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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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364 Education Research Topics about School Issues, Special Education, and More

The field of education encompasses diverse areas of study, ranging from elementary school to higher education. It includes curriculum development, teaching policy-making, and the application of psychology and technology in learning.

Education research explores learning theories and effective teaching practices, examines the impact of sociocultural elements on teaching, and addresses concerns of equality and inclusion. This dynamic discipline continually evolves, driven by innovations and the desire to enhance learning outcomes for all students while creating new avenues for fundamental research.

In this article, you’ll find many education research topics for your projects. You can also find additional ideas in our free essay database .

🏫 15 Controversial School Topics

🔎 research areas & topics in education, 🎒 elementary education research topics, 👩‍🎓 adult education research topics, 🧮 action research topics in education, 🔕 special education research topics, 🚌 school issues topics, 📒 more controversial school topics, 🧠 school psychology research topics, 🔗 references.

• The role of school counselors’ support for students considering abortion.
• Psychedelic therapy: The impact on students’ mental health.
• The role of school religion classes in promoting cultural understanding.
• How do economic policies impact teacher retention and job satisfaction?
• Sexual harassment in schools: Prevalence, structure, and perceptions.
• Free education and its role in reducing educational inequality.
• Why is parental support crucial in achieving academic success?
• Bullying and cyberbullying: The influence on the school environment.
• The effectiveness of school-based sex education programs.
• Promoting school safety for LGBTQ students.
• Inclusive curriculum as a path to better educational performance.
• Cultural diversity in secondary school classrooms.
• The link between alcohol consumption and educational performance.
• Gambling behavior and risk factors in preadolescent students.
• Final exams as the main reason for student depression and anxiety.

Research in education seeks to improve learning outcomes, address the issues of equity and inclusion , and integrate innovative technology into the educational process. Look at the table below to learn what different research areas in education deal with!

• The influence of modern technologies on elementary school education.
• Elementary education: Methods and strategies.
• Elementary School: Picture Communication at the Lesson .
• Promotion of the healthy diet program in elementary schools.
• The role of physical education in elementary schools.
• Addressing Bullying in Elementary and Middle School Classrooms .
• Social studies in the elementary school.
• How to increase motivation among students in elementary school?
• Math Methodology for Elementary Teachers .
• The value of community and family involvement in elementary schools.
• Dominant learning styles among elementary school students.
• Teacher Efficacy of Pre-service Elementary Teachers .
• Elementary education principles: Europe vs. the US.
• The problem of bullying among elementary school students.
• Departmentalization in American Elementary Schools .
• The impact of laptops on elementary school students’ performance.
• The history of elementary education development in Europe.
• Yorktown Elementary School Improvement Plan .
• Corporal punishment as a way of dealing with elementary-level aggressive children.
• Pedagogical Skills in Elementary School .
• Effects of obesity on elementary school students’ development.
• Elementary-level art education and its importance.
• Students’ Academic Performance: Elementary Homework Policies .
• The standards of learning at the elementary educational level.
• Modern approaches to self-studying in elementary school.
• Task-Based Language Teaching Applied in Elementary Classroom .
• Learning English in bilingual elementary schools.
• Lack of proper grooming as a cause of violence among elementary students.
• Proposal for Providing Healthier Food Choices for Elementary Students .
• The need for sexual education in elementary school.
• Differences between adult and child education.
• Main types of adult education and their features.
• Adult Education: Reasons to Continue Studying .
• The most popular adult education agencies and institutions in Europe.
• Adult education: Purpose and theories.
• Adult Education in the “Real World” Classroom .
• Challenges and motivating factors in education for adults.
• Greater social inclusion as one of the crucial benefits of adult education.
• Adult Education for Canadian Immigrants .
• Adult-education movements in the UK.
• What sets adult education apart from traditional education?
• Interaction Strategies in Adult Education .
• Albert Mansbridge and his role in adult education development.
• Adult education in Canada: Key features.
• Adult Educational Pedagogical Philosophies, Theories .
• Peculiarities of learning environment for adult students.
• Critical resources for adult education and training.
• Importance of Adult Education: Risks and Rewards .
• Adult education as a tool for developing leadership capabilities.
• The role of critical thinking in adult education.
• Adult Education: McClusky’s Power-Load-Margin .
• What theories of adult learning are used in UK education?
• Modern technology and its impact on adult learning improvement.
• Michael Collins “Adult Education as Vocation”: Theoretical Positions .
• Theories of adult learning in the context of clinical teaching nurses.
• Adult education: Opportunities and limitations.
• Concept of Lifelong Learning .
• The aid of volunteers in adult education.
• Teaching skills that play a vital role in adult education.

Action research seeks to identify problems, weaknesses, or areas for improvement in different dimensions of the education system — instructional, academic, or organizational. It is a cyclical process, the goal of which is to equip teachers with a mechanism for problem resolution in schools to enhance student learning and teacher effectiveness.

• William Barry: A theory-based educational approach to action research.
• The Effects of Cyberbullying on Students’ Academic Performance .
• Educators’ challenges in conducting action research in classrooms.
• Action research’s importance in teacher education courses.
• Inclusion Policies in Education and Their Effects .
• Primary school education: Action research plan.
• The benefits of using action research in the classroom.
• Learning Disabilities and Intervention Methods .
• The role of action research in college education.
• Parental involvement in student’s education with the help of action research.
• Online Learning and Students’ Mental Health .
• The influence of action research on curriculum development.
• Action research in education: Characteristics and working principles.
• How Is Social Media Affecting College Students?
• Why is action research one of the best ways to improve academic performance?
• Action research for educational reform: Remodeling action research theories.
• College Students’ Weight Gain and Its Causes .
• The use of action research in higher education and its outcomes.
• International educational perspectives through action research.
• Inclusion and Individual Differences in Classroom .
• The contribution of action research to investigating classroom practice.
• How does action research support the development of inclusive classroom environments?
• Homeschooling: Argumentation For and Against .

School & Classroom Management

• Peculiarities of educational management in primary and elementary schools.
• Classroom Management and Techniques to Incorporate in Student’s Reinforcement Plan .
• Preventive approaches to classroom management.
• Educational management: The blue vs. orange card theory.
• Teaching Strategies and Classroom Management .
• What is the role of corporal punishment in educational management?
• Classroom management system: Effective classroom rules.
• Dominance and Cooperation as Classroom Management Strategies .
• Culturally responsive classroom management: Definition and features.
• The influence of school management on student well-being and engagement.
• Blended Learning and Flipped Classrooms .
• Use of information communication technology in school management.
• The problems of classroom management with high school students.
• The Role of Computers in the Classroom .
• Assessment of the role of teachers in school management.
• Online vs. Traditional Classroom Education .

Educational Policies

• Why are education policies and strategies crucial for teachers and students?
• The effectiveness of implementing educational policies.
• Implementation of Federal Educational Policies .
• State policies to increase teacher retention.
• Policies and laws promoting gender equality in education.
• The Separate But Equal Education and Racial Segregation .
• Education policy issues in 2020: Consequences of Covid-19.
• Educational policies for students with disabilities.
• Higher Education Should Be Free for Everyone .
• What education policies and practices does UNESCO prioritize?
• Education policies as a way to improve the school system in the Philippines.
• Where and How Sex Education Should Be Conducted Among the Young People?
• The education policy fellowship program and its value and goal.
• Should Schools Distribute Condoms?
• European education policy regarding the education of adults.
• The main features of the special education process.
• Use of assistive technology in improving education for students with special needs.
• Special Education in New York City .
• Special education: Transforming America’s classrooms.
• The issues faced by parents of students with disabilities.
• Functional Curriculum Goals in Special Education .
• The role of social skills training in the development of special education.
• Paraeducators: Assisting students with special needs in their studies.
• Labeling in Special Education .
• Physical class as a vital part of special education.
• Effects of co-teaching approaches on the academic performance of students with disabilities.
• English Language Learning in Special Education .
• Behavioral strategies for dealing with autism spectrum conditions during lessons.
• Natural Readers Website as Assistive Technology in Education .
• Trauma-informed teaching as a trending issue in special education.
• Special education: The main concepts and legal background.
• Learning Disabilities: Speech and Language Disorders .
• Use of cultural resonance in special education.
• Current issues in special education for children with disabilities.
• Related Services for Students with Disabilities .
• The special education profession and its value.
• Special education: Teaching children with mental disorders.
• Exclusion of Students with Learning Disabilities .
• How to create a perfect curriculum for students with special needs?
• The importance of collaboration between parents and special education teachers.
• General Curriculum for Students with Severe Disabilities .
• The Netherlands as a leader in supporting intellectual disabilities programs.
• Effective Strategies for Students With Learning Disabilities
• The role of cultural sensitivity in multicultural special education.
• Special education: The main aspects and conflicts.
• New Technologies for the Students with Disabilities .
• The frequency and consequences of firearm-related incidents in schools.
• Gun Control and School Shootings .
• The impact of political ideology on educational policies and practices.
• Why is sexual assault a serious problem on American campuses?
• Negative Impact of Media Attention to School Shooting .
• Regulations and procedures for preventing unauthorized access to weapons in schools.
• College accreditation and student loan forgiveness.
• Discrimination in School and Its Effects on Students .
• Modern technologies as a real threat to student privacy and security.
• The issue with learning accommodation for non-traditional students.
• Discrimination and Inequality in the Education System
• Why is standardized testing one of the biggest problems in education?
• The prevalence and patterns of alcohol consumption among students.
• The Early Education Issues: Development and Importance .
• Student poverty and its connection to academic performance and success.
• Teacher salaries: A critical education issue of the 21st century.
• School Bullying and Legal Responsibility .
• What effect does the size of the class have on student outcomes?
• School violence: Dealing with it and minimizing the danger.
• Adolescent Mental Health: Depression .
• Analyzing the impact of technology integration on the increased level of cheating.
• Teacher burnout and its impact on student achievement.
• Adolescent Drug Abuse, Their Awareness, and Prevention .
• What is the influence of socioeconomic status on educational achievement gaps?
• Social Inequality at School .
• High-stakes testing as the main reason for increasing student stress levels.
• Homework: The main disadvantages of self-studying at home.
• Social Inequality and Juvenile Delinquency .
• The effects of drug education campaigns on student knowledge and attitudes.
• Why do college students often become addicted to gambling?

School Bullying

• A method to prevent bias and discrimination in the school system.
• Cyberbullying Among University Students .
• The social consequences of cyberbullying and cyberstalking for students.
• What is the influence of bullying on the academic performance of students?
• School Bullying and Problems in Adult Life .
• Bullying and suicide: Understanding the link and dealing with it.
• School Bullying: Causes and Effects .
• The issue of bullying of children with special needs in school.
• The impact of bullying on school communities.
• Prevention of Bullying in Schools .
• What effect does bullying have on high school-aged students?
• Parenting Style and Bullying Among Children .
• School bullying: Government strategies for managing the problem.
• What steps can parents take to stop bullying at school?
• Cyberbullying of Children in Canada .
• The importance of the anti-bullying program for schools.
• The contribution of technology to the occurrence or prevention of bullying.
• Student Dropouts in Bully-Friendly Schools .
• Bullying and its influence on school climate.
• Bullying and violence in schools: Social psychology perspective.
• The Long-Term Consequences of Being Bullied or Bullying Others in Childhood .
• What are the leading causes of bullying in school?
• Investigating the consequences of online bullying among school-aged children.
• Bullying of Learners with Disabilities .

Lack of Funding

• The impact of school funding issues on the performance of students.
• Children Education. Federal Funding of Preschool .
• School funding issues: Methods and strategies to overcome the problem.
• Why is school funding a key to equitable education?
• The Role of External Funding in Academic Projects .
• The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on school funding.
• How can an increase in spending on education help boost economic recovery?
• School-Funding System in New Jersey .
• Investigating the link between financial disparities and educational inequality.
• How Misuse of Funding Could Affect Education .
• The influence of budget cuts on teacher recruitment and retention.
• Inadequate funding as one of the biggest problems in education.
• Free College Education: Arguments in Support .
• Problems of insufficient funding for elementary education in Asia.
• The role of private sector partnerships in education funding.
• Should College Education Be Free for All US Citizens?
• Public education funding in the US: Peculiarities.
• The importance of educating children in poor countries.
• Should College Athletes Be Paid or Not?
• How can the issue of improper funding for schools be solved?
• New school funding model in Kenya: Benefits and main problems.
• Evidence-Based Model and Solving Problems with School Funding .
• How do decreasing budgets affect student learning and achievement?

Mental Health of Students

• Why do many college students experience symptoms of severe mental health conditions?
• University Students’ Mental Health in 2000-2020 .
• Depression as a common mental health issue in US students.
• Suicidal ideation and intent in students: The leading causes and symptoms.
• The Effect of Mental Health Programs on Students Academic Performance .
• American Psychological Association and its role in helping students with anxiety.
• Eating disorders: The female college students’ problem.
• Mental Health Issues in College Students .
• Substance misuse and its influence on the social life of students.
• What are the long-term effects of academic stress on student mental health?
• Strategies to Decrease Nursing Student Anxiety .
• Factors contributing to the rise in student anxiety and depression rates.
• Social media use and its connection to the mental health of high school students.
• Adolescent Depression: Modern Issues and Resources .
• Sleep quality and duration’s influence on student mental health.
• How does parental involvement influence the mental health and well-being of students?
• The Problem of Adolescent Suicide .
• Physical activity and its contribution to students’ mental health.
• The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on student mental health.
• Mental Health Well-Being Notion: Its Effect on Education .
• The effectiveness of school-based mental health programs for students in Europe.
• Education and Motivation for At-Risk Students .
• Creative approaches to support teenagers with mental disorders.

Inclusivity

• The value of inclusive education for high school students.
• Diversity and Inclusivity as Teaching Philosophy .
• Government measures to advance inclusive education.
• Inclusive education: Essential elements, related laws, and strategies.
• Inclusive Education for Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder .
• Inclusive teaching principles at Columbia schools.
• How do open society foundations support inclusive education?
• Student-Teacher Interaction in Inclusive Education .
• Inclusive education and its benefits for students with disabilities.
• Non-competitive learning as the main concept of inclusive education.
• Inclusive Education for Students With Disabilities .
• Increasing inclusivity in the classroom: The main benefits and methods.
• How can parents build an inclusive behavioral model for their children in elementary school?
• Effective Practice in Inclusive and Special Needs Education .
• The role of government in funding inclusive education in the US.
• Respectful language as a key to teaching students to be more tolerant.
• Early Childhood: Inclusive Programs and Social Interactions .
• Diverse groups and their contribution to increasing inclusivity in the classroom.
• The value of inclusive education: Socialization and academic progress.
• Creating Inclusive Classrooms for Diverse Learners .
• Peculiarities of curriculum and pedagogy in inclusive education.
• What are the critical challenges in implementing inclusive education policies?

Other School Issues

• Traditional teaching methods and their negative impact on student performance.
• Shooting in Schools: Trends and Definition .
• The main teaching issues: Constant pressure and a lot of paperwork.
• The lack of effective communication between teachers and students in high school.
• Alcohol Abuse Among Students: Reforming College Drinking .
• Students’ behavior as one of the relevant issues in elementary school.
• The risk of burning out in college students: Causes and symptoms.
• Dormitory Life and Its Tough Sides for Students .
• How does a lack of support outside of the classroom influence students’ grades?
• The connection between administrative workload and teacher retention rates.
• Changes in Diet and Lifestyle for Students .
• Changing educational trends as one of the challenges faced by teachers.
• What are the main limitations of disciplining students?
• Homeschooling Disadvantages for Students and Parents .
• The issue of using mobile devices in the classroom.
• The potential drawbacks and limitations of redundant teaching techniques.
• Dealing With Procrastination Among Students .
• How to deal with the growing discipline problem in US classrooms?
• The effects of educational technology use on college student learning.
• Teaching Students With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder .
• The emotional and mental toll of lesson planning on teachers.
• What is the impact of pressure from school administrators on teacher performance?
• Cybersecurity Threats for Students & How to Fight Them .
• The community perceptions and concerns regarding armed guards in schools.
• Small-Group Counseling for the High-School Students .
• The need for bilingual education for students in England.
• LGBT+ inclusive sex education: Advantages and disadvantages.
• Challenges Faced by Foreign Students in Adapting to University Culture .
• Why should school uniforms in middle and high school be mandatory?
• The influence of teaching salaries on teacher motivation and performance.
• The Problem of Technology Addiction Among College Students .
• The role of teachers in navigating religious diversity in classrooms.
• What makes private schools in the US better than public ones?
• Why Some Students Cheat .
• The impact of free colleges on the quality of higher education.
• Dissection in school: The value and impact on student’s attitudes toward science.
• How Inclusive Learning Affects Other Students .
• The social and emotional development of students in homeschooling and traditional schooling.
• Why is it necessary to implement college courses in state prisons?
• How to Keep Young Students Engaged and Disciplined in Classroom .
• The effectiveness of school-supplied condoms in preventing teenage pregnancy.
• The impact of implicit bias on racial segregation in education.
• The Problem of Anxiety Among the College Students .
• Race-based school discipline in high school: For and against.
• What are the cons and pros of single-sex schools?
• The Need for Curriculum Change Among African American Students .
• Corporal punishment in schools as a way of controlling undisciplined behavior.
• The role of online education in student-teacher interaction.
• Self-Esteem and Self-Anxiety in Nursing Students .
• The problem of sexually or socially provocative clothes at school and methods of solving it.
• Behavioral Intervention Plan (BIP) For Anxious Students .
• Corruption and emotional manipulations in the educational system.
• How can social and religious issues uniquely affect education?
• Mandatory Drug Tests for Nursing Students .
• What are the main aspects and goals of school psychology?
• Adlerian Theory for School Counseling .
• Historical foundations of American school psychology.
• The role of school psychologists in conceptualizing children’s development.
• Solution-Focused Brief Therapy in School Counseling .
• School psychology: The helping hand in overcoming school crisis.
• The value of professional development programs in high school.
• Therapy Modality for Transformational P-12 School Counselors .
• Job prospects in school psychology in the United States.
• What is the role of school psychologists in supporting students with special needs?
• The McMartin Preschool and Forensic Psychology .
• School psychology in the 21st century: Foundations and practices.
• How do the social-emotional learning programs impact student well-being?
• The effects of school-based crisis interventions on students’ post-traumatic recovery.
• Cognitive Distortions in Middle-School Students.
• School psychology science: Skills and procedures.
• What are the most effective psychological strategies for reducing bullying in schools?
• Instruction Development for Students with Cognitive Disability .
• The effects of crisis intervention work on school psychologists.
• National Association of School Psychologists: Standards and practices.
• The influence of psychologists on the formulation of school policies in the UK.
• Risky Sexual Behaviors Among College Students .
• Counseling students with a sexual abuse history and its impact on academic success.
• Religion and spirituality as diverse topics in school psychology publications.
• Social-Behavioral Skills of Elementary Students with Physical Disabilities .
• School-based considerations for supporting American youths’ mental health.
• The practices for increasing cross-cultural competency in school.
• Classroom Management Ideas: Behavioral Crises and Promotion of Friendship Between Students .
• School psychologists: Principles of professional ethics .

Educational research advances knowledge across diverse disciplines, employing scientific methods to address real-world challenges within the realm of education. By exploring various topics , from innovative pedagogies to the impact of technology, we gain valuable insights to enhance educational practices, ensure inclusivity, and empower future generations with the tools for success.

❓ Educational Research Topics FAQ

What are good research topics for education.

An effective topic is one you can explore in-depth within the length of your assignment. Here are some crucial characteristics of a good research topic:

• Relevant and clear.
• Not too broad or narrow.
• Interesting for the author and target audience.

For example:

• Project-based learning in the classroom: Pros and cons.
• What role did technology play in the development of online tutoring?

How do I find a research topic in education?

You should take 3 simple steps to find a research topic in education:

• Determine the area in education that interests you the most.
• Read all the relevant information to understand the hot issues in your field.
• If you still cannot find the one that suits you best, use our base of the most exciting research topics in education!

What are the top 5 most researched topics?

• Bullying and cyberbullying as significant issues in US schools.
• Why are modern technologies more of a distraction than a helper in education?
• The benefits of inclusive classrooms for students with disabilities.
• How did COVID-19 affect student mental health and the school environment?
• The barriers to education access in underserved communities.
• 10 Challenges Facing Public Education Today | National Education Association
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3. problems students are facing at public k-12 schools, table of contents.

• Problems students are facing
• A look inside the classroom
• How teachers are experiencing their jobs
• How teachers view the education system
• Satisfaction with specific aspects of the job
• Do teachers feel trusted to do their job well?
• Likelihood that teachers will change jobs
• Would teachers recommend teaching as a profession?
• Reasons it’s so hard to get everything done during the workday
• Staffing issues
• Balancing work and personal life
• How teachers experience their jobs
• Lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
• Major problems at school
• Discipline practices
• Policies around cellphone use
• Verbal abuse and physical violence from students
• Addressing behavioral and mental health challenges
• Teachers’ interactions with parents
• K-12 education and political parties
• Acknowledgments
• Methodology

We asked teachers about how students are doing at their school. Overall, many teachers hold negative views about students’ academic performance and behavior.

• 48% say the academic performance of most students at their school is fair or poor; a third say it’s good and only 17% say it’s excellent or very good.
• 49% say students’ behavior at their school is fair or poor; 35% say it’s good and 13% rate it as excellent or very good.

Teachers in elementary, middle and high schools give similar answers when asked about students’ academic performance. But when it comes to students’ behavior, elementary and middle school teachers are more likely than high school teachers to say it’s fair or poor (51% and 54%, respectively, vs. 43%).

Teachers from high-poverty schools are more likely than those in medium- and low-poverty schools to say the academic performance and behavior of most students at their school are fair or poor.

The differences between high- and low-poverty schools are particularly striking. Most teachers from high-poverty schools say the academic performance (73%) and behavior (64%) of most students at their school are fair or poor. Much smaller shares of teachers from low-poverty schools say the same (27% for academic performance and 37% for behavior).

In turn, teachers from low-poverty schools are far more likely than those from high-poverty schools to say the academic performance and behavior of most students at their school are excellent or very good.

Among those who have been teaching for at least a year, about eight-in-ten teachers say the lasting impact of the pandemic on students’ behavior, academic performance and emotional well-being has been very or somewhat negative. This includes about a third or more saying that the lasting impact has been very negative in each area.

Shares ranging from 11% to 15% of teachers say the pandemic has had no lasting impact on these aspects of students’ lives, or that the impact has been neither positive nor negative. Only about 5% say that the pandemic has had a positive lasting impact on these things.

A smaller majority of teachers (55%) say the pandemic has had a negative impact on the way parents interact with teachers, with 18% saying its lasting impact has been very negative.

These results are mostly consistent across teachers of different grade levels and school poverty levels.

When we asked teachers about a range of problems that may affect students who attend their school, the following issues top the list:

• Poverty (53% say this is a major problem at their school)
• Chronic absenteeism – that is, students missing a substantial number of school days (49%)
• Anxiety and depression (48%)

One-in-five say bullying is a major problem among students at their school. Smaller shares of teachers point to drug use (14%), school fights (12%), alcohol use (4%) and gangs (3%).

Differences by school level

Similar shares of teachers across grade levels say poverty is a major problem at their school, but other problems are more common in middle or high schools:

• 61% of high school teachers say chronic absenteeism is a major problem at their school, compared with 43% of elementary school teachers and 46% of middle school teachers.
• 69% of high school teachers and 57% of middle school teachers say anxiety and depression are a major problem, compared with 29% of elementary school teachers.
• 34% of middle school teachers say bullying is a major problem, compared with 13% of elementary school teachers and 21% of high school teachers.

Not surprisingly, drug use, school fights, alcohol use and gangs are more likely to be viewed as major problems by secondary school teachers than by those teaching in elementary schools.

Differences by poverty level

Teachers’ views on problems students face at their school also vary by school poverty level.

Majorities of teachers in high- and medium-poverty schools say chronic absenteeism is a major problem where they teach (66% and 58%, respectively). A much smaller share of teachers in low-poverty schools say this (34%).

Bullying, school fights and gangs are viewed as major problems by larger shares of teachers in high-poverty schools than in medium- and low-poverty schools.

When it comes to anxiety and depression, a slightly larger share of teachers in low-poverty schools (51%) than in high-poverty schools (44%) say these are a major problem among students where they teach.  

About two-thirds of teachers (66%) say that the current discipline practices at their school are very or somewhat mild – including 27% who say they’re very mild. Only 2% say the discipline practices at their school are very or somewhat harsh, while 31% say they are neither harsh nor mild.

We also asked teachers about the amount of influence different groups have when it comes to determining discipline practices at their school.

• 67% say teachers themselves don’t have enough influence. Very few (2%) say teachers have too much influence, and 29% say their influence is about right.

• 31% of teachers say school administrators don’t have enough influence, 22% say they have too much, and 45% say their influence is about right.
• On balance, teachers are more likely to say parents, their state government and the local school board have too much influence rather than not enough influence in determining discipline practices at their school. Still, substantial shares say these groups have about the right amount of influence.

Teachers from low- and medium-poverty schools (46% each) are more likely than those in high-poverty schools (36%) to say parents have too much influence over discipline practices.

In turn, teachers from high-poverty schools (34%) are more likely than those from low- and medium-poverty schools (17% and 18%, respectively) to say that parents don’t have enough influence.

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Psychology: Research and Review

• Open access
• Published: 04 June 2018

Behavioral problems of school children: impact of social vulnerability, chronic adversity, and maternal depression

• Ana Karina Braguim Martineli   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-2549-5583 1 ,
• Fernanda Aguiar Pizeta 1 &
• Sonia Regina Loureiro 1  

Psicologia: Reflexão e Crítica volume  31 , Article number:  11 ( 2018 ) Cite this article

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This study’s objective was to identify the predictive effect of indicators concerning social vulnerability, chronic adversity, and maternal depression on behavioral problems among school-aged children, according to the perceptions of mothers and teachers, considering the presence or absence of difficulties in the contexts of family and school. A total of 85 pairs of mothers and school children were distributed into three groups according to the behavioral problems identified. A General Questionnaire, the PHQ-9, the Chronic Adversity Scale, and the (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire) SDQ were applied to the mothers; the Raven’s Colored Progressive Matrices were applied to the children; and the SDQ was applied to the teachers. Data were analyzed with descriptive, predictive, and comparative statistical procedures ( p  ≤ 0.05). The results reveal the presence of cumulative risks for children with behavioral problems; mothers more frequently identified behavioral problems than teachers; and maternal depression was a predictor for behavioral problems. Such findings are relevant for devising mental health programs.

The behavior of school-aged children is an important indicator of adaptation in this stage of development; however, not all children are successful and may present externalizing or internalizing behavioral problems, expressed within the family and/or school contexts (Achenbach, Ivanova, Rescorla, Turner, & Althoff, 2016 ; Linhares & Martins, 2015 ; Marturano, 2013 ).

Families present structural and internal dynamics that may contribute to either risk or protective outcomes in terms of child development (Macana & Comim, 2015 ; Walsh, 2016 ) so that adaptive difficulties associated with behavioral problems are frequent among children (Pizato, Marturano, & Fontaine, 2014 ). Considering the relevance of the influence exerted by the family context on school children, various studies have addressed the association of cumulative adversity present in the family context and the outcomes of behavioral problems among children (Duncombe, Havighurst, Holland, & Frankling, 2012 ; Leis, Heron, Stuart, & Mendelson, 2014 ; Pizeta, Silva, Cartafina, & Loureiro, 2013 ).

When analyzing the potential risk factors for the development of psychopathologies in 252 children and adolescents who are victims of domestic violence, Hildebrand, Celeri, Morcillo, and Zanolli ( 2015 ) verified that 92.8% of the participants were exposed to at least one risk factor. The authors also noticed that the association of two or more risk factors were present in 53.2% of the sample, namely family conflicts, mental health problems within the family, gender violence between parents, family involvement with drug trafficking and criminal behavior, and the abusive consumption of alcohol by parents or legal guardians, among others.

Therefore, among the events listed as conditions that predispose children to behavioral problems, we highlight indicators of chronic adversity and mental health conditions affecting the parents, especially maternal depression, as risk conditions acknowledged to have a negative impact on children. Additionally, the presence of variables related to social vulnerability is also identified based on conditions or events of life that may interfere in the course of developmental outcomes for children, contributing to the maladaptation of children in typical developmental tasks when experiencing risk conditions.

Considering social vulnerability in the population in general, low socioeconomic status and unemployment among mothers were identified as predictors of behavioral problems among children in situations of poverty, according to a study conducted by Bele, Bodhare, Valsangkar, and Saraf ( 2013 ) of children in India. In the Brazilian context, Correia, Saur, and Loureiro ( 2014 ) conducted a cohort study and identified an association of behavioral problems with low socioeconomic status for boys and low maternal education and larger families for girls. In the same direction, Pizato et al. ( 2014 ) verified association between improved socioeconomic conditions with fewer behavioral problems and more social skills in school-aged children; Saur and Loureiro ( 2015 ) identified associations between behavioral problems among 10-year-old children with low maternal educational level and low socioeconomic status and families with more than four members. It is also considered that the family socioeconomic condition can influence the cognitive performance of children, being this condition strongly related to other environmental aspects such as maternal depression (Piccolo et al., 2012 ).

In regard to the parents’ mental health, maternal depression, especially given its high prevalence and recurrence (World Health Organization [WHO], 2017a , 2017b ), stands out as a form of adversity in different periods of child development, impacting the behavior of school-aged children (Bagner, Pettit, Lewinsohn, & Seeley, 2010 ; Callender, Olson, Choe, & Sameroff, 2012 ; Edwards & Hans, 2015 ; Loosli, Pizeta, & Loureiro, 2016 ). Such a psychopathology, however, is associated with other adverse contextual conditions, favoring cumulative risk in the family context (Kessler, 2012 ). Note that the condition of cumulative risk has been acknowledged in the literature as having a greater impact for outcomes among children compared to the presence of a single risk (Evans, Li, & Whipple, 2013 ). Thus, this justifies the relevance of studying potential associations between maternal depression and behavioral problems, including other variables in the family environment, as proposed in this paper.

Indicators of social vulnerability and clinical characteristics of maternal depression have been identified as relevant factors to understanding risk conditions for child development. Barker, Copeland, Maughan, Jaffee, and Uher ( 2012 ) monitored children from their first year of life up to the age of 7 and verified that, in comparison to children of mothers without depression, children of mothers with depression were more frequently exposed to 10 out of the 11 risk factors assessed in the study, among which, low socioeconomic status, single parent, physical abuse, low maternal education, and drug and alcohol consumption. The frequency of exposure was at a significant level. Indicators concerning the severity of depression and anxiety were examined by Leis et al. ( 2014 ), in a sample of 2891 mother-child pairs, taking into account the perspectives of mothers and teachers. The authors found an association between severe depressive symptoms during pregnancy and more frequent behavioral problems at the age of 10 and 11 years old, according to the reports of teachers. Conners-Burrow et al. ( 2016 ), who took into account the assessment of mothers, determined that early contact with maternal mild depressive symptoms increased the risk of children presenting internalizing and externalizing behavioral problems during school-age years.

Still considering chronic risk and adversity and their influence on child behavior, we highlight the study by Wang, Christ, Mills-Koonce, Garrett-Peters, and Cox ( 2013 ), who found associations between externalizing problems among 4- to 12-year-old children and the use of more rigid control and low maternal educational levels. The study by Bouvette-Turcot et al. ( 2017 ) reports that exposure to more adversity and low family income during childhood was associated with the development of depressive symptoms in adulthood.

When addressing behavioral problems, one issue that arises refers to the source of assessments, considering that children and adolescents may present problems in a specific context but not in another, for instance, family versus school, indicating a need to obtain assessments from multiple informants, especially from parents or legal guardians and teachers (Martoni, Trevisan, Dias, & Seabra, 2016 ; Miller, Martinez, Shumka, & Baker, 2014 ). In this direction, some studies draw attention to the low to moderate level of agreement obtained between informants and to the relevance of such information to implementing clinical practices intended to address specific contexts in which children present problems (De Los Reyes et al., 2015 ; Martel, Markon, & Smith, 2017 ). Despite disagreement among the various informants, different observers provide different perspectives of the same problem (Miller et al., 2014 ). Each observer, though, can provide potentially valuable data in regard to the same patient (De Los Reyes, Thomas, Goodman, & Kundey, 2013 ; Clark, Durbin, Hicks, Iacono, & McGue, 2017 ), taking into consideration different contexts.

With school-aged children in mind, mothers and teachers have a privileged opportunity to observe the behavior of children, since the family and school are the primary contexts of development where competence in specific tasks inherent to this period is acquired (Achenbach et al., 2008 ), as previously mentioned. Some studies addressing the behavior of children according to the assessments of parents and teachers highlight the discrepancy between such assessments. Johnson, Hollis, Marlow, Simms, and Wolke ( 2014 ) used the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) to assess 219 children aged 11 years old who were born prematurely. The authors verified that the parents considered their children to present more emotional, attention, and relationship problems compared to the assessments provided by teachers. The informants agreed only in regard to the assessment of problems related to hyperactivity, which indicates the importance of using combined assessments. Kovess et al. ( 2015 ) conducted a study with 9084 children between 6 and 9 years of age, from seven countries (Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, Romania, Bulgaria, Lithuania, and Turkey), in which both teachers and parents were informants. The objective was to identify risks to the mental health of students. They verified that the teachers found the children to present more externalizing problems and fewer internalizing problems when compared to the parents’ assessments.

Even though assessments provided by multiple informants are considered relevant, the literature still lacks data. This study seeks to fill this gap and is intended to produce new data concerning the behavior of school children assessed by mothers and teachers, considering conditions in which children live with maternal depression and other adversities. Therefore, this study is intended to fill the gaps pointed out by De Los Reyes et al. ( 2015 ) concerning the need for further research using the assessments of multiple informants and addressing the specifics of contexts in which behavioral problems manifest, as a way to improve understanding regarding such problems, focusing on maternal depression. According to Goodman et al. ( 2011 ), there is a need for studies focusing on the multiple adversities presented in the family environment, taking into account the influence of maternal mental health when assessing the behavior of children, as indicated by Leis et al. ( 2014 ).

Therefore, the objective was to identify the behavioral profile of school children and associations between the evaluation of mothers and teachers, identifying the level of agreement among the informants. In addition, we aimed to evaluate the predictive effect of indicators concerning social vulnerability, chronic adversity, and maternal depression on behavioral problems presented by school children, according to the perspectives of mothers and teachers, considering the presence or absence of difficulties in both family and school contexts. The hypothesis guiding this study was that social vulnerability, chronic adversity, and maternal depression predict more frequent behavioral problems among school children in both developmental contexts, family and school, assessed by mothers and teachers, respectively.

A cross-sectional, correlational, predictive, comparative design was adopted using data obtained with different techniques from different sources, namely mothers, teachers, and children. The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board (no. 36415514.5.0000.5407) and complied with the ethical recommendations proposed by the Declaration of Helsinki.

Participants

A total of 85 mother-child pairs and 16 teachers from a public school located in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, took part in this study. The participants were assigned to three groups, according to the children’s indicators of behavioral problems assessed by their mothers and teachers, namely G1 = 18 children with behavioral problems according to their mothers and teachers, G2 = 39 children with behavioral problems according to their mothers or teachers, and G3 = 28 children without behavioral problems according to their mothers and teachers.

According to the inclusion criteria, mothers were aged between 25 and 45 years old, 34.5 years old on average (SD = 5.51), and all were literate. The children were aged between 7 and 10 years old, 8.8 years old on average (SD = 1.06) and were homogeneously distributed into three groups. In regard to the children’s sex, 39 were girls and 46 were boys, making a balanced distribution according to sex impossible: G1 presented significantly more boys than girls when compared to the G2 and G3 ( p  = 0.05; p  = 0.02, respectively). In order to assess the weight of this variable for the presence or absence of behavioral problems among children, as assessed by both their mothers and their teachers, an ordinal regression analysis was performed considering the sex of the children, which revealed a model that did not present the minimum criteria regarding slope homogeneity [chi-square (1) = 5.285; p  = 0.022; D (1) = 5.524; p  = 0.019], that is, it is not a model that fits data under analysis.

The inclusion criteria are that the children live with their biological mothers, rather than adoptive mothers, and have attended at least 1 year of primary school. Institutionalized children or those with apparent physical or mental disabilities were excluded. The assessment of children was initiated after consent was obtained from their mothers, and only one child per family was included in the study. In regard to the teachers, only those who had had at least 3 months of contact with the children and taught the children whose mothers explicitly consented to the assessment of their children at school were included. In accordance with the principles of good research practices, the participation of mothers and teachers was voluntary, without incentive payment mechanisms that stimulated the involvement with the research. A lecture was offered to the school on the behavior and learning of school children.

Instruments

Raven’s colored progressive matrices (raven).

The Raven is an instrument standardized by Angelini, Alves, Custódio, Duarte, and Duarte ( 1999 ), to assess the intellectual level of Brazilian children between 5 and 11 years old. It is a psychological test of non-verbal intelligence; the objective of which is to assess one’s analogical reasoning as a general factor, composed of three series: A, AB, and B, each with 12 problems. It presents good psychometric qualities, inferred by construct validity, internal consistency, with item-total correlation between 0.30 and 0.80 for most items, as well as precision, inter-item coefficient of correlation for the total sample equal to 0.92 (Angelini et al., 1999 ). Children presenting potential cognitive deficits, who presented percentiles lower than 25, were excluded from the study (Muniz, Gomes, & Pasian, 2016 ), balancing groups according to the percentiles obtained by the children.

Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9)

The PHQ-9 is a module directly based on the diagnostic criteria for major depression disorder from the DSM-IV, proposed and validated by Spitzer, Kroenke, and Williams ( 1999 ) and by Kroenke, Spitzer, and Williams ( 2001 ). The questionnaire enables both screening for signs and symptoms of current major depression, as well as classifying levels of severity, from mild to moderate or severe; the greater the score, the more indicators of problems the individual presents. It is composed of nine items assessed by an ordinal scale that measures the frequency of signs and symptoms of depression in the last 2 weeks. According to the instrument’s technical instructions, the total score was used so that scores greater than or equal to 10 indicate the presence of depressive symptoms, while scores lower than 10 indicate an absence of such symptoms. The Brazilian version used in this study was translated by Pfizer (Copyright  © 2005 Pfizer Inc., New York, NY), the reliability of which was verified by Osório, Mendes, Crippa, and Loureiro ( 2009 ), presenting satisfactory psychometric indicators.

Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ)

The SDQ was developed by Goodman ( 1997 ) and is intended to assess the behavior of children and adolescents, aged between 4 and 16 years old, by screening their behavioral strengths and difficulties. There is a version for children and adolescents between 11 and 16 years of age, a version for parents, and another for teachers. The SDQ is composed of 25 items subdivided into five subscales: emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity, peer relationship problems, and pro-social behavior, with five items each. It provides raw scores and cutoff points for each of the subscales, as well as a total score for difficulty that is obtained by totaling the four behavioral problem scales. Scores are classified as normal, borderline, and abnormal. It was translated to Portuguese and adapted for Brazilian sociocultural characteristics by Fleitlich, Cortázar, and Goodman ( 2000 ), while psychometric data, concerning validity and reliability, were described by Woerner et al. ( 2004 ), presenting good indicators. In this study, based on individual scores and cutoff points established for the Brazilian population, we considered the outcome variable for children classified as normal or borderline, according to the SDQ, to be “without difficulties,” while those who were classified as abnormal to be “with difficulties.” These outcomes were grouped with the assessments performed by the mothers and teachers, according to the distribution in the groups.

Chronic Adversity Scale (CAS)

The CAS was proposed by Marturano ( 1999 ) and is intended to identify recurrent adverse events that may have taken place in a child’s life and happened repeated times or lasted 1 year or longer. It is composed of 18 items addressing issues concerning chronic adversity regarding the child’s or the parents’ health, parents’ temperament, and potential family or marital conflicts. The scale is completed by the mothers based on a list of adverse conditions that may have developed in the lives of children since birth, specifying the duration in years and the child’s period of life at the time. Each item is scored either 0 (absence of recurrence or chronic nature of the event in the child’s life) or 1 (the event was recurrent or has a chronic nature); the sum of all 18 items results in the total score, which is used to identify the existence of chronic events.

General Questionnaire

This questionnaire addresses sociodemographic data and specific information concerning the mothers’ age, marital status, and educational level; the families’ monthly income and socioeconomic status; and the age, sex, and education of the children included in the study. The items from the Brazil Economic Classification Criteria, developed by the Brazilian Association of Survey Companies ( 2015 ), were used to assess socioeconomic conditions. Such information was used to characterize the participants and groups, as well as to identify social vulnerability indicators, including low maternal and paternal education, single-parent families, low socioeconomic status, and low family income, as well as being recipients of governmental financial support.

Data collection procedures

Preferably, data were collected at school in a private room, or in the families’ homes when requested by the mothers, in which case we sought to preserve the respondents’ privacy and convenience. All interviews were held by the first researcher, who is a psychologist and properly trained in the application of instruments.

Initially, 427 families received an invitation letter, which was delivered to the children in their classrooms. The 260 families who responded to the invitation were contacted by phone with the objective to provide clarification about the study’s objectives and schedule an assessment. A total of 154 families accepted the invitation to cooperate with the study, but nine of these were excluded because the grandmothers were the primary caregivers of these families’ children. Of the 145 mothers scheduled for assessment, 43 did not attend the interviews, resulting in 102 families. Seventeen of these did not meet the inclusion criteria: adolescent mothers or mothers older than 45 years of age, children exclusively living with their fathers, and children with characteristics that were not homogeneous with those presented by the groups. Thus, a total of 85 mother-child pairs were included and assessed.

Of the 427 families initially invited to participate in this research, 316 refused to collaborate with the survey and 26 were excluded because they did not meet the inclusion criteria.

The instruments were individually and in-person applied to mothers in a single section according to the following order: General Questionnaire, PHQ-9, CAS, and SDQ, with an average duration of 60 min. The researcher read the instruments and checked the responses while the mothers had a copy of the instruments to accompany the reading. This procedure was adopted to deal with potential difficulties or fatigue that the reading could produce in the mothers, given their level of education or potential depressive symptoms, though the mothers presented a minimum level of literacy that enabled them to understand the questions posed by the instruments.

The children were assessed at school in individual sessions that lasted an average of 15 min. After briefly establishing rapport, the Raven’s Colored Progressive Matrices was applied. The three groups were compared according to the percentiles children obtained in order to balance the groups in regard to this variable. Note that there were no significant statistical differences between them in regard to the children’s cognitive performances (G1: \( \overline{x} \)  = 75.1; σ  = 19.12; G2: \( \overline{x} \)  = 76.0; σ  = 13.44; G3: \( \overline{x} \)  = 66.9; σ  = 14.97).

The 16 teachers collectively completed the SDQ, focusing on the behavior of 85 children who had been previously assessed by their mothers, at the regular time scheduled for a meeting concerning collective teaching work. Each teacher was supposed to assess up to five students per meeting, with an average duration of 50 min and approximately 10 min per child. The teachers filled in the questionnaire, and the researcher remained in the room during the assessment to clarify potential doubts.

Data treatment and analysis

The PHQ-9, Raven, SDQ, and CAS were coded according to the purpose of each instrument. The assessments concerning the behaviors of children performed by the mothers and teachers using the SDQ were used as distinct sources in paired samples, in order to assign the participants to one of the three groups.

Coded data were typed in an Excel® spreadsheet and checked by independent reviewers. The statistical analyses were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics (v. 23; IBM SPSS, Chicago, IL), and a significance level of 0.05 was adopted.

The reliability of the PHQ-9 was verified for this sample using Cronbach’s alpha, which presented good psychometric quality ( α  = 0.87). The reliability of the SDQ ( n  = 85) for the totality of items regarding difficulties was based on the mothers’ ( α  = 0.77) and teachers’ answers ( α  = 0.89), as well as items of the pro-social behavior scale answered by mothers ( α  = 0.71) and teachers.

Normality tests (Kolmogorov-Smirnov, with Lilliefors significance correlation, and Shapiro-Wilk) were performed to guide decision-making regarding the statistical tests used for each set of variables.

The behavioral profile of children, obtained through the assessments of mothers and teachers and represented by the raw scores obtained on the scales addressing problems and pro-social resources and the total scale of difficulties in the SDQ, was analyzed using descriptive and comparative statistics by means of the Wilcoxon test. Indicators of the presence and absence of behavioral problems among children, assessed by the mothers and teachers using the SDQ, were compared using the McNemar test. Inter-observer agreement was also verified using the Kappa coefficient, while the criterion proposed by Landis and Koch ( 1977 ) was adopted.

The sociodemographic data and profiles of social vulnerability and chronic adversity were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while the groups were compared using chi-square and Kruskal-Wallis tests. After the univariate analysis, the predictive effect of cumulative adverse conditions on school children’s behavioral problems was assessed using ordinal regression analysis (Maroco, 2014 ), adopting criteria proposed by Field ( 2013 ) for the inclusion of predictive variables.

The weight of contextual adverse cumulative variables for the children’s behavioral problems was tested using ordinal regression analysis based on the significant variables identified in the comparison between groups. The predictive variables were included in the model (family income, mother’s education, and maternal depression were included as factors, and the score of chronic adversity was included as a covariant), independently tested, and combined with the sex of children, because the distribution of children in the groups according to sex was not homogeneous. Additionally, the contextual variables of cumulative risk were jointly tested in a multivariate model.

The analysis of the social vulnerability indicators (income and maternal education) and maternal depression, in one analysis disregarding the sex of children and then one considering the sex of children, showed that the models did not fit the data. The analysis of the models that included chronic adversity, as a single variable or associated with the sex of children, revealed statistically significant models, with very small effect sizes, in which independent variables did not predict the behavioral outcome among children, thus did not present relevant results. Afterwards, the multivariate model including maternal depression, social vulnerability indicators, and chronic adversity was tested and presented goodness of fit and is the model presented here.

Based on the objectives proposed, the results are presented taking into account the analyses concerning the children’s behavioral profiles according to the assessments of mothers and teachers as distinct sources, comparisons between G1, G2, and G3 regarding profile of social vulnerability, maternal depression, and chronic adversity, as well as the predictive effect of significant variables on the children’s behavioral problems assessed by mothers and professors, as combined sources of information.

The children’s behavioral profiles

Table  1 presents the behavioral profiles of the children assessed, according to the SDQ, by mothers and teachers as two different sources, adopting the presence or absence of behavioral problems verified by the SDQ and total difficulties as the outcome of the development of school children.

Significant statistical differences were found when comparing mothers and teachers in regard to the four specific scales of difficulties and total difficulties. Note that the mothers considered their children to present more emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity, peer relationship problems, and total difficulties than the teachers. In regard to pro-social behavior, no statistically significant differences were found in regard to the comparisons between mothers and teachers.

In regard to the level of agreement obtained between assessments (mothers and teachers), note that reasonable agreement levels were found for conduct problems (kappa = 0.29 p  = 0.003) and total behavioral problems (kappa = 0.21; p  = 0.007), in addition to minimum indexes for hyperactivity (kappa = 0.19; p  = 0.035).

Similarly, the same differences were found for continuous scores. The means of the mothers were greater than those presented by the teachers for the total difficulties score (mothers: \( \overline{x} \)  = 17.5; σ  = 6.98; teachers: \( \overline{x} \)  = 9.33; σ  = 7.28; p  <  0.001) and for the four scales concerning symptoms: emotional symptoms (mothers: \( \overline{x} \)  = 3.19; σ  = 2.52; teachers: \( \overline{x} \)  = 2.26; σ  = 1.89; p  <  0.001), conduct problems (mothers: \( \overline{x} \)  = 3.32; σ  = 2.56; teachers: \( \overline{x} \)  = 1.59; σ  = 2.23; p  < 0.001), hyperactivity (mothers: \( \overline{x} \)  = 6.79; σ  = 2.76; teachers: \( \overline{x} \)  = 4.04; σ  = 3.23; p  < 0.001), and peer relationships (mothers: \( \overline{x} \)  = 2.20; σ  = 2.20; teachers: \( \overline{x} \)  = 1.42; σ  = 1.90; p  < 0.001).

The profiles of families in terms of vulnerability and risk variables

Table  2 presents comparisons concerning social vulnerability, maternal depression, and chronic adversities presented in the family context of children according to their distribution in the three groups.

Statistically significant differences were found between G1, G2, and G3 in regard to maternal education, family income, maternal depression, and chronic adversity. The comparison concerning maternal education revealed significant differences between G1 and G3 ( χ 2  = 5.660, p  = 0.017) and between G2 and G3 ( χ 2  = 12.075, p  < 0.001). Significant differences were also found in terms of family income between G1 and G2 ( χ 2  = 4.349, p  < 0.037) and between G1 and G3 ( χ 2  = 5.841, p  = 0.016). No differences were found between groups in terms of paternal education, marital status, socioeconomic status, or receiving governmental financial aid. Considering the variable maternal depression, however, statistically significant differences were found between G1 and G2 ( χ 2  = 13.876, p  < 0.000) and between G1 and G3 ( χ 2  = 22.489, p  < 0.001). G1 was the group in which mothers more frequently presented current symptoms of depression in comparison to the other two groups, while no differences were found between G2 and G3.

Comparisons concerning chronic adversities revealed significant differences between G2 and G3 ( F  = 363.000, p  = 0.016), but no differences were found between G1 and G2 or between G1 and G3.

The predictive effect of adverse cumulative variables on child behavior

Table  3 presents the weight of adverse cumulative contextual variables on child behavior, including data concerning coefficients and significance of the adjusted ordinal model.

Data suggest that the adjusted model is significantly better than the null model [ G 2 (4) = 24,792, p  < 0.001). Additionally, the multivariate model was statistically significant [chi-square (58) = 50,367, p  = 0.752; D (58) = 57,402, p  = 0.497] and showed moderate effect size (R 2 MF = 0.253; R 2 N = 0.288; R 2 CS = 0.139). According to the model, children are more likely to present behavioral problems when their mothers present indicators of depression, according to the assessments of both mothers and teachers ( b  = 1.955, p  = 0.001).

This study was intended to verify associations between indicators of social vulnerability, chronic adversity, and maternal depression, and the weight of such associations, with behavioral problems among school children, as assessed by their mothers and teachers. In this study, mothers and teachers were considered distinct sources of information, and the information they provided on the children’s behaviors was combined considering the presence or absence of difficulties manifested in the two developmental contexts of family and school. The hypothesis guiding this study that social vulnerabilities, chronic adversity, and maternal depression impact behavioral problems among school children was partially confirmed, as data analysis revealed peculiarities regarding such variables, which deserve to be highlighted.

The assessments of the children’s behavior from the perspectives of mothers and teachers in general showed that mothers identified more behavioral problems in children than did the teachers. This finding is in agreement with those reported in the studies conducted by De Los Reyes et al. ( 2015 ) and Martel et al. ( 2017 ), which indicate low to moderate agreement among informants. In this same direction, Clark et al. ( 2017 ) consider that agreement between assessments of parents, teachers, and children is rarely high, however, emphasizing that varied information enriches the understanding of the associations between academic conditions, personality, psychosocial functioning, behavioral aspects, mental health, and social adjustment of school children. According to the mothers’ assessments, a larger number of children experienced difficulties concerning emotional symptoms, while the teachers identified a larger number of children with externalizing problems expressed through conduct problems and hyperactivity. Such results are similar to those reported by Kovess et al. ( 2015 ), who note that externalizing problems are more visible to teachers than internalizing problems.

Analysis of this discrepancy between assessments should take into account that the interaction of mothers and teachers with children occurs in contexts that exhibit different demands, in addition to the fact that observers are guided by different criteria. In the family context, mothers have a more detailed picture of their children’s behavior due to the large range of daily situations, which are not always structured (Leis et al., 2014 ). In the case of the mothers, the parameter is one specific child. In the classroom, in contrast, teachers have more structured situations to assess children and the teachers’ references include comparing the behavior of a set of children with similar demographic parameters. In this sense, when the assessments of mothers and teachers were combined, we accessed a larger set of information concerning the behavior of children, focusing on aspects of contextual comparisons and individual and collective parameters, as proposed by Miller et al. ( 2014 ) and De Los Reyes et al. ( 2015 ).

The literature has recognized the relevance of assessments performed by teachers; however, few studies address behavioral difficulties of children using multiple informants and combined data as a strategy to identify the presence of problems in more than one context of life. The predominance of the mother as the only informant may compromise the results of assessments, especially when a mother presents a psychopathological disorder (Leis et al., 2014 ), such as depression. Such a disorder may influence the individual’s perception of child behavior, and avoiding this influence justifies the use of distinct and combined sources of information. Therefore, we note that one of the contributions of this study, in addition to including multiple informants, is the combined analysis of children’s behavioral outcomes, which enabled verifying problems in two contexts, family and school, to estimate how many children face these sorts of difficulties, information that is relevant for practices in the mental health field.

Another aspect to be analyzed involves social vulnerability, which was assessed considering different social and economic factors, among which are low maternal educational level and income. These are relevant social determinants associated with the presence of behavioral problems among children, according to the assessments by mothers and/or children, indicating aspects to be considered when planning preventive practices. Note that these findings are consistent with those reported by Correia et al. ( 2014 ), who identified association between child behavioral problems and low socioeconomic status and low maternal educational level, indicating a potential profile of cumulative vulnerability favoring behavioral problems among children. Families with low socioeconomic status generally have high rates of divorce, unemployment, and a larger number of members, while parents with a high socioeconomic level have a higher educational level and invest more in their children’s education (Carneiro, Meghir, & Parey, 2013 ; Piccolo et al., 2012 ).

The associations between mental health conditions and vulnerability indicators have been widely recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO, 2017a , 2017b ), which highlights low schooling, lower income, worse material and economic conditions, and less social support, as possible determinants that negatively influence health mental health of adults and children, favoring the accumulation of vulnerability and risk conditions. This developmental scenario focuses on the relevance of the present study, which encompasses diverse and competing contextual variables that influence children’s developmental outcomes in the perception of different informants.

The presence of current depressive symptoms among the mothers was associated with behavioral problems among the children, as indicated by the mothers and/or teachers, characterizing problems in two contexts, family and school. Such an association was also verified by Leis et al. ( 2014 ) and Conners-Burrow et al. ( 2016 ), who noted an increase in behavioral problems among children who had early experience with maternal depression. In this sense, when we considered the behavior of children from the perspectives of mothers and teachers together, we verified that, regardless of the informant, children living with maternal depression more frequently experienced behavioral problems, including in the school context, characterizing the need for specific mental health practices directed to this group, which was identified as the most vulnerable.

The presence of chronic adversities was also verified to identify variables with a potential negative impact on school-aged children. This study reveals that children facing behavioral difficulties, according to the combined assessments of mothers and teachers, lived in family environments that presented more chronic adversities, indicating cumulative and recurrent adversity in these children’s contexts of life. These findings corroborate the study conducted by Hildebrand et al. ( 2015 ), who identified an association of two or more risk factors for more than half of the sample under study.

The identification of differences among groups, especially for children facing problems in the family and school contexts (G1) in regard to social vulnerability, current maternal depression, and chronic adversity, characterizes a group that requires greater attention, as it is exposed to multiple risks. This information highlights the relevance of investigating the presence of cumulative risk in the family context to understand developmental outcomes among children (Evans et al., 2013 ; Goodman et al., 2011 ).

In regard to the identification of the predictive effect of cumulative risk variables and vulnerability, as potential predictors of behavioral problems among children, only maternal depression appears as an explanatory variable for the presence of behavioral problems among children in the context of multiple adverse conditions. These findings are in agreement with Bagner et al. ( 2010 ), who stress that living with maternal depression increases a child’s likelihood of presenting externalizing and internalizing behavioral problems up to the age of 12 years old. Therefore, maternal depression was the only adverse condition with the power to predict the behavioral problem outcome, confirming the relevance of considering such a variable when addressing child behavior, especially considering the high prevalence of depression among women of childbearing age (World Health Organization [WHO], 2017a , 2017b ).

As the positive aspects of this study, we highlight the presence of multiple informants, the methodological care adopted in the systematic assessment of the participants, and the use of validated instruments, in addition to the inclusion of diverse variables to identify, in the same sample, vulnerability indicators that potentially impact the behavior of school children. It is highlighted as the main strength of the study the inclusion of children in the groups considering the presence or absence of behavioral problems in the two main development contexts for the school period, namely, family and school, thus highlighting relevant variables associated with vulnerability and to developmental resources in both contexts, which may favor preventive care and target groups with potential risks.

This study’s limitations include the sample size, lack of a homogeneous distribution between groups in regard to the sex of children, and the identification of depressive symptoms using a screening instrument, which limit the generalization of results. Further studies adopting longitudinal designs, considering the influence of contextual risks over the course of a child’s development, including other sources of information, in addition to the reports of mothers, are needed, as well as observational measures. The relevance of inclusion in new studies of parents’/stepfathers’ evaluations, as well as studies that address the characteristics of the various family configurations in which children are inserted as conditions that can influence the behavior of the school-aged children, is also highlighted. Another relevant point to be considered in new studies is the inclusion of variables that may function as protective factors, which in a cumulative way to vulnerability and risk conditions may favor a more complete and complex analysis of the mechanisms that favor or hinder children’s behavioral problems.

Conclusions

In this study, low maternal educational level, low family income, the presence of more chronic adversity, and living with current maternal depression are factors associated with the outcome of behavioral problems among children in both family and school contexts, showing the importance of including such factors in assessment protocols intended to address the mental health of school-aged children. Note, however, that among these indicators, current maternal depression emerged as the most relevant variable in comparison to the remaining adversities analyzed here. Therefore, this condition requires specific care when implementing mental health actions.

Finally, these results can contribute to and have implications for the planning of mental health programs, confirming the relevance of identifying maternal depressive symptoms and multiple adversities, including social vulnerability indicators as conditions or events that demand attention.

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Martineli, A.K.B., Pizeta, F.A. & Loureiro, S.R. Behavioral problems of school children: impact of social vulnerability, chronic adversity, and maternal depression. Psicol. Refl. Crít. 31 , 11 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41155-018-0089-9

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Received : 20 July 2017

Accepted : 02 March 2018

Published : 04 June 2018

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1186/s41155-018-0089-9

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• School children
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• Maternal depression
• Social vulnerability

383 Exciting Education Research Topics

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

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

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

🏫 Ideas of a Quantitative Research Title about School Problems

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

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

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

️#️⃣ 30 Quantitative Research Topics in Education

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

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

📋 30 Qualitative Research Topics in Education

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

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

🎒 Research Titles about School Issues in 2024

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

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

🦼 53 Research Topics on Special Education

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

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

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

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

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

👶 53 Research Topics for Early Childhood Education

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

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

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

Here are some more exciting topics about early childhood education:

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

🧠 53 Educational Psychology Research Topics

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

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

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

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

🧸 53 Child Development Topics to Explore

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

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

Here are more exciting topics on child development:

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

👩🏻‍💼 53 Educational Management Research Topics

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

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

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

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

📑 15 Dissertation Topics in Education

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

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

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

❓ Education Research Topics FAQ

What are some good research topics in education.

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

What is an example of educational research?

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

What topics should be addressed in sex education?

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

What is action research in education?

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

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The 10 Education Issues Everybody Should Be Talking About

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What issues have the potential to define—or re define—education in the year ahead? Is there a next “big thing” that could shift the K-12 experience or conversation?

These were the questions Education Week set out to answer in this second annual “10 Big Ideas in Education” report.

You can read about last year’s ideas here . In 2019, though, things are different.

This year, we asked Education Week reporters to read the tea leaves and analyze what was happening in classrooms, school districts, and legislatures across the country. What insights could reporters offer practitioners for the year ahead?

Some of the ideas here are speculative. Some are warning shots, others more optimistic. But all 10 of them here have one thing in common: They share a sense of urgency.

Accompanied by compelling illustrations and outside perspectives from leading researchers, advocates, and practitioners, this year’s Big Ideas might make you uncomfortable, or seem improbable. The goal was to provoke and empower you as you consider them.

Let us know what you think, and what big ideas matter to your classroom, school, or district. Tweet your comments with #K12BigIdeas .

No. 1: Kids are right. School is boring.

Out-of-school learning is often more meaningful than anything that happens in a classroom, writes Kevin Bushweller, the Executive Editor of EdWeek Market Brief. His essay tackling the relevance gap is accompanied by a Q&A with advice on nurturing, rather than stifling students’ natural curiosity. Read more.

No. 2: Teachers have trust issues. And it’s no wonder why.

Many teachers may have lost faith in the system, says Andrew Ujifusa, but they haven’t lost hope. The Assistant Editor unpacks this year’s outbreak of teacher activism. And read an account from a disaffected educator on how he built a coalition of his own. Read more.

No. 3: Special education is broken.

Forty years since students with disabilities were legally guaranteed a public school education, many still don’t receive the education they deserve, writes Associate Editor Christina A. Samuels. Delve into her argument and hear from a disability civil rights pioneer on how to create an equitable path for students. Read more.

No. 4: Schools are embracing bilingualism, but only for some students.

Staff Writer Corey Mitchell explains the inclusion problem at the heart of bilingual education. His essay includes a perspective from a researcher on dismantling elite bilingualism. Read more.

No. 5: A world without annual testing may be closer than you think.

There’s agreement that we have a dysfunctional standardized-testing system in the United States, Associate Editor Stephen Sawchuk writes. But killing it would come with some serious tradeoffs. Sawchuk’s musing on the alternatives to annual tests is accompanied by an argument for more rigorous classroom assignments by a teacher-practice expert. Read more.

No. 6: There are lessons to be learned from the educational experiences of black students in military families.

Drawing on his personal experience growing up in an Air Force family, Staff Writer Daarel Burnette II highlights emerging research on military-connected students. Learn more about his findings and hear from two researchers on what a new ESSA mandate means for these students. Read more.

No. 7: School segregation is not an intractable American problem.

Racial and economic segregation remains deeply entrenched in American schools. Staff Writer Denisa R. Superville considers the six steps one district is taking to change that. Her analysis is accompanied by an essay from the president of the American Educational Research Association on what is perpetuating education inequality. Read more.

No. 8: Consent doesn’t just belong in sex ed. class. It needs to start a lot earlier.

Assistant Editor Sarah D. Sparks looked at the research on teaching consent and found schools and families do way too little, way too late. Her report is partnered with a researcher’s practical guide to developmentally appropriate consent education. Read more.

No. 9: Education has an innovation problem.

Are education leaders spending too much time chasing the latest tech trends to maintain what they have? Staff Writer Benjamin Herold explores the innovation trap. Two technologists offer three tips for putting maintenance front and center in school management. Read more.

No. 10: There are two powerful forces changing college admissions.

Some colleges are rewriting the admissions script for potential students. Senior Contributing Writer Catherine Gewertz surveys this changing college admissions landscape. Her insights are accompanied by one teacher’s advice for navigating underserved students through the college application process. Read more.

Wait, there’s more.

Want to know what educators really think about innovation? A new Education Week Research Center survey delves into what’s behind the common buzzword for teachers, principals, and district leaders. Take a look at the survey results.

A version of this article appeared in the January 09, 2019 edition of Education Week as What’s on the Horizon for 2019?

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25 Thesis Statement Examples

A thesis statement is needed in an essay or dissertation . There are multiple types of thesis statements – but generally we can divide them into expository and argumentative. An expository statement is a statement of fact (common in expository essays and process essays) while an argumentative statement is a statement of opinion (common in argumentative essays and dissertations). Below are examples of each.

Strong Thesis Statement Examples

1. School Uniforms

“Mandatory school uniforms should be implemented in educational institutions as they promote a sense of equality, reduce distractions, and foster a focused and professional learning environment.”

Best For: Argumentative Essay or Debate

Read More: School Uniforms Pros and Cons

2. Nature vs Nurture

“This essay will explore how both genetic inheritance and environmental factors equally contribute to shaping human behavior and personality.”

Best For: Compare and Contrast Essay

Read More: Nature vs Nurture Debate

3. American Dream

“The American Dream, a symbol of opportunity and success, is increasingly elusive in today’s socio-economic landscape, revealing deeper inequalities in society.”

Best For: Persuasive Essay

Read More: What is the American Dream?

4. Social Media

“Social media has revolutionized communication and societal interactions, but it also presents significant challenges related to privacy, mental health, and misinformation.”

Best For: Expository Essay

Read More: The Pros and Cons of Social Media

5. Globalization

“Globalization has created a world more interconnected than ever before, yet it also amplifies economic disparities and cultural homogenization.”

Read More: Globalization Pros and Cons

6. Urbanization

“Urbanization drives economic growth and social development, but it also poses unique challenges in sustainability and quality of life.”

Read More: Learn about Urbanization

7. Immigration

“Immigration enriches receiving countries culturally and economically, outweighing any perceived social or economic burdens.”

Read More: Immigration Pros and Cons

8. Cultural Identity

“In a globalized world, maintaining distinct cultural identities is crucial for preserving cultural diversity and fostering global understanding, despite the challenges of assimilation and homogenization.”

Best For: Argumentative Essay

Read More: Learn about Cultural Identity

9. Technology

“Medical technologies in care institutions in Toronto has increased subjcetive outcomes for patients with chronic pain.”

Best For: Research Paper

10. Capitalism vs Socialism

“The debate between capitalism and socialism centers on balancing economic freedom and inequality, each presenting distinct approaches to resource distribution and social welfare.”

11. Cultural Heritage

“The preservation of cultural heritage is essential, not only for cultural identity but also for educating future generations, outweighing the arguments for modernization and commercialization.”

12. Pseudoscience

“Pseudoscience, characterized by a lack of empirical support, continues to influence public perception and decision-making, often at the expense of scientific credibility.”

Read More: Examples of Pseudoscience

13. Free Will

“The concept of free will is largely an illusion, with human behavior and decisions predominantly determined by biological and environmental factors.”

Read More: Do we have Free Will?

14. Gender Roles

“Traditional gender roles are outdated and harmful, restricting individual freedoms and perpetuating gender inequalities in modern society.”

Read More: What are Traditional Gender Roles?

15. Work-Life Ballance

“The trend to online and distance work in the 2020s led to improved subjective feelings of work-life balance but simultaneously increased self-reported loneliness.”

Read More: Work-Life Balance Examples

16. Universal Healthcare

“Universal healthcare is a fundamental human right and the most effective system for ensuring health equity and societal well-being, outweighing concerns about government involvement and costs.”

Read More: The Pros and Cons of Universal Healthcare

17. Minimum Wage

“The implementation of a fair minimum wage is vital for reducing economic inequality, yet it is often contentious due to its potential impact on businesses and employment rates.”

Read More: The Pros and Cons of Raising the Minimum Wage

18. Homework

“The homework provided throughout this semester has enabled me to achieve greater self-reflection, identify gaps in my knowledge, and reinforce those gaps through spaced repetition.”

Best For: Reflective Essay

Read More: Reasons Homework Should be Banned

19. Charter Schools

“Charter schools offer alternatives to traditional public education, promising innovation and choice but also raising questions about accountability and educational equity.”

Read More: The Pros and Cons of Charter Schools

20. Effects of the Internet

“The Internet has drastically reshaped human communication, access to information, and societal dynamics, generally with a net positive effect on society.”

Read More: The Pros and Cons of the Internet

21. Affirmative Action

“Affirmative action is essential for rectifying historical injustices and achieving true meritocracy in education and employment, contrary to claims of reverse discrimination.”

Best For: Essay

Read More: Affirmative Action Pros and Cons

22. Soft Skills

“Soft skills, such as communication and empathy, are increasingly recognized as essential for success in the modern workforce, and therefore should be a strong focus at school and university level.”

Read More: Soft Skills Examples

23. Moral Panic

“Moral panic, often fueled by media and cultural anxieties, can lead to exaggerated societal responses that sometimes overlook rational analysis and evidence.”

Read More: Moral Panic Examples

24. Freedom of the Press

“Freedom of the press is critical for democracy and informed citizenship, yet it faces challenges from censorship, media bias, and the proliferation of misinformation.”

Read More: Freedom of the Press Examples

25. Mass Media

“Mass media shapes public opinion and cultural norms, but its concentration of ownership and commercial interests raise concerns about bias and the quality of information.”

Best For: Critical Analysis

Read More: Mass Media Examples

Checklist: How to use your Thesis Statement

✅ Position: If your statement is for an argumentative or persuasive essay, or a dissertation, ensure it takes a clear stance on the topic. ✅ Specificity: It addresses a specific aspect of the topic, providing focus for the essay. ✅ Conciseness: Typically, a thesis statement is one to two sentences long. It should be concise, clear, and easily identifiable. ✅ Direction: The thesis statement guides the direction of the essay, providing a roadmap for the argument, narrative, or explanation. ✅ Evidence-based: While the thesis statement itself doesn’t include evidence, it sets up an argument that can be supported with evidence in the body of the essay. ✅ Placement: Generally, the thesis statement is placed at the end of the introduction of an essay.

Try These AI Prompts – Thesis Statement Generator!

One way to brainstorm thesis statements is to get AI to brainstorm some for you! Try this AI prompt:

💡 AI PROMPT FOR EXPOSITORY THESIS STATEMENT I am writing an essay on [TOPIC] and these are the instructions my teacher gave me: [INSTUCTIONS]. I want you to create an expository thesis statement that doesn’t argue a position, but demonstrates depth of knowledge about the topic.

💡 AI PROMPT FOR ARGUMENTATIVE THESIS STATEMENT I am writing an essay on [TOPIC] and these are the instructions my teacher gave me: [INSTRUCTIONS]. I want you to create an argumentative thesis statement that clearly takes a position on this issue.

💡 AI PROMPT FOR COMPARE AND CONTRAST THESIS STATEMENT I am writing a compare and contrast essay that compares [Concept 1] and [Concept2]. Give me 5 potential single-sentence thesis statements that remain objective.

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 5 Top Tips for Succeeding at University
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 50 Durable Goods Examples
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 100 Consumer Goods Examples
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 30 Globalization Pros and Cons

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Home — Essay Samples — Business — Dress Code — Thesis Statement On School Uniforms

Thesis Statement on School Uniforms

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Published: Mar 5, 2024

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How Internet Solutions Brought ER Problems

April 24, 2024

Hanna Ahmed is a Plan II senior at The University of Texas at Austin and has interned for Dell Medical School’s communications office since 2022. For her honors thesis, she researched the effects of misinformation on social media during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through interviews with health care professionals, she learned about the severe burnout that came from misinformation online. 

In a Q&A with the communications office, Ahmed discusses her thesis and how her work at Dell Med impacted her research.

Hannah Ahmed, far right, presents her research poster during UT’s Plan II research presentation and panel day.

What shaped your thesis topic and influenced you to research it?

Social media started to look very different after the COVID-19 pandemic hit. As the real world shut down, and we were sent to social distance in our homes, instead of book reviews, cute cats and vacation photos, I saw more posts about what types of masks I should be wearing. Health officials shared guidelines on social media alongside other outlets. Initially, the world seemed inclined to follow, but as the pandemic progressed, more guidelines were updated, politicians minimized the virus’ severity, and people grew frustrated. “Solutions” with little to no evidence became attractive. How did health miscommunication lead to people taking horse dewormers?

This is what drove my Plan II thesis. As a senior in the Plan II Honors Program at UT, I get the opportunity to take on a research project of my choosing. I wanted to use what I learned about social media reach and content quality as an intern at Dell Med and apply it to the analysis of health misinformation  on social media during the COVID-19 pandemic. I interviewed health care providers who worked in the emergency department or intensive care unit  during the pandemic to see how misinformation online impacted their work burnout.

Looking back on your work, what stood out?

The providers I interviewed expressed how difficult it was to treat patients in the face of all the overwhelming information online. Patients would come in with their own remedies found online, and providers had to help them understand that what they found did not have enough evidence to be considered beneficial.

The increased distrust between patients and their providers made it difficult to give patients the care they needed. Interviewees expressed how disheartening it was to see patients deny solutions that had proven to be beneficial. This, in addition to the increased hours and lack of resources from the pandemic surge, made health care an even more difficult field to be in at the time.

How did your time as a Dell Med intern support your work?

Working as a social media intern at Dell Med while conducting this research taught me about the importance of sharing accurate and comprehensive information. Social media is a great way to spread public health guidance quickly, but from the pandemic, we saw how dangerous it was when information was shared without evidence. It negatively impacted the patient-physician relationship as users trusted online sources more than their own physicians. Moving forward, we should work toward ways we can target what information is being shared so that we are providing accurate resources rather than inaccurate and potentially dangerous ones .

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John McWhorter

I’m a columbia professor. the protests on my campus are not justice..

By John McWhorter

Opinion Writer

Last Thursday, in the music humanities class I teach at Columbia University, two students were giving an in-class presentation on the composer John Cage. His most famous piece is “4'33",” which directs us to listen in silence to surrounding noise for exactly that amount of time.

I had to tell the students we could not listen to that piece that afternoon because the surrounding noise would have been not birds or people walking by in the hallway but infuriated chanting from protesters outside the building. Lately that noise has been almost continuous during the day and into the evening, including lusty chanting of “From the river to the sea.” Two students in my class are Israeli; three others, to my knowledge, are American Jews. I couldn’t see making them sit and listen to this as if it were background music.

I thought about what would have happened if protesters were instead chanting anti-Black slogans or even something like “D.E.I. has got to die,” to the same “Sound Off” tune that “From the river to the sea” has been adapted to. They would have lasted roughly five minutes before masses of students shouted them down and drove them off the campus. Chants like that would have been condemned as a grave rupture of civilized exchange, heralded as threatening resegregation and branded as a form of violence. I’d wager that most of the student protesters against the Gaza war would view them that way. Why do so many people think that weekslong campus protests against not just the war in Gaza but Israel’s very existence are nevertheless permissible?

Although I know many Jewish people will disagree with me, I don’t think that Jew hatred is as much the reason for this sentiment as opposition to Zionism and the war on Gaza. I know some of the protesters, including a couple who were taken to jail last week, and I find it very hard to imagine that they are antisemitic. Yes, there can be a fine line between questioning Israel’s right to exist and questioning Jewish people’s right to exist. And yes, some of the rhetoric amid the protests crosses it.

Conversations I have had with people heatedly opposed to the war in Gaza, signage and writings on social media and elsewhere and anti-Israel and generally hard-leftist comments that I have heard for decades on campuses place these confrontations within a larger battle against power structures — here in the form of what they call colonialism and genocide — and against whiteness. The idea is that Jewish students and faculty should be able to tolerate all of this because they are white.

I understand this to a point. Pro-Palestinian rallies and events, of which there have been many here over the years, are not in and of themselves hostile to Jewish students, faculty and staff members. Disagreement will not always be a juice and cookies affair. However, the relentless assault of this current protest — daily, loud, louder, into the night and using ever-angrier rhetoric — is beyond what any people should be expected to bear up under, regardless of their whiteness, privilege or power.

Social media discussion has been claiming that the protests are peaceful. They are, some of the time . It varies by location and day; generally what goes on within the campus gates is somewhat less strident than what happens just outside them. But relatively constant are the drumbeats. People will differ on how peaceful that sound can ever be, just as they will differ on the nature of antisemitism. What I do know is that even the most peaceful of protests would be treated as outrages if they were interpreted as, say, anti-Black, even if the message were coded, as in a bunch of people quietly holding up MAGA signs or wearing T-shirts saying “All lives matter.”

And besides, calling all this peaceful stretches the use of the word rather implausibly. It’s an odd kind of peace when a local rabbi urges Jewish students to go home as soon as possible, when an Israeli Arab activist is roughed up on Broadway, when the angry chanting becomes so constant that you almost start not to hear it and it starts to feel normal to see posters and clothing portraying members of Hamas as heroes. The other night I watched a dad coming from the protest with his little girl, giving a good hard few final snaps on the drum he was carrying, nodding at her in crisp salute, percussing his perspective into her little mind. This is not peaceful.

I understand that the protesters and their fellow travelers feel that all of this is the proper response, social justice on the march. They have been told that righteousness means placing the battle against whiteness and its power front and center, contesting the abuse of power by any means necessary. And I think the war on Gaza is no longer constructive or even coherent.

However, the issues are complex, in ways that this uncompromising brand of power battling is ill suited to address. Legitimate questions remain about the definition of genocide, about the extent of a nation’s right to defend itself and about the justice of partition (which has not historically been limited to Palestine). There is a reason many consider the Israeli-Palestinian conflict the most morally challenging in the modern world.

When I was at Rutgers in the mid-1980s, the protests were against investment in South Africa’s apartheid regime. There were similarities with the Columbia protests now: A large group of students established an encampment site right in front of the Rutgers student center on College Avenue, where dozens slept every night for several weeks. Among the largely white crowd, participation was a badge of civic commitment. There was chanting, along with the street theater inevitable, and perhaps even necessary, to effective protest; one guy even lay down in the middle of College Avenue to block traffic, taking a page from the Vietnam protests.

I don’t recall South Africans on campus feeling personally targeted, but the bigger difference was that though the protesters sought to make their point at high volume, over a long period and sometimes even rudely, they did not seek to all but shut down campus life.

On Monday night, Columbia announced that classes would be hybrid until the end of the semester, in the interest of student safety. I presume that the protesters will continue throughout the two main days of graduation, besmirching one of the most special days of thousands of graduates’ lives in the name of calling down the “imperialist” war abroad.

Today’s protesters don’t hate Israel’s government any more than yesterday’s hated South Africa’s. But they have pursued their goals with a markedly different tenor — in part because of the single-mindedness of antiracist academic culture and in part because of the influence of iPhones and social media, which inherently encourage a more heightened degree of performance. It is part of the warp and woof of today’s protests that they are being recorded from many angles for the world to see. One speaks up.

But these changes in moral history and technology can hardly be expected to comfort Jewish students in the here and now. What began as intelligent protest has become, in its uncompromising fury and its ceaselessness, a form of abuse.

John McWhorter ( @JohnHMcWhorter ) is an associate professor of linguistics at Columbia University. He is the author of “ Nine Nasty Words : English in the Gutter: Then, Now and Forever” and, most recently, “ Woke Racism : How a New Religion Has Betrayed Black America.” @ JohnHMcWhorter

• South Carolina Honors College
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• About the Honors College

New language-learning app hits all the right notes

Top photo: College of Engineering and Computing seniors: (l to r) Siri Avula, Ashley Bickham, Tanvi Singh, Mahi Patel and Vivian D'Souza.

What if your Spotify playlist could help you learn another language? Thanks to the Lyraquist app, developed by five College of Engineering and Computing seniors, that possibility will soon be a reality.

At the South Carolina Honors College Thesis Symposium on Friday, April 12, Siri Avula, Ashley Bickham, Vivian D’Souza, Mahi Patel and Tanvi Singh unveiled their CEC capstone project: the Lyraquist app. The five women, four of whom—Avula, D’Souza, Patel and Singh—are Honors students, designed Lyraquist to sync with a user’s Spotify Premium playlist. As users listen to songs in French, German and Spanish, the app utilizes Google translate to offer word-for-word English translations of the lyrics.

“Anyone can be a lyrical linguist.”

The Lyraquist logo, an LP record emblazoned with a world map, offers some insight into the inspiration and ethos behind the project.

D’Souza, who studied abroad in Ireland, has fond memories of connecting with students from around the world through music. She and her classmates would gather in common areas in the evenings and share songs with lyrics in a variety of languages. D’Souza mentioned how this practice helped her learn more about her classmates, their cultures and the languages they spoke.

Four of the five Lyraquist team members studied abroad during their time at USC, and all team members grew up in multilingual households. Using the knowledge gleaned from their computer science classes, the team sought to create an app that would emulate their language-sharing experiences and provide insight into other cultures.

“Our budget was zero dollars.”

The team, who met through their computer science classes, worked together for two semesters to develop, code and test the app. D’Souza and Patel mentioned that, initially, the team progressed in perfect sync. But as coding began and each member took on their own portion of the project, the team had some non-technical bugs to work out.

This inspired the team to implement weekly stand-up meetings, a common practice in professional tech teams, providing time for each member to give a progress update. This approach, combined with the project management program Trello, helped the team stay on track as they navigated platforms and software such as React Native, Javascript, Expo and the Musixmatch lyrics database to create Lyraquist.

Above all, the team strove for the app to abide by music copyright laws and ethical guidelines. Though they had no funding, they utilized open-access sources to provide users with the best in-app experience possible.

Dr. Jose Vidal, who served as the team’s capstone project director, attested to the team’s quality work. He was impressed by “how they were able to combine all the various third-party APIs [application program interfaces]: Spotify, Musicmatch, Google Translate, Lexicala, Expo Speech, into one cohesive and fun to use app.” 

“Customize their own learning journey.”

Within the app, users take charge of their learning experience. Unlike many language-learning apps that are lesson-based, Lyraquist allows users to choose the songs that they want to hear. As they listen, they can click on words in the lyrics to learn their definitions. Users can then add vocabulary to in-app workbooks, save songs for later study and “star” particular languages that they want to focus on.

If users are unsure of where to start, the Lyraquist team has thought that through, too. The team curated language playlists of varying difficulty levels to help users get started. Users can also find out what songs are trending in languages and countries around the world.

“Beyond just the vocabulary.”

At the Thesis Symposium presentation, USC German faculty member Dr. Yvonne Ivory was among the first to express excitement about the app’s possibilities. Lyraquist could be used in K-12 and college classrooms, allowing students to experience language learning outside of a textbook. The Lyraquist team has also added an in-app feedback function, allowing users to spot Google Translates errors and send corrections to the team.

The conversation surrounding Lyraquist is just beginning. More users, voices and languages will soon be included in the dialogue: the team is seeking approval from Spotify for the app’s public release.

Interested in viewing a demo of Lyraquist? Here’s a sneak peek.

Challenge the conventional. Create the exceptional. No Limits.

05-08-2024 – Thesis Defense – Shen, Jiaxin

05-08-2024 – Thesis Defense – Shen, Jiaxin – Flyer

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Hamas delegation due in Cairo on Monday for Gaza ceasefire talks

A Hamas delegation will visit Cairo on Monday for talks aimed at securing a ceasefire, a Hamas official told Reuters on Sunday, as mediators stepped up efforts to reach a deal ahead of an expected Israeli assault on the southern city of Rafah.

American boys say they were beaten and starved at Jamaican school for troubled teens

Boys at an American-run school for troubled teens in Jamaica were beaten by adult staff members, forced to exercise until they vomited and placed in stress positions for hours at a time, according to former students, their parents and attorneys assisting them. 

The new details shared in interviews with NBC News offer insight into what likely prompted Jamaican child welfare officials to remove children from Atlantis Leadership Academy in February and place them in protective custody. Five employees of the school were charged this month with child cruelty and assault. 

“You got whipped, you got pipes beaten on you,” said James, 18, who was among the eight teens removed from the school, and who asked that his last name not be published to protect his identity as an alleged victim of child abuse. “But if I told someone, I was afraid of getting jumped by the other staff.”

Randall Cook, the school’s founder and executive director, defended his school but did not address specific questions about the allegations or arrests. He has previously denied the boys’ allegations.

James’ account bears strong similarities to those of five other boys who attended the school until February and were interviewed in Jamaica by a lawyer who described their accounts to NBC News. Three of those boys, along with James and an additional student, also outlined their experiences in detailed, handwritten statements that the boys said they wrote after their removal. 

In both their interviews and written statements, the boys describe rampant abuse, including being hit by employees, sometimes with objects like tin water bottles and broomsticks, and how a thwarted runaway attempt resulted in more assaults.

“I don’t know how I made it out alive,” one boy wrote. James described Atlantis Leadership Academy as a “living hell on paradise.”

The boys said that contact with their parents was limited. James said he worried that telling his parents what was happening could delay his release.“There’s no place to go,” said Michael McFarland, an attorney representing the family of Cody Fleischman, 16, another boy who was removed. The school is along Jamaica's southern coast in Treasure Beach. “You’re in this remote part of this country where you don’t know anyone,” he said, “and you’re being monitored at all times.”

Cook, the school’s director, declined interview requests. He was not among those arrested and he has not been charged.

“We are proud to have always held up the dignity, safety, health (in all facets) and consistent positive personal growth to each young man that has enrolled in our Academy,” he said in an email.

Dirk Harrison, an attorney representing the school and the charged men, did not respond to requests for comment. Their next court hearing is scheduled for May 13, according to Radio Jamaica News.

A Jamaica Constabulary Force spokesperson confirmed that the staff arrests were due to the same abuse allegations that prompted child welfare officials to take the children into protective custody. Jamaica’s Child Protection and Family Services Agency declined to comment on the case, noting that it was still under investigation.

Five of the eight boys who were removed from Atlantis Leadership Academy by Jamaican authorities have since been returned to the United States.

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Atlantis Leadership Academy is a small for-profit school that Cook opened in 2016, after consulting for programs in the troubled teen industry, a constellation of boarding schools , wilderness camps, ranches and treatment centers for youth. Cook advertised his school to American parents as one that would help their children address emotional outbursts and rebellious behavior. Boys placed there worked through a level system to graduate that often took over a year. In interviews, James and another student, a 15-year-old boy whom NBC News is not identifying because of his age, separately described a punishment in which they were forced to sit up straight on a tall stool for hours at a time without bathroom breaks and were hit if they moved. They said each morning they were required to work out for up to two hours — running continuously, or doing hundreds of pushups — and school staff would hit them if they stopped. Staff would also cut the boys’ food portions as another form of punishment, they said.

“There were things that caused constant pain or suffering,” the 15-year-old said. “Like starving; When you’re hungry to the point that you’re in pain, or so thirsty that you’re about to pass out, that’s worse than a beating, in my opinion.”

At least four of the boys attempted to flee Atlantis Leadership Academy in December, James said, by organizing a run to the beach when one employee was distracted. The 15-year-old said in his handwritten statement that their plan was to get to the U.S. Embassy. But they did not make it far, James added, before staff caught them and beat them again. 

The two boys told NBC News that employees were especially hard on Cody Fleischman, whom they said was often denied food. Photos that his mother, Tarah Fleischman, received from the academy appear to show that Cody, who is diagnosed with Tourette syndrome, obsessive compulsive disorder and ADHD, lost a significant amount of weight while at the school.

Fleischman and James’ mother said they learned on Feb. 11 that their sons had been taken into protective custody when the U.S. Embassy called to inform them. Unsure of what to do, Fleischman sought help on a website for survivors of abusive treatment facilities. She connected with 11:11 Media Impact, the charity arm of Paris Hilton’s media company, which has pushed for better oversight of facilities like the ones Hilton was placed in as a teen. A consultant for the charity notified Dawn Post, a New York-based attorney who specializes in child welfare. Post flew to Jamaica to assist the boys, and Hilton held a news conference there about the case.

“There is nothing these boys could’ve done to deserve this torture,” Hilton told reporters.

Post, who volunteered to help the children get back to the United States, interviewed five of the boys in person about their experiences at the school. The boys’ descriptions of assaults, intense workouts and food restrictions, which she relayed to NBC News, closely mirror what James and the 15-year-old have alleged.

Post said that two boys described punishments in which they had water poured over their nose, making it difficult to breathe: One child said staff members tipped his head back and held a garden hose to his nose, forcing water up his nostrils. The 15-year-old who spoke to NBC News said he was held down on a ramp and had buckets of water dumped on his face. 

The boys pulled from Atlantis Leadership Academy this year aren’t the only ones who say they endured extreme punishments at the school. NBC News interviewed two mothers — one from California and another from Florida — whose boys attended the school in 2021. They said their sons told them that employees would force boys to stay alone in a small shed that staff and students referred to as “The Box” for days at a time, consuming only rice and water, and urinating in a bucket. Like the more recent students, the earlier students told their parents they were forced to exercise daily, often past the point of exhaustion.

The mother from Florida said her son told her that one employee — who is among the five charged with child cruelty — choked the boys if they stepped out of line and that the children had to bathe with a hose spouting brackish water. The mothers spoke on the condition of anonymity to protect their sons’ identities. Their families are both represented by McFarland.“We thought we were sending our son to paradise, on the beach every day, away from the problems of American culture,” the Florida mother said. “The place wasn’t on the beach. They did zero to help us. All they did was create more problems.”

In an email, Cook pushed back on the image of his school as abusive. He called the allegations part of a “pre-determined dismantling of legitimate Academies.” 

“The result of this activism and narrative is simple and approaching fast; families will soon be left with short term acute inpatient psychiatric services and/or Juvenile Hall,” he said. 

Atlantis Leadership Academy does not list any accreditation and is not registered with the Jamaica Ministry of Education and Youth. Cook said in an email earlier this month that Atlantis is a “service provider and an affiliate of Forest Trail Academy under whose auspices we operate here in Jamaica.” Forest Trail Academy, an online schooling platform, said it has some virtual students who attended the troubled teen school, but it is not affiliated with Atlantis Leadership Academy or Cook. 

Cook also runs a consulting agency, Core Solutions, that refers parents to residential programs where they can place their children. Cook and his wife, Lisa, were the main point of contact for parents with children at Atlantis Leadership Academy, and sent parents updates and photos via WhatsApp. But the parents said their sons told them the couple was rarely seen at the school. 

Cook said parents were aware that Lisa was their U.S. representative, and that she “has no role or interface with the day-to-day operations.” 

The California mother shared photos sent to her by Cook that showed the boys exercising outdoors and hauling sand, and her son cleaning an empty pool. She also provided an August 2021 letter from her son saying that the students were never allowed to leave campus, and did not do community work or go to church like the program had advertised.

The photos also showed their son smiling at dinner, but McFarland, their lawyer, called such images “propaganda.”“They take photos of these feasts they would have once in a blue moon, but the kids were being starved,” McFarland said. “A lot of the parents had no idea because it was designed that way.”

The two families whose sons attended in 2021 said all of their phone calls with their children were monitored by school employees, who held the phone during the call. Fleischman said she had no phone calls with Cody while he was at Atlantis Leadership Academy over the past year. 

“The manner of our parental interactions and updates have never been an issue,” Cook said in a recent email. “Those who have passed through ALA continue to express appreciation for the services rendered to their families.”

For James, who is now home in Texas, the two months since he left Atlantis Leadership Academy have been a difficult adjustment. His family is trying to arrange therapy to help him address his time in Jamaica and sort out his next steps.

“I’m pushing past the pain,” he said. “I’m just glad to be back — glad to be out of there.”

Tyler Kingkade is a national reporter for NBC News, based in Los Angeles.