannot be measured in a numerical format. Some examples include observations, open-ended survey responses, audio recordings, focus groups, pictures, and in-depth interviews.

Ethically, even if your research will be contained in the classroom, it is important to get permission from the director or principal and parents. If your data collection involves videotaping or photographing students, you should review and follow school procedures. Always make sure that you have a secure place to store data and that you respect the confidentiality of your students.

4. Analyze and Interpret the Data

It’s important to consider when data will be able to answer your question. Were you looking for effects right away or effects that last until the end of the school year? When you’re done, review all of the data and look for themes. You can then separate the data into categories and analyze each group. Remember the goal of the analysis is not only to help answer the research question, but to gain understanding as a teacher.

5. Carry out an Action Plan to Improve Your Practice 

After the analysis, summarize what you learned from the study.

• How can you share your findings?
• What new research questions did the study prompt you to research next?
• What actionable steps can you make as a result of the findings?

Pine, G. J. (2008). Teacher action research: building knowledge democracies. Sage Publications.

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4 Preparing for Action Research in the Classroom: Practical Issues

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

• What sort of considerations are necessary to take action in your educational context?
• How do you facilitate an action plan without disrupting your teaching?
• How do you respond when the unplanned happens during data collection?

An action research project is a practical endeavor that will ultimately be shaped by your educational context and practice. Now that you have developed a literature review, you are ready to revise your initial plans and begin to plan your project. This chapter will provide some advice about your considerations when undertaking an action research project in your classroom.

Maintain Focus

Hopefully, you found a lot a research on your topic. If so, you will now have a better understanding of how it fits into your area and field of educational research. Even though the topic and area you are researching may not be small, your study itself should clearly focus on one aspect of the topic in your classroom. It is important to maintain clarity about what you are investigating because a lot will be going on simultaneously during the research process and you do not want to spend precious time on erroneous aspects that are irrelevant to your research.

Even though you may view your practice as research, and vice versa, you might want to consider your research project as a projection or megaphone for your work that will bring attention to the small decisions that make a difference in your educational context. From experience, our concern is that you will find that researching one aspect of your practice will reveal other interconnected aspects that you may find interesting, and you will disorient yourself researching in a confluence of interests, commitments, and purposes. We simply want to emphasize – don’t try to research everything at once. Stay focused on your topic, and focus on exploring it in depth, instead of its many related aspects. Once you feel you have made progress in one aspect, you can then progress to other related areas, as new research projects that continue the research cycle.

Identify a Clear Research Question

Your literature review should have exposed you to an array of research questions related to your topic. More importantly, your review should have helped identify which research questions we have addressed as a field, and which ones still need to be addressed . More than likely your research questions will resemble ones from your literature review, while also being distinguishable based upon your own educational context and the unexplored areas of research on your topic.

Regardless of how your research question took shape, it is important to be clear about what you are researching in your educational context. Action research questions typically begin in ways related to “How does … ?” or “How do I/we … ?”, for example:

Research Question Examples

• How does a semi-structured morning meeting improve my classroom community?
• How does historical fiction help students think about people’s agency in the past?
• How do I improve student punctuation use through acting out sentences?
• How do we increase student responsibility for their own learning as a team of teachers?

I particularly favor questions with I or we, because they emphasize that you, the actor and researcher, will be clearly taking action to improve your practice. While this may seem rather easy, you need to be aware of asking the right kind of question. One issue is asking a too pointed and closed question that limits the possibility for analysis. These questions tend to rely on quantitative answers, or yes/no answers. For example, “How many students got a 90% or higher on the exam, after reviewing the material three times?

Another issue is asking a question that is too broad, or that considers too many variables. For example, “How does room temperature affect students’ time-on-task?” These are obviously researchable questions, but the aim is a cause-and-effect relationship between variables that has little or no value to your daily practice.

I also want to point out that your research question will potentially change as the research develops. If you consider the question:

As you do an activity, you may find that students are more comfortable and engaged by acting sentences out in small groups, instead of the whole class. Therefore, your question may shift to:

• How do I improve student punctuation use through acting out sentences, in small groups ?

By simply engaging in the research process and asking questions, you will open your thinking to new possibilities and you will develop new understandings about yourself and the problematic aspects of your educational context.

Understand Your Capabilities and Know that Change Happens Slowly

Similar to your research question, it is important to have a clear and realistic understanding of what is possible to research in your specific educational context. For example, would you be able to address unsatisfactory structures (policies and systems) within your educational context? Probably not immediately, but over time you potentially could. It is much more feasible to think of change happening in smaller increments, from within your own classroom or context, with you as one change agent. For example, you might find it particularly problematic that your school or district places a heavy emphasis on traditional grades, believing that these grades are often not reflective of the skills students have or have not mastered. Instead of attempting to research grading practices across your school or district, your research might instead focus on determining how to provide more meaningful feedback to students and parents about progress in your course. While this project identifies and addresses a structural issue that is part of your school and district context, to keep things manageable, your research project would focus the outcomes on your classroom. The more research you do related to the structure of your educational context the more likely modifications will emerge. The more you understand these modifications in relation to the structural issues you identify within your own context, the more you can influence others by sharing your work and enabling others to understand the modification and address structural issues within their contexts. Throughout your project, you might determine that modifying your grades to be standards-based is more effective than traditional grades, and in turn, that sharing your research outcomes with colleagues at an in-service presentation prompts many to adopt a similar model in their own classrooms. It can be defeating to expect the world to change immediately, but you can provide the spark that ignites coordinated changes. In this way, action research is a powerful methodology for enacting social change. Action research enables individuals to change their own lives, while linking communities of like-minded practitioners who work towards action.

Plan Thoughtfully

Planning thoughtfully involves having a path in mind, but not necessarily having specific objectives. Due to your experience with students and your educational context, the research process will often develop in ways as you expected, but at times it may develop a little differently, which may require you to shift the research focus and change your research question. I will suggest a couple methods to help facilitate this potential shift. First, you may want to develop criteria for gauging the effectiveness of your research process. You may need to refine and modify your criteria and your thinking as you go. For example, we often ask ourselves if action research is encouraging depth of analysis beyond my typical daily pedagogical reflection. You can think about this as you are developing data collection methods and even when you are collecting data. The key distinction is whether the data you will be collecting allows for nuance among the participants or variables. This does not mean that you will have nuance, but it should allow for the possibility. Second, criteria are shaped by our values and develop into standards of judgement. If we identify criteria such as teacher empowerment, then we will use that standard to think about the action contained in our research process. Our values inform our work; therefore, our work should be judged in relation to the relevance of our values in our pedagogy and practice.

Does Your Timeline Work?

While action research is situated in the temporal span that is your life, your research project is short-term, bounded, and related to the socially mediated practices within your educational context. The timeline is important for bounding, or setting limits to your research project, while also making sure you provide the right amount of time for the data to emerge from the process.

For example, if you are thinking about examining the use of math diaries in your classroom, you probably do not want to look at a whole semester of entries because that would be a lot of data, with entries related to a wide range of topics. This would create a huge data analysis endeavor. Therefore, you may want to look at entries from one chapter or unit of study. Also, in terms of timelines, you want to make sure participants have enough time to develop the data you collect. Using the same math example, you would probably want students to have plenty of time to write in the journals, and also space out the entries over the span of the chapter or unit.

In relation to the examples, we think it is an important mind shift to not think of research timelines in terms of deadlines. It is vitally important to provide time and space for the data to emerge from the participants. Therefore, it would be potentially counterproductive to rush a 50-minute data collection into 20 minutes – like all good educators, be flexible in the research process.

Involve Others

It is important to not isolate yourself when doing research. Many educators are already isolated when it comes to practice in their classroom. The research process should be an opportunity to engage with colleagues and open up your classroom to discuss issues that are potentially impacting your entire educational context. Think about the following relationships:

Research participants

You may invite a variety of individuals in your educational context, many with whom you are in a shared situation (e.g. colleagues, administrators). These participants may be part of a collaborative study, they may simply help you develop data collection instruments or intervention items, or they may help to analyze and make sense of the data. While the primary research focus will be you and your learning, you will also appreciate how your learning is potentially influencing the quality of others’ learning.

We always tell educators to be public about your research, or anything exciting that is happening in your educational context, for that matter. In terms of research, you do not want it to seem mysterious to any stakeholder in the educational context. Invite others to visit your setting and observe your research process, and then ask for their formal feedback. Inviting others to your classroom will engage and connect you with other stakeholders, while also showing that your research was established in an ethic of respect for multiple perspectives.

Critical friends or validators

Using critical friends is one way to involve colleagues and also validate your findings and conclusions. While your positionality will shape the research process and subsequently your interpretations of the data, it is important to make sure that others see similar logic in your process and conclusions. Critical friends or validators provide some level of certification that the frameworks you use to develop your research project and make sense of your data are appropriate for your educational context. Your critical friends and validators’ suggestions will be useful if you develop a report or share your findings, but most importantly will provide you confidence moving forward.

Potential researchers

As an educational researcher, you are involved in ongoing improvement plans and district or systemic change. The flexibility of action research allows it to be used in a variety of ways, and your initial research can spark others in your context to engage in research either individually for their own purposes, or collaboratively as a grade level, team, or school. Collaborative inquiry with other educators is an emerging form of professional learning and development for schools with school improvement plans. While they call it collaborative inquiry, these schools are often using an action research model. It is good to think of all of your colleagues as potential research collaborators in the future.

Prioritize Ethical Practice

Try to always be cognizant of your own positionality during the action research process, its relation to your educational context, and any associated power relation to your positionality. Furthermore, you want to make sure that you are not coercing or engaging participants into harmful practices. While this may seem obvious, you may not even realize you are harming your participants because you believe the action is necessary for the research process.

For example, commonly teachers want to try out an intervention that will potentially positively impact their students. When the teacher sets up the action research study, they may have a control group and an experimental group. There is potential to impair the learning of one of these groups if the intervention is either highly impactful or exceedingly worse than the typical instruction. Therefore, teachers can sometimes overlook the potential harm to students in pursuing an experimental method of exploring an intervention.

If you are working with a university researcher, ethical concerns will be covered by the Institutional Review Board (IRB). If not, your school or district may have a process or form that you would need to complete, so it would beneficial to check your district policies before starting. Other widely accepted aspects of doing ethically informed research, include:

Confirm Awareness of Study and Negotiate Access – with authorities, participants and parents, guardians, caregivers and supervisors (with IRB this is done with Informed Consent).

• Promise to Uphold Confidentiality – Uphold confidentiality, to your fullest ability, to protect information, identity and data. You can identify people if they indicate they want to be recognized for their contributions.
• Ensure participants’ rights to withdraw from the study at any point .
• Make sure data is secured, either on password protected computer or lock drawer .

Prepare to Problematize your Thinking

Educational researchers who are more philosophically-natured emphasize that research is not about finding solutions, but instead is about creating and asking new and more precise questions. This is represented in the action research process shown in the diagrams in Chapter 1, as Collingwood (1939) notes the aim in human interaction is always to keep the conversation open, while Edward Said (1997) emphasized that there is no end because whatever we consider an end is actually the beginning of something entirely new. These reflections have perspective in evaluating the quality in research and signifying what is “good” in “good pedagogy” and “good research”. If we consider that action research is about studying and reflecting on one’s learning and how that learning influences practice to improve it, there is nothing to stop your line of inquiry as long as you relate it to improving practice. This is why it is necessary to problematize and scrutinize our practices.

Ethical Dilemmas for Educator-Researchers

Classroom teachers are increasingly expected to demonstrate a disposition of reflection and inquiry into their own practice. Many advocate for schools to become research centers, and to produce their own research studies, which is an important advancement in acknowledging and addressing the complexity in today’s schools. When schools conduct their own research studies without outside involvement, they bypass outside controls over their studies. Schools shift power away from the oversight of outside experts and ethical research responsibilities are shifted to those conducting the formal research within their educational context. Ethics firmly grounded and established in school policies and procedures for teaching, becomes multifaceted when teaching practice and research occur simultaneously. When educators conduct research in their classrooms, are they doing so as teachers or as researchers, and if they are researchers, at what point does the teaching role change to research? Although the notion of objectivity is a key element in traditional research paradigms, educator-based research acknowledges a subjective perspective as the educator-researcher is not viewed separately from the research. In action research, unlike traditional research, the educator as researcher gains access to the research site by the nature of the work they are paid and expected to perform. The educator is never detached from the research and remains at the research site both before and after the study. Because studying one’s practice comprises working with other people, ethical deliberations are inevitable. Educator-researchers confront role conflict and ambiguity regarding ethical issues such as informed consent from participants, protecting subjects (students) from harm, and ensuring confidentiality. They must demonstrate a commitment toward fully understanding ethical dilemmas that present themselves within the unique set of circumstances of the educational context. Questions about research ethics can feel exceedingly complex and in specific situations, educator- researchers require guidance from others.

Think about it this way. As a part-time historian and former history teacher I often problematized who we regard as good and bad people in history. I (Clark) grew up minutes from Jesse James’ childhood farm. Jesse James is a well-documented thief, and possibly by today’s standards, a terrorist. He is famous for daylight bank robberies, as well as the sheer number of successful robberies. When Jesse James was assassinated, by a trusted associate none-the-less, his body travelled the country for people to see, while his assailant and assailant’s brother reenacted the assassination over 1,200 times in theaters across the country. Still today in my hometown, they reenact Jesse James’ daylight bank robbery each year at the Fall Festival, immortalizing this thief and terrorist from our past. This demonstrates how some people saw him as somewhat of hero, or champion of some sort of resistance, both historically and in the present. I find this curious and ripe for further inquiry, but primarily it is problematic for how we think about people as good or bad in the past. Whatever we may individually or collectively think about Jesse James as a “good” or “bad” person in history, it is vitally important to problematize our thinking about him. Talking about Jesse James may seem strange, but it is relevant to the field of action research. If we tell people that we are engaging in important and “good” actions, we should be prepared to justify why it is “good” and provide a theoretical, epistemological, or ontological rationale if possible. Experience is never enough, you need to justify why you act in certain ways and not others, and this includes thinking critically about your own thinking.

Educators who view inquiry and research as a facet of their professional identity must think critically about how to design and conduct research in educational settings to address respect, justice, and beneficence to minimize harm to participants. This chapter emphasized the due diligence involved in ethically planning the collection of data, and in considering the challenges faced by educator-researchers in educational contexts.

Planning Action

After the thinking about the considerations above, you are now at the stage of having selected a topic and reflected on different aspects of that topic. You have undertaken a literature review and have done some reading which has enriched your understanding of your topic. As a result of your reading and further thinking, you may have changed or fine-tuned the topic you are exploring. Now it is time for action. In the last section of this chapter, we will address some practical issues of carrying out action research, drawing on both personal experiences of supervising educator-researchers in different settings and from reading and hearing about action research projects carried out by other researchers.

Engaging in an action research can be a rewarding experience, but a beneficial action research project does not happen by accident – it requires careful planning, a flexible approach, and continuous educator-researcher reflection. Although action research does not have to go through a pre-determined set of steps, it is useful here for you to be aware of the progression which we presented in Chapter 2. The sequence of activities we suggested then could be looked on as a checklist for you to consider before planning the practical aspects of your project.

We also want to provide some questions for you to think about as you are about to begin.

• Have you identified a topic for study?
• What is the specific context for the study? (It may be a personal project for you or for a group of researchers of which you are a member.)
• Have you read a sufficient amount of the relevant literature?
• Have you developed your research question(s)?
• Have you assessed the resource needed to complete the research?

As you start your project, it is worth writing down:

• a working title for your project, which you may need to refine later;
• the background of the study , both in terms of your professional context and personal motivation;
• the aims of the project;
• the specific outcomes you are hoping for.

Although most of the models of action research presented in Chapter 1 suggest action taking place in some pre-defined order, they also allow us the possibility of refining our ideas and action in the light of our experiences and reflections. Changes may need to be made in response to your evaluation and your reflections on how the project is progressing. For example, you might have to make adjustments, taking into account the students’ responses, your observations and any observations of your colleagues. All this is very useful and, in fact, it is one of the features that makes action research suitable for educational research.

Action research planning sheet

In the past, we have provided action researchers with the following planning list that incorporates all of these considerations. Again, like we have said many times, this is in no way definitive, or lock-in-step procedure you need to follow, but instead guidance based on our perspective to help you engage in the action research process. The left column is the simplified version, and the right column offers more specific advice if need.

Figure 4.1 Planning Sheet for Action Research

Action Research Copyright © by J. Spencer Clark; Suzanne Porath; Julie Thiele; and Morgan Jobe is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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How to Do Action Research in Your Classroom

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The following Action Research Projects (ARPs) provide just that. These practical ideas and strategies are the result of classroom action research conducted by teachers in schools and classrooms.

To use this site, simply identify a grade level or topic of interest and click on it. This will take you to a list of ARPs for your review. Click on any ARP to learn more about the topic, what was done, and who did it.

Elementary (preK-5)

Digital portfolios.

• Evaluating the Effectiveness of Student-Created Digital Portfolios in Creating a Culture of Self-Efficacy in Kindergarten Classrooms

Improving Chronic Absenteeism

• Addressing Chronic Absenteeism through Peer-Mentoring

Literacy Academy

• Effectiveness of Early Language Literacy Plan Academy Model in Nonsense Word Fluency
• Critical Thinking Using an Online Discussion Forum with Fourth Graders

Math Computation

• Math Computation Proficiency in Elementary Classrooms

Parental Involvement

• Increasing Parental Involvement Through Technology Use

Reading Fluency

• Reading Fluency in the First Grade Classroom

Reading/Language Arts

• Phonemic Awareness Instruction as a Response to Intervention Strategy for Kindergarten Students without Preschool Experience
• Improving Reading Fluency and Comprehension With The Daily Café Program

Reflective Thinking Routines

• Reflective Thinking Routines and Their Impact on Teachers’ Rates of Positive to Directive/Corrective Interactions with Students

Speech Production Targets

• Non-Words Used as Speech Production Targets

Student Goal Setting

• Student Goal Setting to Increase Academic Achievement in Math

Middle School (6-8)

Chronic absenteeism.

• Impacts of “Internal” Mentoring Program on Chronic Absenteeism
• Student Recognition and Goals: The Effects of Student Recognition and Goal Setting on Motivation and Achievement among At-Risk Opportunity School Students

Student Behavior and Academics

• An Investigation into the Impact of Extra-Curricular Activities on Student Behavior and Academic Success

Restorative Justice

• Restorative Justice Prevailing Over Suspension

High School (9-12)

Ability grouping in mat.

• Maximizing the Benefits of Grouping by Ability in Math

Credit Recover Programs

• Effectiveness of Online Credit Recovery Versus Face-to-Face Credit Recovery Programs
• Increasing English Learner Assessment Scores with Software Intervention Programs

Full Inclusion

• Should Alternate Curriculum Integration Lead to Full Inclusion?

Instructional Approaches for Developing Spanish Fluency

• The Effects of Comprehensive Input Through Storytelling in High School Spanish Students

Mastery Grading

• Mastery Grading: An Action Research Plan for Student Engagement

STEM AP Enrollment

• Action Research Increasing STEM AP Enrollment

Student Self-Regulation

• Self-Regulation Strategies and Student Engagement
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The 10 Most Significant Education Studies of 2021

From reframing our notion of “good” schools to mining the magic of expert teachers, here’s a curated list of must-read research from 2021.

It was a year of unprecedented hardship for teachers and school leaders. We pored through hundreds of studies to see if we could follow the trail of exactly what happened: The research revealed a complex portrait of a grueling year during which persistent issues of burnout and mental and physical health impacted millions of educators. Meanwhile, many of the old debates continued: Does paper beat digital? Is project-based learning as effective as direct instruction? How do you define what a “good” school is?

Other studies grabbed our attention, and in a few cases, made headlines. Researchers from the University of Chicago and Columbia University turned artificial intelligence loose on some 1,130 award-winning children’s books in search of invisible patterns of bias. (Spoiler alert: They found some.) Another study revealed why many parents are reluctant to support social and emotional learning in schools—and provided hints about how educators can flip the script.

1. What Parents Fear About SEL (and How to Change Their Minds)

When researchers at the Fordham Institute asked parents to rank phrases associated with social and emotional learning , nothing seemed to add up. The term “social-emotional learning” was very unpopular; parents wanted to steer their kids clear of it. But when the researchers added a simple clause, forming a new phrase—”social-emotional & academic learning”—the program shot all the way up to No. 2 in the rankings.

What gives?

Parents were picking up subtle cues in the list of SEL-related terms that irked or worried them, the researchers suggest. Phrases like “soft skills” and “growth mindset” felt “nebulous” and devoid of academic content. For some, the language felt suspiciously like “code for liberal indoctrination.”

But the study suggests that parents might need the simplest of reassurances to break through the political noise. Removing the jargon, focusing on productive phrases like “life skills,” and relentlessly connecting SEL to academic progress puts parents at ease—and seems to save social and emotional learning in the process.

2. The Secret Management Techniques of Expert Teachers

In the hands of experienced teachers, classroom management can seem almost invisible: Subtle techniques are quietly at work behind the scenes, with students falling into orderly routines and engaging in rigorous academic tasks almost as if by magic. 

That’s no accident, according to new research . While outbursts are inevitable in school settings, expert teachers seed their classrooms with proactive, relationship-building strategies that often prevent misbehavior before it erupts. They also approach discipline more holistically than their less-experienced counterparts, consistently reframing misbehavior in the broader context of how lessons can be more engaging, or how clearly they communicate expectations.

Focusing on the underlying dynamics of classroom behavior—and not on surface-level disruptions—means that expert teachers often look the other way at all the right times, too. Rather than rise to the bait of a minor breach in etiquette, a common mistake of new teachers, they tend to play the long game, asking questions about the origins of misbehavior, deftly navigating the terrain between discipline and student autonomy, and opting to confront misconduct privately when possible.

3. The Surprising Power of Pretesting

Asking students to take a practice test before they’ve even encountered the material may seem like a waste of time—after all, they’d just be guessing.

But new research concludes that the approach, called pretesting, is actually more effective than other typical study strategies. Surprisingly, pretesting even beat out taking practice tests after learning the material, a proven strategy endorsed by cognitive scientists and educators alike. In the study, students who took a practice test before learning the material outperformed their peers who studied more traditionally by 49 percent on a follow-up test, while outperforming students who took practice tests after studying the material by 27 percent.

The researchers hypothesize that the “generation of errors” was a key to the strategy’s success, spurring student curiosity and priming them to “search for the correct answers” when they finally explored the new material—and adding grist to a 2018 study that found that making educated guesses helped students connect background knowledge to new material.

Learning is more durable when students do the hard work of correcting misconceptions, the research suggests, reminding us yet again that being wrong is an important milestone on the road to being right.

4. Confronting an Old Myth About Immigrant Students

Immigrant students are sometimes portrayed as a costly expense to the education system, but new research is systematically dismantling that myth.

In a 2021 study , researchers analyzed over 1.3 million academic and birth records for students in Florida communities, and concluded that the presence of immigrant students actually has “a positive effect on the academic achievement of U.S.-born students,” raising test scores as the size of the immigrant school population increases. The benefits were especially powerful for low-income students.

While immigrants initially “face challenges in assimilation that may require additional school resources,” the researchers concluded, hard work and resilience may allow them to excel and thus “positively affect exposed U.S.-born students’ attitudes and behavior.” But according to teacher Larry Ferlazzo, the improvements might stem from the fact that having English language learners in classes improves pedagogy , pushing teachers to consider “issues like prior knowledge, scaffolding, and maximizing accessibility.”

5. A Fuller Picture of What a ‘Good’ School Is

It’s time to rethink our definition of what a “good school” is, researchers assert in a study published in late 2020.⁣ That’s because typical measures of school quality like test scores often provide an incomplete and misleading picture, the researchers found.

The study looked at over 150,000 ninth-grade students who attended Chicago public schools and concluded that emphasizing the social and emotional dimensions of learning—relationship-building, a sense of belonging, and resilience, for example—improves high school graduation and college matriculation rates for both high- and low-income students, beating out schools that focus primarily on improving test scores.⁣

“Schools that promote socio-emotional development actually have a really big positive impact on kids,” said lead researcher C. Kirabo Jackson in an interview with Edutopia . “And these impacts are particularly large for vulnerable student populations who don’t tend to do very well in the education system.”

The findings reinforce the importance of a holistic approach to measuring student progress, and are a reminder that schools—and teachers—can influence students in ways that are difficult to measure, and may only materialize well into the future.⁣

6. Teaching Is Learning

One of the best ways to learn a concept is to teach it to someone else. But do you actually have to step into the shoes of a teacher, or does the mere expectation of teaching do the trick?

In a 2021 study , researchers split students into two groups and gave them each a science passage about the Doppler effect—a phenomenon associated with sound and light waves that explains the gradual change in tone and pitch as a car races off into the distance, for example. One group studied the text as preparation for a test; the other was told that they’d be teaching the material to another student.

The researchers never carried out the second half of the activity—students read the passages but never taught the lesson. All of the participants were then tested on their factual recall of the Doppler effect, and their ability to draw deeper conclusions from the reading.

The upshot? Students who prepared to teach outperformed their counterparts in both duration and depth of learning, scoring 9 percent higher on factual recall a week after the lessons concluded, and 24 percent higher on their ability to make inferences. The research suggests that asking students to prepare to teach something—or encouraging them to think “could I teach this to someone else?”—can significantly alter their learning trajectories.

7. A Disturbing Strain of Bias in Kids’ Books

Some of the most popular and well-regarded children’s books—Caldecott and Newbery honorees among them—persistently depict Black, Asian, and Hispanic characters with lighter skin, according to new research .

Using artificial intelligence, researchers combed through 1,130 children’s books written in the last century, comparing two sets of diverse children’s books—one a collection of popular books that garnered major literary awards, the other favored by identity-based awards. The software analyzed data on skin tone, race, age, and gender.

Among the findings: While more characters with darker skin color begin to appear over time, the most popular books—those most frequently checked out of libraries and lining classroom bookshelves—continue to depict people of color in lighter skin tones. More insidiously, when adult characters are “moral or upstanding,” their skin color tends to appear lighter, the study’s lead author, Anjali Aduki,  told The 74 , with some books converting “Martin Luther King Jr.’s chocolate complexion to a light brown or beige.” Female characters, meanwhile, are often seen but not heard.

Cultural representations are a reflection of our values, the researchers conclude: “Inequality in representation, therefore, constitutes an explicit statement of inequality of value.”

8. The Never-Ending ‘Paper Versus Digital’ War

The argument goes like this: Digital screens turn reading into a cold and impersonal task; they’re good for information foraging, and not much more. “Real” books, meanwhile, have a heft and “tactility”  that make them intimate, enchanting—and irreplaceable.

But researchers have often found weak or equivocal evidence for the superiority of reading on paper. While a recent study concluded that paper books yielded better comprehension than e-books when many of the digital tools had been removed, the effect sizes were small. A 2021 meta-analysis further muddies the water: When digital and paper books are “mostly similar,” kids comprehend the print version more readily—but when enhancements like motion and sound “target the story content,” e-books generally have the edge.

Nostalgia is a force that every new technology must eventually confront. There’s plenty of evidence that writing with pen and paper encodes learning more deeply than typing. But new digital book formats come preloaded with powerful tools that allow readers to annotate, look up words, answer embedded questions, and share their thinking with other readers.

We may not be ready to admit it, but these are precisely the kinds of activities that drive deeper engagement, enhance comprehension, and leave us with a lasting memory of what we’ve read. The future of e-reading, despite the naysayers, remains promising.

9. New Research Makes a Powerful Case for PBL

Many classrooms today still look like they did 100 years ago, when students were preparing for factory jobs. But the world’s moved on: Modern careers demand a more sophisticated set of skills—collaboration, advanced problem-solving, and creativity, for example—and those can be difficult to teach in classrooms that rarely give students the time and space to develop those competencies.

Project-based learning (PBL) would seem like an ideal solution. But critics say PBL places too much responsibility on novice learners, ignoring the evidence about the effectiveness of direct instruction and ultimately undermining subject fluency. Advocates counter that student-centered learning and direct instruction can and should coexist in classrooms.

Now two new large-scale studies —encompassing over 6,000 students in 114 diverse schools across the nation—provide evidence that a well-structured, project-based approach boosts learning for a wide range of students.

In the studies, which were funded by Lucas Education Research, a sister division of Edutopia , elementary and high school students engaged in challenging projects that had them designing water systems for local farms, or creating toys using simple household objects to learn about gravity, friction, and force. Subsequent testing revealed notable learning gains—well above those experienced by students in traditional classrooms—and those gains seemed to raise all boats, persisting across socioeconomic class, race, and reading levels.

10. Tracking a Tumultuous Year for Teachers

The Covid-19 pandemic cast a long shadow over the lives of educators in 2021, according to a year’s worth of research.

The average teacher’s workload suddenly “spiked last spring,” wrote the Center for Reinventing Public Education in its January 2021 report, and then—in defiance of the laws of motion—simply never let up. By the fall, a RAND study recorded an astonishing shift in work habits: 24 percent of teachers reported that they were working 56 hours or more per week, compared to 5 percent pre-pandemic.

The vaccine was the promised land, but when it arrived nothing seemed to change. In an April 2021 survey  conducted four months after the first vaccine was administered in New York City, 92 percent of teachers said their jobs were more stressful than prior to the pandemic, up from 81 percent in an earlier survey.

It wasn’t just the length of the work days; a close look at the research reveals that the school system’s failure to adjust expectations was ruinous. It seemed to start with the obligations of hybrid teaching, which surfaced in Edutopia ’s coverage of overseas school reopenings. In June 2020, well before many U.S. schools reopened, we reported that hybrid teaching was an emerging problem internationally, and warned that if the “model is to work well for any period of time,” schools must “recognize and seek to reduce the workload for teachers.” Almost eight months later, a 2021 RAND study identified hybrid teaching as a primary source of teacher stress in the U.S., easily outpacing factors like the health of a high-risk loved one.

New and ever-increasing demands for tech solutions put teachers on a knife’s edge. In several important 2021 studies, researchers concluded that teachers were being pushed to adopt new technology without the “resources and equipment necessary for its correct didactic use.” Consequently, they were spending more than 20 hours a week adapting lessons for online use, and experiencing an unprecedented erosion of the boundaries between their work and home lives, leading to an unsustainable “always on” mentality. When it seemed like nothing more could be piled on—when all of the lights were blinking red—the federal government restarted standardized testing .

Change will be hard; many of the pathologies that exist in the system now predate the pandemic. But creating strict school policies that separate work from rest, eliminating the adoption of new tech tools without proper supports, distributing surveys regularly to gauge teacher well-being, and above all listening to educators to identify and confront emerging problems might be a good place to start, if the research can be believed.

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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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129 List Of Research Topics In English Language Teaching [updated]

English Language Teaching (ELT) is a field dedicated to teaching English to non-native speakers. It’s important because English is a global language used for communication, business, and education worldwide. Research in ELT helps improve teaching methods, making it easier for students to learn English effectively. This blog will explore a list of research topics in English language teaching.

What Are The Areas Of Research In English Language Teaching?

Table of Contents

Research in English Language Teaching (ELT) encompasses a wide range of areas, including:

• Language Learning: Understanding how people learn English well, like when they learn a new language and if there’s a best time to do it.
• Teaching Ways: Looking into different ways teachers teach, like using conversations, tasks, or mixing language with other subjects.
• Curriculum Design and Syllabus Development: Designing and evaluating language curricula and syllabi to meet the needs of diverse learners and contexts.
• Assessment and Evaluation: Developing and validating assessment tools, exploring alternative assessment methods, and investigating the effectiveness of feedback and error correction strategies.
• Technology in ELT: Exploring the integration of technology in language teaching and learning, including computer-assisted language learning (CALL), mobile-assisted language learning (MALL), and online learning platforms.
• Teacher Education and Professional Development: Investigating pre-service and in-service teacher education programs, reflective practices, and challenges in teacher training.
• Cultural and Sociolinguistic Aspects: Examining the role of culture in language teaching and learning, sociolinguistic competence, and addressing cultural diversity in the classroom.
• Learner Diversity and Inclusive Practices: Researching teaching strategies for diverse learners, including young learners, learners with learning disabilities, and learners from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds.
• Policy and Planning in ELT: Analyzing language policies at national and international levels, exploring the implementation of ELT programs, and examining the role of ELT in national development.
• Research Methodologies in ELT: Investigating qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods research approaches in ELT research, including action research conducted by teachers in their own classrooms.
• Future Trends and Innovations: Exploring emerging trends and innovations in ELT, such as the impact of globalization, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in language learning, and innovative teaching strategies.

129 List Of Research Topics In English Language Teaching: Category Wise

Language acquisition and development.

• Second Language Acquisition Theories: Explore different theories explaining how learners acquire a second language.
• Critical Period Hypothesis: Investigate the idea of an optimal age range for language acquisition.
• Multilingualism and Language Development: Study how knowing multiple languages affects language development.
• Cognitive and Affective Factors in Language Learning: Examine the role of cognitive abilities and emotions in language learning.
• Language Learning Strategies: Investigate the strategies learners use to acquire and develop language skills.
• Input Hypothesis: Explore the role of comprehensible input in language acquisition.
• Interaction Hypothesis: Examine the importance of interaction in language learning.
• Fossilization in Second Language Learning: Study why some learners reach a plateau in their language development.

Teaching Methodologies and Approaches

• Communicative Language Teaching (CLT): Analyze the effectiveness of CLT in promoting communication skills.
• Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT): Explore the use of real-world tasks to teach language.
• Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL): Investigate teaching subject content through English.
• Blended Learning in ELT: Study the integration of traditional and online teaching methods.
• Audio-Lingual Method: Assess the effectiveness of drills and repetition in language teaching.
• Grammar-Translation Method: Compare traditional grammar-focused methods with communicative approaches.
• Lexical Approach: Explore teaching vocabulary as a key component of language proficiency.
• Suggestopedia: Investigate the use of relaxation techniques to enhance language learning.

Curriculum Design and Syllabus Development

• Needs Analysis in ELT: Identify the language needs of learners and design appropriate curricula.
• Integrating Language Skills in Curriculum: Examine strategies for integrating reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills.
• Syllabus Types: Compare different types of syllabi, such as structural and task-based.
• Task-Based Syllabus Design: Design syllabi based on real-world tasks to promote language acquisition.
• Content-Based Instruction (CBI): Integrate language learning with academic content in syllabus design.
• Needs Analysis in Specific Contexts: Conduct needs analyses for learners in specific professional or academic contexts.
• Cross-Cultural Communication in Curriculum Design: Incorporate intercultural communication skills into language curricula.

Assessment and Evaluation

• Standardized Testing in ELT: Evaluate the reliability and validity of standardized English language tests.
• Alternative Assessment Approaches: Explore non-traditional assessment methods like portfolios and self-assessment.
• Feedback Strategies in Language Learning: Investigate effective feedback techniques for improving language proficiency.
• Washback Effect of Testing: Study how assessment practices influence teaching and learning.
• Authentic Assessment in ELT: Develop assessment tasks that mirror real-life language use situations.
• Portfolio Assessment: Investigate the use of portfolios to track language learning progress over time.
• Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT): Evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of adaptive testing methods in ELT.

Technology in ELT

• Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL): Assess the impact of computer-based language learning programs.
• Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL): Study the effectiveness of mobile devices in language learning.
• Online Learning Platforms for ELT: Analyze the features and usability of online platforms for language education.
• Virtual Reality (VR) in Language Learning: Explore immersive VR environments for language practice and instruction.
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tutoring Systems: Assess the effectiveness of AI-based tutors in providing personalized language instruction.
• Social Media in Language Learning: Study the role of social media platforms in informal language learning contexts.
• Gamification in ELT: Investigate the use of game elements to enhance engagement and motivation in language learning.

Teacher Education and Professional Development

• Pre-service Teacher Education Programs: Evaluate the effectiveness of teacher training programs.
• Reflective Practice in Teaching: Investigate how teachers reflect on their practice to improve teaching.
• Challenges in Teacher Education: Identify challenges faced by educators in training and development.
• Teacher Beliefs and Practices: Examine how teachers’ beliefs about language learning influence their instructional practices.
• Peer Observation in Teacher Development: Explore the benefits of peer observation and feedback for teacher professional growth.
• Mentoring Programs for New Teachers: Evaluate the effectiveness of mentoring programs in supporting novice teachers.
• Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Models: Compare different models of CPD for language teachers and their impact on teaching quality.

Cultural and Sociolinguistic Aspects

• Language and Culture Interrelationship: Explore the relationship between language and culture in ELT.
• Sociolinguistic Competence and Pragmatics: Study how social context influences language use and understanding.
• Gender and Identity in Language Learning: Investigate how gender identity affects language learning experiences.
• Intercultural Competence in Language Teaching: Develop strategies for promoting intercultural communicative competence in language learners.
• Language Policy and Minority Language Education: Analyze the impact of language policies on the education of minority language speakers.
• Gender and Language Learning Strategies: Investigate gender differences in language learning strategies and their implications for instruction.
• Code-Switching in Multilingual Classrooms: Study the role of code-switching in language learning and classroom interaction.

Learner Diversity and Inclusive Practices

• Teaching English to Young Learners (TEYL): Examine effective teaching strategies for children learning English.
• Addressing Learning Disabilities in ELT: Investigate methods for supporting learners with disabilities in language learning.
• ELT for Specific Purposes (ESP): Explore specialized English language instruction for specific fields.
• Differentiated Instruction in Language Teaching: Develop strategies for addressing diverse learner needs in the language classroom.
• Inclusive Pedagogies for Learners with Special Educational Needs: Design instructional approaches that accommodate learners with disabilities in language learning.
• Language Learning Strategies of Autistic Learners: Investigate effective language learning strategies for individuals on the autism spectrum.
• Language Identity and Learner Motivation: Explore the relationship between language identity and motivation in language learning.

Policy and Planning in ELT

• National and International Language Policies: Analyze policies governing English language education at different levels.
• ELT Program Implementation Challenges: Identify challenges in implementing ELT programs in diverse contexts.
• Role of ELT in National Development: Examine the contribution of English language education to national development goals.
• English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) Policies: Analyze the impact of EMI policies on educational equity and access.
• Language Teacher Recruitment and Deployment Policies: Evaluate policies related to the recruitment and deployment of language teachers in diverse contexts.
• Language Assessment Policy Reform: Propose reforms to language assessment policies to promote fairness and validity.
• Biliteracy Development Policies: Study policies aimed at promoting biliteracy development among bilingual learners.

Research Methodologies in ELT

• Qualitative Research Methods in ELT: Explore qualitative approaches like interviews and case studies in ELT research.
• Quantitative Research Methods in ELT: Investigate quantitative methods such as surveys and experiments in language education research.
• Mixed-Methods Approaches in ELT Research: Combine qualitative and quantitative methods to gain a comprehensive understanding of research questions.
• Ethnographic Approaches to ELT Research: Conduct ethnographic studies to explore language learning and teaching in naturalistic settings.
• Case Study Research in Language Education: Investigate specific language learning contexts or programs through in-depth case studies.
• Corpus Linguistics in ELT Research: Analyze language use patterns and learner language production using corpus linguistic methods.
• Longitudinal Studies of Language Learning: Follow language learners over an extended period to examine developmental trajectories and factors influencing language acquisition.

Future Trends and Innovations

• Emerging Technologies in ELT: Study the integration of technologies like AI and VR in language teaching.
• Innovations in Teaching Strategies: Explore new approaches to teaching language, such as flipped classrooms and gamification.
• Future Directions in ELT Research: Investigate potential areas for future research in English language teaching.
• Wearable Technology in Language Learning: Explore the potential of wearable devices for delivering personalized language instruction.
• Data Analytics for Adaptive Learning: Develop data-driven approaches to adaptive learning in language education.
• Augmented Reality (AR) Applications in ELT: Design AR-enhanced language learning experiences for immersive language practice.
• Global Citizenship Education and Language Learning: Investigate the role of language education in fostering global citizenship skills.
• Eco-Linguistics and Language Education: Explore the intersection of language education and environmental sustainability.
• Metacognition and Language Learning: Explore how learners’ awareness of their own learning processes affects language acquisition.
• Peer Interaction in Language Learning: Investigate the role of peer collaboration and discussion in promoting language development.
• Heritage Language Education: Study strategies for maintaining and revitalizing heritage languages among immigrant and minority communities.
• Language Learning Motivation in Adolescents: Examine factors influencing motivation and engagement in adolescent language learners.
• Phonological Awareness in Language Learning: Investigate the role of phonological awareness in literacy development for language learners.
• Pragmatic Development in Language Learners: Explore how learners acquire pragmatic competence and understanding of language use in context.
• Digital Literacies and Language Learning: Examine how digital literacy skills contribute to language proficiency and communication in the digital age.
• Critical Language Awareness: Investigate approaches to developing learners’ critical awareness of language use and power dynamics.
• Language Teacher Identity: Study how language teachers’ identities shape their beliefs, practices, and interactions in the classroom.
• Collaborative Learning in Language Education: Explore the benefits and challenges of collaborative learning environments for language learners.
• Motivational Strategies in Language Teaching: Develop and evaluate motivational techniques to enhance student engagement and persistence in language learning.
• Heritage Language Maintenance: Investigate factors influencing the maintenance and transmission of heritage languages across generations.
• Phonics Instruction in Language Learning: Examine the effectiveness of phonics-based approaches for teaching reading and pronunciation.
• Language Policy Implementation: Analyze the challenges and successes of implementing language policies at the institutional, regional, and national levels.
• Language Teacher Cognition: Explore language teachers’ beliefs, knowledge, and decision-making processes in the classroom.
• Intercultural Communicative Competence: Develop strategies for fostering learners’ ability to communicate effectively across cultures.
• Critical Pedagogy in Language Education: Explore approaches to teaching language that promote critical thinking, social justice, and equity.
• Language Learning Strategies for Autodidacts: Investigate effective self-directed learning strategies for language learners outside formal educational settings.
• Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) in Higher Education: Examine the implementation and outcomes of CLIL programs in tertiary education.
• Sociocultural Theory and Language Learning: Explore how social and cultural factors influence language acquisition and development.
• Language Socialization: Investigate how individuals learn language within social and cultural contexts, including family, peer groups, and communities.
• Speech Perception and Language Learning: Examine the relationship between speech perception abilities and language proficiency in second language learners.
• Genre-Based Approaches to Language Teaching: Explore the use of genre analysis and genre-based pedagogy to teach language skills in context.
• Learner Autonomy in Language Learning: Investigate strategies for promoting learner autonomy and independence in language education.
• Multimodal Literacy in Language Learning: Examine the integration of multiple modes of communication, such as text, image, and sound, in language instruction.
• Community-Based Language Learning: Study language learning initiatives that engage learners with their local communities and resources.
• English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) Communication: Explore the use of English as a global means of communication among speakers from diverse linguistic backgrounds.

Research in English Language Teaching covers a wide range of topics, from language acquisition theories to the impact of technology on learning. By exploring these topics (from a list of research topics in english language teaching), we can improve how English is taught and learned, making it more effective and accessible for everyone.

Continuous research and collaboration among educators, researchers, and policymakers are essential for the ongoing development of ELT.

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• Some Serious Strings Attached: Sponsored Research Funding, Adequate Accounting Systems, and False Claims Act Exposure

The federal government awards billions of dollars each year in sponsored research funding to institutions of higher education, academic research institutions, non-profit organizations, and companies—making federal grants an enticing source of funding for research and development. But a recent decision from a Pennsylvania federal court illustrates that non-compliance with federal grant requirements, including the fine print related to compliance systems, creates a material risk to the grantee of not just cost disallowances, but exposure under the False Claims Act (“FCA”), with its treble damages and whistleblower provisions. Recipients of federal research funding looking to allocate finite compliance resources should not overlook the potentially high cost of FCA exposure arising from non-compliance with federal grant terms and conditions, including having inadequate or poorly documented accounting and internal control systems.

Case Background

A recent decision by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania takes an expansive view of FCA liability for “inadequate” accounting systems under broadly applicable federal grant rules, and provides an interesting case study of how one court assessed grant term non-compliance through an FCA lens. See United States ex rel. Ruggeri v. Magee-Womens Research Institute and Foundation , 2:19-CV-862-NR, 2024 WL 1767514 (W.D. Pa. Apr. 24, 2024).

Ruggeri involves a Foundation focusing on women’s health research and education that received 73% of its funding from grants awarded by the National Institutes of Health (“NIH”). As an NIH grant recipient, the Foundation is subject to certain Uniform Guidance (2 C.F.R. § 200 et seq. ) requirements, such as having adequate financial management and internal controls systems. See 2 C.F.R. § 200.302. Over the lifecycle of the grant, the Foundation was required to provide NIH with financial performance reports and budgets.

A whistleblower brought an FCA qui tam action against the Foundation, alleging, in part, that the Foundation’s accounting and financial systems were “outdated and obsolete,” “cumbersome,” and limited in their ability to produce reports, budgets, and trace expenditures. The whistleblower alleged that the Foundation’s budgets and reports submitted to the NIH “could not be accurate,” and therefore the Foundation violated the FCA (1) by falsely certifying that the Foundation’s system was compliant, and (2) by making false certifications each time an inaccurate budget or report was submitted to the NIH.

The Foundation moved to dismiss the FCA allegations regarding the Foundation’s inadequate accounting system, arguing that the claim failed to establish falsity under Fed. R. Civ. P. 9(b) pleading standards and the FCA’s materiality requirement. The district court denied the Foundation’s motion, explaining that the whistleblower adequately pleaded an FCA claim on fraudulent inducement and false certification theories. Taking the allegations as true, the court explained that the Foundation’s accounting system “couldn’t trace budget expenses, couldn’t produce accurate monthly reports, and couldn’t be used to verify that account funds were being properly spent,” as required by the Uniform Grant Guidance and the NIH Grants Policy Statement. Because the Foundation certified in its grant applications and reports that its accounting system were adequate, even though the system was “anything but,” the court concluded that the complaint adequately pleaded falsity under the FCA.

The court also held that the whistleblower adequately pleaded materiality under the FCA, emphasizing that the NIH Grants Policy Statement stated that failure to have adequate financial controls was a material violation of the award. The court noted the whistleblower’s allegation that the government had pursued investigations against and settlements with other NIH grant recipients for deficient financial controls systems. Finally, the court noted that NIH had reduced the Foundation’s grant awards after becoming aware of the allegations, “underscoring that these infractions were material.”

Key Takeaways

The Ruggeri decision highlights several important realities for recipients of federal grant funding—and the legal teams that advise those grant recipients.

First , the fine print in grant documentation (and the regulations incorporated by reference) can create material risk under fraud, waste, and abuse laws like the FCA. Administrative remedies for breach of grant obligations, although meaningful, typically entail cost disallowances or grant termination. But the FCA adds a material risk vector that ups the ante significantly: treble damages, civil penalties, and investigation costs. 

Second , even broad and vague obligations, such as the requirement to have an “adequate” compliance and financial system, are being used to create organizational exposure under the FCA. Internal legal counsel and compliance professionals should ensure that organizational leadership and grant administrators/principal investigators understands the potential exposure—as well as the upside—that comes with accepting federal funding. Legal counsel and compliance professionals should ensure that an organization’s investments in compliance systems keep pace with the scale and sophistication of the organization’s federal funding. 

Third , certain areas of federal grant compliance continue to generate outsized government-enforcement and whistleblower risk. These include inadequate or misrepresented financial and compliance systems, poor effort reporting/time tracking by grantees, misstatements to funding agencies (in the application process or during the course of performance), inadequate cyber-security and data-security requirements, and lax or false disclosures related to so-called foreign “malign” influence in academic research.

Fourth , a violation of federal grant requirements, without more, is not something that should be policed by the FCA. It is well-established that “[n]ot every regulatory violation is tantamount to making a knowingly false statement to the government.” See United States ex rel. Cantekin v. Univ. of Pittsburgh , 192 F.3d 402, 416 (3d Cir. 1999). For grantees that attempt to comply in good faith, continue to make smart investments in mitigating the risk that comes with federal funding, and take prompt remedial action (including internal investigations), the risk associated with the FCA should be manageable and not an impediment to the research—and breakthroughs—that federal grants are designed to catalyze. 

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DISCLAIMER: Because of the generality of this update, the information provided herein may not be applicable in all situations and should not be acted upon without specific legal advice based on particular situations.

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