topics to write about in higher education

Research Topics & Ideas: Education

170+ Research Ideas To Fast-Track Your Project

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

PS – This is just the start…

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

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

Overview: Education Research Topics

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

Education-Related Research Topics & Ideas

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

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

Level-Specific Research Topics

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

Research Topics: Pick An Education Level

Primary education.

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

Secondary Education

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

Tertiary Education

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

Education-Related Dissertations & Theses

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

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

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

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

Get 1-On-1 Help

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

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

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Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 53 stellar college essay topics to inspire you.

College Essays

Most colleges and universities in the United States require applicants to submit at least one essay as part of their application. But trying to figure out what college essay topics you should choose is a tricky process. There are so many potential things you could write about!

In this guide, we go over the essential qualities that make for a great college essay topic and give you 50+ college essay topics you can use for your own statement . In addition, we provide you with helpful tips for turning your college essay topic into a stellar college essay.

What Qualities Make for a Good College Essay Topic?

Regardless of what you write about in your personal statement for college , there are key features that will always make for a stand-out college essay topic.

#1: It’s Specific

First off, good college essay topics are extremely specific : you should know all the pertinent facts that have to do with the topic and be able to see how the entire essay comes together.

Specificity is essential because it’ll not only make your essay stand out from other statements, but it'll also recreate the experience for admissions officers through its realism, detail, and raw power. You want to tell a story after all, and specificity is the way to do so. Nobody wants to read a vague, bland, or boring story — not even admissions officers!

For example, an OK topic would be your experience volunteering at a cat shelter over the summer. But a better, more specific college essay topic would be how you deeply connected with an elderly cat there named Marty, and how your bond with him made you realize that you want to work with animals in the future.

Remember that specificity in your topic is what will make your essay unique and memorable . It truly is the key to making a strong statement (pun intended)!

#2: It Shows Who You Are

In addition to being specific, good college essay topics reveal to admissions officers who you are: your passions and interests, what is important to you, your best (or possibly even worst) qualities, what drives you, and so on.

The personal statement is critical because it gives schools more insight into who you are as a person and not just who you are as a student in terms of grades and classes.

By coming up with a real, honest topic, you’ll leave an unforgettable mark on admissions officers.

#3: It’s Meaningful to You

The very best college essay topics are those that hold deep meaning to their writers and have truly influenced them in some significant way.

For instance, maybe you plan to write about the first time you played Skyrim to explain how this video game revealed to you the potentially limitless worlds you could create, thereby furthering your interest in game design.

Even if the topic seems trivial, it’s OK to use it — just as long as you can effectively go into detail about why this experience or idea had such an impact on you .

Don’t give in to the temptation to choose a topic that sounds impressive but doesn’t actually hold any deep meaning for you. Admissions officers will see right through this!

Similarly, don’t try to exaggerate some event or experience from your life if it’s not all that important to you or didn’t have a substantial influence on your sense of self.

#4: It’s Unique

College essay topics that are unique are also typically the most memorable, and if there’s anything you want to be during the college application process, it’s that! Admissions officers have to sift through thousands of applications, and the essay is one of the only parts that allows them to really get a sense of who you are and what you value in life.

If your essay is trite or boring, it won’t leave much of an impression , and your application will likely get immediately tossed to the side with little chance of seeing admission.

But if your essay topic is very original and different, you’re more likely to earn that coveted second glance at your application.

What does being unique mean exactly, though? Many students assume that they must choose an extremely rare or crazy experience to talk about in their essays —but that's not necessarily what I mean by "unique." Good college essay topics can be unusual and different, yes, but they can also be unique takes on more mundane or common activities and experiences .

For instance, say you want to write an essay about the first time you went snowboarding. Instead of just describing the details of the experience and how you felt during it, you could juxtapose your emotions with a creative and humorous perspective from the snowboard itself. Or you could compare your first attempt at snowboarding with your most recent experience in a snowboarding competition. The possibilities are endless!

#5: It Clearly Answers the Question

Finally, good college essay topics will clearly and fully answer the question(s) in the prompt.

You might fail to directly answer a prompt by misinterpreting what it’s asking you to do, or by answering only part of it (e.g., answering just one out of three questions).

Therefore, make sure you take the time to come up with an essay topic that is in direct response to every question in the prompt .

Take this Coalition Application prompt as an example:

What is the hardest part of being a teenager now? What's the best part? What advice would you give a younger sibling or friend (assuming they would listen to you)?

For this prompt, you’d need to answer all three questions (though it’s totally fine to focus more on one or two of them) to write a compelling and appropriate essay.

This is why we recommend reading and rereading the essay prompt ; you should know exactly what it’s asking you to do, well before you start brainstorming possible college application essay topics.

53 College Essay Topics to Get Your Brain Moving

In this section, we give you a list of 53 examples of college essay topics. Use these as jumping-off points to help you get started on your college essay and to ensure that you’re on track to coming up with a relevant and effective topic.

All college application essay topics below are categorized by essay prompt type. We’ve identified six general types of college essay prompts:

Why This College?

Change and personal growth, passions, interests, and goals, overcoming a challenge, diversity and community, solving a problem.

Note that these prompt types could overlap with one another, so you’re not necessarily limited to just one college essay topic in a single personal statement.

• How a particular major or program will help you achieve your academic or professional goals
• A memorable and positive interaction you had with a professor or student at the school
• Something good that happened to you while visiting the campus or while on a campus tour
• A certain class you want to take or a certain professor you’re excited to work with
• Some piece of on-campus equipment or facility that you’re looking forward to using
• Your plans to start a club at the school, possibly to raise awareness of a major issue
• A study abroad or other unique program that you can’t wait to participate in
• How and where you plan to volunteer in the community around the school
• An incredible teacher you studied under and the positive impact they had on you
• How you went from really liking something, such as a particular movie star or TV show, to not liking it at all (or vice versa)
• How yours or someone else’s (change in) socioeconomic status made you more aware of poverty
• A time someone said something to you that made you realize you were wrong
• How your opinion on a controversial topic, such as gay marriage or DACA, has shifted over time
• A documentary that made you aware of a particular social, economic, or political issue going on in the country or world
• Advice you would give to your younger self about friendship, motivation, school, etc.
• The steps you took in order to kick a bad or self-sabotaging habit
• A juxtaposition of the first and most recent time you did something, such as dance onstage
• A book you read that you credit with sparking your love of literature and/or writing
• A school assignment or project that introduced you to your chosen major
• A glimpse of your everyday routine and how your biggest hobby or interest fits into it
• The career and (positive) impact you envision yourself having as a college graduate
• A teacher or mentor who encouraged you to pursue a specific interest you had
• How moving around a lot helped you develop a love of international exchange or learning languages
• A special skill or talent you’ve had since you were young and that relates to your chosen major in some way, such as designing buildings with LEGO bricks
• Where you see yourself in 10 or 20 years
• Your biggest accomplishment so far relating to your passion (e.g., winning a gold medal for your invention at a national science competition)
• A time you lost a game or competition that was really important to you
• How you dealt with the loss or death of someone close to you
• A time you did poorly in a class that you expected to do well in
• How moving to a new school impacted your self-esteem and social life
• A chronic illness you battled or are still battling
• Your healing process after having your heart broken for the first time
• A time you caved under peer pressure and the steps you took so that it won't happen again
• How you almost gave up on learning a foreign language but stuck with it
• Why you decided to become a vegetarian or vegan, and how you navigate living with a meat-eating family
• What you did to overcome a particular anxiety or phobia you had (e.g., stage fright)
• A history of a failed experiment you did over and over, and how you finally found a way to make it work successfully
• Someone within your community whom you aspire to emulate
• A family tradition you used to be embarrassed about but are now proud of
• Your experience with learning English upon moving to the United States
• A close friend in the LGBTQ+ community who supported you when you came out
• A time you were discriminated against, how you reacted, and what you would do differently if faced with the same situation again
• How you navigate your identity as a multiracial, multiethnic, and/or multilingual person
• A project or volunteer effort you led to help or improve your community
• A particular celebrity or role model who inspired you to come out as LGBTQ+
• Your biggest challenge (and how you plan to tackle it) as a female in a male-dominated field
• How you used to discriminate against your own community, and what made you change your mind and eventually take pride in who you are and/or where you come from
• A program you implemented at your school in response to a known problem, such as a lack of recycling cans in the cafeteria
• A time you stepped in to mediate an argument or fight between two people
• An app or other tool you developed to make people’s lives easier in some way
• A time you proposed a solution that worked to an ongoing problem at school, an internship, or a part-time job
• The steps you took to identify and fix an error in coding for a website or program
• An important social or political issue that you would fix if you had the means

How to Build a College Essay in 6 Easy Steps

Once you’ve decided on a college essay topic you want to use, it’s time to buckle down and start fleshing out your essay. These six steps will help you transform a simple college essay topic into a full-fledged personal statement.

Step 1: Write Down All the Details

Once you’ve chosen a general topic to write about, get out a piece of paper and get to work on creating a list of all the key details you could include in your essay . These could be things such as the following:

• Emotions you felt at the time
• Names, places, and/or numbers
• Dialogue, or what you or someone else said
• A specific anecdote, example, or experience
• Descriptions of how things looked, felt, or seemed

If you can only come up with a few details, then it’s probably best to revisit the list of college essay topics above and choose a different one that you can write more extensively on.

Good college essay topics are typically those that:

• You remember well (so nothing that happened when you were really young)
• You're excited to write about
• You're not embarrassed or uncomfortable to share with others
• You believe will make you positively stand out from other applicants

Step 2: Figure Out Your Focus and Approach

Once you have all your major details laid out, start to figure out how you could arrange them in a way that makes sense and will be most effective.

It’s important here to really narrow your focus: you don’t need to (and shouldn’t!) discuss every single aspect of your trip to visit family in Indonesia when you were 16. Rather, zero in on a particular anecdote or experience and explain why and how it impacted you.

Alternatively, you could write about multiple experiences while weaving them together with a clear, meaningful theme or concept , such as how your math teacher helped you overcome your struggle with geometry over the course of an entire school year. In this case, you could mention a few specific times she tutored you and most strongly supported you in your studies.

There’s no one right way to approach your college essay, so play around to see what approaches might work well for the topic you’ve chosen.

If you’re really unsure about how to approach your essay, think about what part of your topic was or is most meaningful and memorable to you, and go from there.

Step 3: Structure Your Narrative

• Beginning: Don’t just spout off a ton of background information here—you want to hook your reader, so try to start in the middle of the action , such as with a meaningful conversation you had or a strong emotion you felt. It could also be a single anecdote if you plan to center your essay around a specific theme or idea.
• Middle: Here’s where you start to flesh out what you’ve established in the opening. Provide more details about the experience (if a single anecdote) or delve into the various times your theme or idea became most important to you. Use imagery and sensory details to put the reader in your shoes.
• End: It’s time to bring it all together. Finish describing the anecdote or theme your essay centers around and explain how it relates to you now , what you’ve learned or gained from it, and how it has influenced your goals.

Step 4: Write a Rough Draft

By now you should have all your major details and an outline for your essay written down; these two things will make it easy for you to convert your notes into a rough draft.

At this stage of the writing process, don’t worry too much about vocabulary or grammar and just focus on getting out all your ideas so that they form the general shape of an essay . It’s OK if you’re a little over the essay's word limit — as you edit, you’ll most likely make some cuts to irrelevant and ineffective parts anyway.

If at any point you get stuck and have no idea what to write, revisit steps 1-3 to see whether there are any important details or ideas you might be omitting or not elaborating on enough to get your overall point across to admissions officers.

Step 5: Edit, Revise, and Proofread

• Sections that are too wordy and don’t say anything important
• Irrelevant details that don’t enhance your essay or the point you're trying to make
• Parts that seem to drag or that feel incredibly boring or redundant
• Areas that are vague and unclear and would benefit from more detail
• Phrases or sections that are awkwardly placed and should be moved around
• Areas that feel unconvincing, inauthentic, or exaggerated

Start paying closer attention to your word choice/vocabulary and grammar at this time, too. It’s perfectly normal to edit and revise your college essay several times before asking for feedback, so keep working with it until you feel it’s pretty close to its final iteration.

This step will likely take the longest amount of time — at least several weeks, if not months — so really put effort into fixing up your essay. Once you’re satisfied, do a final proofread to ensure that it’s technically correct.

Step 6: Get Feedback and Tweak as Needed

After you’ve overhauled your rough draft and made it into a near-final draft, give your essay to somebody you trust , such as a teacher or parent, and have them look it over for technical errors and offer you feedback on its content and overall structure.

Use this feedback to make any last-minute changes or edits. If necessary, repeat steps 5 and 6. You want to be extra sure that your essay is perfect before you submit it to colleges!

Recap: From College Essay Topics to Great College Essays

Many different kinds of college application essay topics can get you into a great college. But this doesn’t make it any easier to choose the best topic for you .

In general, the best college essay topics have the following qualities :

• They’re specific
• They show who you are
• They’re meaningful to you
• They’re unique
• They clearly answer the question

If you ever need help coming up with an idea of what to write for your essay, just refer to the list of 53 examples of college essay topics above to get your brain juices flowing.

Once you’ve got an essay topic picked out, follow these six steps for turning your topic into an unforgettable personal statement :

• Write down all the details
• Figure out your focus and approach
• Structure your narrative
• Write a rough draft
• Edit, revise, and proofread
• Get feedback and tweak as needed

And with that, I wish you the best of luck on your college essays!

What’s Next?

Writing a college essay is no simple task. Get expert college essay tips with our guides on how to come up with great college essay ideas and how to write a college essay, step by step .

You can also check out this huge list of college essay prompts  to get a feel for what types of questions you'll be expected to answer on your applications.

Want to see examples of college essays that absolutely rocked? You're in luck because we've got a collection of 100+ real college essay examples right here on our blog!

Hannah received her MA in Japanese Studies from the University of Michigan and holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California. From 2013 to 2015, she taught English in Japan via the JET Program. She is passionate about education, writing, and travel.

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Higher Education Research Paper Topics

In this page on higher education research paper topics , we present a comprehensive guide to help students in the field of education with their research papers. The abstract provides a brief overview of the content covered in the page, including a keyphrase to emphasize the main focus. Throughout the page, you will find a diverse range of higher education research paper topics, expert advice on topic selection, tips for writing an effective research paper, and information about the custom writing services offered by iResearchNet. Whether you are a student in need of topic inspiration or seeking assistance with your research paper, this page will provide valuable insights and resources to support your academic journey in higher education.

100 Higher Education Research Paper Topics

In this section, we present a comprehensive list of higher education research paper topics. These topics are organized into 10 categories, each focusing on a different aspect of higher education. Within each category, you will find 10 research paper topics to spark your imagination and guide your exploration. These topics encompass a wide range of disciplines and subfields within higher education, allowing you to explore various dimensions of this dynamic field. Whether you are interested in policy issues, student experiences, teaching and learning methodologies, or institutional practices, there is something here for everyone. Let this list inspire you and serve as a starting point for your research endeavors.

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Higher Education Policy and Governance

• The impact of government funding on higher education institutions
• Evaluating the effectiveness of quality assurance mechanisms in higher education
• The role of accreditation in ensuring educational standards in higher education
• Examining the relationship between government policies and access to higher education
• Exploring the influence of international rankings on university competitiveness
• Analyzing the implications of privatization in higher education
• Investigating the role of higher education in promoting sustainable development goals
• The challenges of promoting diversity and inclusion in higher education institutions
• Examining the role of community colleges in expanding access to higher education
• The impact of globalization on higher education policies and practices

Student Experiences and Success

• Understanding the factors influencing student retention and graduation rates
• Examining the impact of financial aid policies on college access and affordability
• Exploring the experiences of first-generation college students
• Investigating the role of student support services in enhancing student success
• Analyzing the effects of student engagement on academic achievement and personal development
• Examining the influence of cultural and social capital on student experiences in higher education
• The impact of student diversity on campus climate and intercultural learning
• Exploring the experiences of international students in higher education
• Investigating the effects of work-study programs on student outcomes
• The role of technology in enhancing student learning experiences in higher education

Teaching and Learning Methodologies

• Exploring innovative pedagogical approaches in higher education
• Investigating the effectiveness of online learning in higher education
• Analyzing the impact of active learning strategies on student engagement and learning outcomes
• Examining the role of problem-based learning in promoting critical thinking skills
• The use of educational technologies to enhance teaching and learning in higher education
• Investigating the effectiveness of flipped classrooms in higher education settings
• Analyzing the impact of inclusive teaching practices on student learning outcomes
• The role of peer mentoring in supporting student learning and development
• Examining the benefits and challenges of experiential learning in higher education
• Investigating the role of assessment and feedback in promoting student learning and achievement

Higher Education and Society

• Exploring the role of higher education in fostering social mobility
• Analyzing the impact of college education on income inequality
• Investigating the relationship between higher education and economic development
• Examining the role of higher education in addressing societal challenges and promoting social justice
• The impact of community engagement initiatives in higher education institutions
• Analyzing the influence of higher education on democratic participation and civic engagement
• Exploring the role of higher education in promoting sustainable development
• The effects of globalization on higher education and its implications for society
• Investigating the role of higher education in promoting cultural diversity and intercultural understanding
• Examining the relationship between higher education and lifelong learning in a knowledge-based society

Institutional Practices and Management

• Analyzing the challenges and opportunities of strategic planning in higher education institutions
• Investigating the role of leadership in shaping organizational culture in higher education
• Exploring the effects of performance-based funding on institutional practices and outcomes
• Examining the impact of faculty development programs on teaching and research productivity
• The role of shared governance in decision-making processes within higher education institutions
• Analyzing the effects of resource allocation on institutional effectiveness and efficiency
• Investigating the influence of organizational climate on faculty job satisfaction and retention
• Exploring the role of technology in supporting administrative processes in higher education
• The impact of internationalization strategies on institutional reputation and student recruitment
• Examining the challenges and opportunities of managing diversity in higher education institutions

Higher Education and Technology

• Investigating the impact of online learning platforms on student access and engagement
• Analyzing the effectiveness of blended learning approaches in higher education
• Exploring the use of learning analytics in enhancing student success in higher education
• The impact of educational technologies on teaching practices and student learning outcomes
• Investigating the role of virtual reality in experiential learning in higher education
• Analyzing the implications of artificial intelligence in higher education settings
• Exploring the use of gamification in higher education to promote student motivation and engagement
• Investigating the challenges and opportunities of open educational resources in higher education
• Examining the role of mobile learning in supporting anytime, anywhere access to education
• The effects of social media on student engagement and communication in higher education

Access and Equity in Higher Education

• Analyzing the barriers to access and participation in higher education for marginalized groups
• Investigating the impact of affirmative action policies on diversity in higher education
• Exploring the role of financial aid programs in promoting college access and equity
• Examining the effects of merit-based scholarships on educational opportunities and social mobility
• The impact of college preparatory programs on underrepresented students’ college readiness
• Analyzing the influence of high-stakes testing on college admissions and access to higher education
• Investigating the experiences of students with disabilities in higher education
• Exploring the challenges and opportunities of supporting non-traditional students in higher education
• The effects of community college transfer pathways on access to four-year institutions
• Examining the role of mentoring programs in supporting underrepresented students in higher education

Higher Education and Globalization

• Investigating the effects of international student mobility on higher education institutions
• Analyzing the influence of global rankings on higher education policies and practices
• Exploring the role of transnational education in higher education
• Examining the impact of global partnerships and collaborations on higher education institutions
• The effects of globalization on curriculum development and pedagogical approaches in higher education
• Investigating the influence of internationalization strategies on institutional identity and mission
• Analyzing the challenges and opportunities of recruiting and retaining international students
• Exploring the role of cross-cultural competence in higher education settings
• Investigating the impact of globalization on faculty recruitment and retention in higher education
• Examining the implications of global competition for funding and resources in higher education

Higher Education Leadership and Administration

• Analyzing the qualities and skills of effective higher education leaders
• Investigating the challenges and opportunities of leadership succession in higher education
• Exploring the role of shared governance in effective institutional leadership
• Examining the impact of leadership development programs on leadership effectiveness in higher education
• The effects of gender and diversity in leadership positions in higher education institutions
• Investigating the role of emotional intelligence in higher education leadership
• Analyzing the influence of political and institutional contexts on leadership decision-making in higher education
• Exploring the challenges and opportunities of leading in times of crisis in higher education
• Investigating the impact of ethical leadership on organizational culture and climate in higher education
• Examining the role of transformational leadership in driving innovation and change in higher education

Higher Education Assessment and Evaluation

• Analyzing the effectiveness of assessment practices in measuring student learning outcomes in higher education
• Investigating the impact of standardized testing on higher education admissions and accountability
• Exploring the role of program evaluation in improving the quality of higher education programs
• Examining the influence of accreditation processes on institutional quality and improvement
• The effects of learning outcomes assessment on instructional practices in higher education
• Investigating the use of rubrics in evaluating student performance and providing feedback in higher education
• Analyzing the challenges and opportunities of assessing student engagement in higher education
• Exploring the role of learning analytics in informing decision-making and improving student success in higher education
• Investigating the impact of outcomes-based funding on institutional assessment and accountability
• Examining the challenges and opportunities of assessing and recognizing prior learning in higher education

This comprehensive list of higher education research paper topics offers a diverse range of ideas to inspire and guide your research endeavors. Whether you are interested in policy issues, student experiences, teaching and learning methodologies, institutional practices, or global perspectives, there is a wealth of topics to explore within the field of higher education. Remember that the key to selecting a research topic is to align it with your interests, expertise, and the requirements of your research paper. As you embark on your research journey, consider the significance of your chosen topic, its relevance to the field, and the potential contribution it can make to the existing body of knowledge. With careful consideration and thorough research, you can delve into the complexities of higher education and contribute to the ongoing discourse in the field.

Higher Education Research Guide

Welcome to the iResearchNet page on higher education research paper topics. As students embark on their journey in higher education, they encounter numerous opportunities to explore and analyze various aspects of this dynamic field. Research papers play a pivotal role in this process, allowing students to delve deeper into specific areas of interest and contribute to the ever-evolving discourse surrounding higher education. The purpose of this page is to provide students with a comprehensive guide to selecting and developing research paper topics that are not only academically rigorous but also relevant and impactful in the context of higher education.

In today’s fast-paced and interconnected world, higher education faces a multitude of challenges and opportunities. From exploring innovative teaching methods and educational technologies to examining issues of access, equity, and diversity, there are countless avenues for research within the field. This page aims to present a diverse range of higher education research paper topics, spanning various disciplines and subfields, to inspire and guide students in their exploration.

By engaging with the content on this page, students will gain valuable insights into the current trends, debates, and gaps in knowledge within higher education. They will also find practical advice and strategies for selecting research paper topics that align with their interests and academic goals. Whether you are interested in examining the impact of online learning, exploring student engagement strategies, or investigating the role of higher education in fostering social mobility, this page offers a wealth of ideas and resources to support your research endeavors.

We invite you to delve into the world of higher education research paper topics, to discover new ideas, expand your knowledge, and contribute to the ever-growing body of scholarship in the field. Let this page serve as a valuable tool to ignite your curiosity, fuel your intellectual growth, and empower you to make meaningful contributions to the field of higher education.

Choosing Higher Education Research Paper Topics

Selecting a suitable research topic is a crucial step in the process of writing a higher education research paper. With the vast array of issues and subfields within higher education, it can be overwhelming to decide on a specific topic that aligns with your interests and meets the requirements of your research assignment. In this section, we offer expert advice to help you navigate through the selection process and choose a compelling and relevant topic for your higher education research paper.

• Identify your area of interest : Start by exploring your personal interests within the field of higher education. Reflect on the topics or issues that have caught your attention during your studies or experiences. Consider your career goals and the aspects of higher education that you are passionate about.
• Review current literature : Conduct a thorough review of the existing literature in the field of higher education. Read academic journals, books, and research articles to familiarize yourself with the latest trends, debates, and gaps in knowledge. This will help you identify potential research areas that have not been extensively explored or require further investigation.
• Narrow down your focus : Once you have identified your general area of interest, narrow down your focus to a specific research question or problem. A well-defined research question will provide a clear direction for your study and ensure that your research is focused and meaningful.
• Consider the significance and relevance : Evaluate the significance and relevance of your chosen topic. Ask yourself why it is important to study this particular aspect of higher education. Consider its implications for policymakers, educators, students, or other stakeholders. Ensure that your research topic addresses a gap in knowledge or contributes to the existing body of research.
• Assess feasibility : Assess the feasibility of your research topic in terms of data availability, resources, and time constraints. Consider the practicality of conducting research within your chosen topic, including access to relevant data sources, ethical considerations, and the scope of your research project.
• Seek input from professors or experts : Consult with your professors or other experts in the field of higher education. They can provide valuable insights and guidance based on their expertise and experience. Discuss your research interests and potential topics with them to gain further clarity and suggestions for refinement.
• Stay updated with current events : Keep yourself informed about current events and issues in higher education. Follow news, policy changes, and debates related to higher education to identify emerging topics or controversies that could be potential research areas.
• Consider interdisciplinary approaches : Explore interdisciplinary approaches by incorporating perspectives from other fields such as sociology, psychology, economics, or public policy. This can provide a unique angle to your research and contribute to a broader understanding of higher education issues.
• Brainstorm and generate ideas : Engage in brainstorming sessions to generate a list of potential research topics. Write down any ideas or concepts that come to mind, even if they seem unconventional or challenging. The goal is to encourage creativity and explore various possibilities.
• Reflect on personal experiences : Reflect on your personal experiences within higher education. Consider any challenges, observations, or insights you have gained as a student or through other educational roles. These experiences can serve as a foundation for identifying research questions or topics that are personally meaningful to you.

Choosing a higher education research paper topic requires careful consideration and exploration of your interests, current literature, and the significance of the topic. By following the expert advice provided in this section, you can navigate through the selection process and choose a research topic that aligns with your passions, contributes to the field of higher education, and engages with important issues and debates. Remember to seek guidance from professors or experts and stay updated with current events to ensure the relevance and timeliness of your research.

How to Write a Higher Education Research Paper

Writing a higher education research paper requires a systematic and well-structured approach to effectively communicate your ideas, findings, and analysis. In this section, we provide a step-by-step guide on how to write a higher education research paper that meets academic standards and effectively addresses your research question.

• Understand the assignment requirements : Carefully review the assignment guidelines provided by your instructor or institution. Pay attention to the research question or problem statement, formatting requirements, citation style, and any specific instructions or expectations.
• Conduct thorough research : Start by conducting comprehensive research on your chosen topic. Gather relevant literature, data, and scholarly sources to build a strong foundation for your research paper. Use academic databases, library resources, and credible sources to ensure the reliability and validity of your information.
• Develop a clear thesis statement : Craft a clear and concise thesis statement that captures the main argument or purpose of your research paper. The thesis statement should provide a roadmap for your paper and guide the reader in understanding the focus and significance of your study.
• Organize your paper : Create a logical structure for your research paper. Divide it into sections such as introduction, literature review, methodology, findings, analysis, and conclusion. Each section should serve a specific purpose and contribute to the overall coherence and flow of your paper.
• Write a compelling introduction : Begin your research paper with an engaging introduction that provides background information on your topic and presents the research question or problem. Clearly state the purpose of your study and its significance in the context of higher education.
• Conduct a thorough literature review : In the literature review section, critically analyze existing research and scholarly works relevant to your topic. Summarize key findings, identify gaps in knowledge, and highlight debates or controversies in the field of higher education. Use proper citations and references to acknowledge the sources of your information.
• Describe your methodology : Explain the research methodology employed in your study. Clearly outline the research design, data collection methods, and analysis techniques used to gather and interpret your data. Justify your choices and address any limitations or potential biases.
• Present your findings and analysis : Present your research findings in a clear and organized manner. Use tables, graphs, or visual aids to enhance the clarity and comprehensibility of your data. Analyze your findings and provide interpretations that align with your research question and support your thesis statement.
• Discuss implications and significance : Discuss the implications of your research findings for the field of higher education. Reflect on the broader implications, potential applications, or recommendations for future research or policy development. Highlight the significance of your study in advancing knowledge or addressing practical challenges in higher education.
• Write a strong conclusion : End your research paper with a concise and impactful conclusion. Summarize your key findings, restate your thesis statement, and discuss the broader implications of your research. Avoid introducing new information or ideas in the conclusion.
• Revise and proofread : Review and revise your research paper for clarity, coherence, and grammar. Ensure that your ideas are logically presented and supported by evidence. Proofread your paper for spelling and grammatical errors. Consider seeking feedback from peers, mentors, or writing centers to improve the quality of your paper.
• Follow proper citation and formatting guidelines : Adhere to the specific citation style required by your institution or instructor (such as APA, MLA, Chicago, or Harvard). Ensure that in-text citations and the reference list are accurately formatted and follow the guidelines of the chosen citation style.

By following these steps, you can effectively structure and write a higher education research paper that contributes to the field and showcases your analytical skills, critical thinking, and understanding of key concepts in higher education. Remember to allow ample time for research, writing, and revision to produce a well-crafted and high-quality research paper.

Custom Research Paper Writing Services

At iResearchNet, we offer comprehensive writing services that enable students to order custom education research papers on any topic. Our team of expert degree-holding writers is committed to delivering high-quality research papers that meet the specific requirements of each student. When you choose our writing services, you can expect the following features:

• Expert degree-holding writers : Our team consists of highly qualified writers who possess advanced degrees in education and related fields. They have the expertise and knowledge to handle complex research topics and provide insightful analysis in your research paper.
• Custom written works : Every research paper we deliver is custom written from scratch according to your unique requirements. We understand the importance of originality and ensure that your paper is free from plagiarism. Our writers conduct in-depth research and use credible sources to support their arguments and findings.
• In-depth research : Our writers are skilled researchers who know how to conduct thorough and comprehensive research on various education topics. They have access to reputable academic databases and libraries, allowing them to gather the most relevant and up-to-date information for your research paper.
• Custom formatting : We offer custom formatting options to meet your specific formatting requirements. Whether you need your research paper formatted in APA, MLA, Chicago/Turabian, Harvard, or any other style, our writers will ensure that your paper adheres to the prescribed guidelines.
• Top quality : We strive for excellence in every research paper we deliver. Our writers pay attention to detail, ensuring that your paper is well-structured, coherent, and demonstrates a high level of critical thinking and analysis. We aim to exceed your expectations and deliver a research paper of exceptional quality.
• Customized solutions : We understand that every student has unique needs and expectations for their research paper. Our writers take a customized approach, tailoring their writing to meet your specific requirements and academic goals. We ensure that your research paper aligns with your research question, objectives, and desired outcomes.
• Flexible pricing : We offer competitive and flexible pricing options to accommodate the budgets of students. Our pricing is transparent, and there are no hidden fees. We strive to provide value for your money without compromising on the quality of the research paper.
• Short deadlines : We understand that students may have urgent deadlines for their research papers. Our writing services offer short deadlines, allowing you to receive your completed paper within a timeframe as short as 3 hours. We prioritize timely delivery to ensure that you have sufficient time for review and submission.
• 24/7 support : Our dedicated customer support team is available 24/7 to assist you with any queries or concerns you may have. We are here to provide guidance and support throughout the entire process, from placing your order to receiving your final research paper.
• Absolute privacy : We prioritize the privacy and confidentiality of our clients. Your personal information and order details are kept strictly confidential, and we take stringent measures to ensure data security.
• Easy order tracking : Our user-friendly platform allows you to easily track the progress of your order. You can stay informed about the status of your research paper and communicate with your assigned writer directly.
• Money back guarantee : We are confident in the quality of our services and the expertise of our writers. If, for any reason, you are not satisfied with the research paper you receive, we offer a money back guarantee. Your satisfaction is our utmost priority.

By choosing iResearchNet for your custom education research paper, you are assured of receiving a well-written, thoroughly researched, and custom-crafted paper that meets your academic requirements. Place your order today and experience the convenience and quality of our writing services.

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• Place your order : Visit our website and fill out the order form to provide us with all the necessary details about your research paper. Be sure to include the topic, deadline, formatting requirements, and any specific instructions or guidelines.
• Make payment : Once you have submitted your order, proceed to make payment using our secure and convenient payment options. We offer flexible pricing to accommodate your budget.
• Choose your writer : Our team of expert degree-holding writers is composed of specialists in the field of education. You have the option to choose the writer who best aligns with your research topic and requirements. Alternatively, our system will assign a writer to your order based on their expertise and availability.
• Receive your work : Sit back and relax as our writer works diligently to craft your custom education research paper. You will have direct communication with your writer throughout the process, allowing you to provide feedback and monitor progress.
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73 College Education Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best college education topic ideas & essay examples, 🥇 interesting topics to write about college education, 🎓 good research topics about college education.

• Should a College Education Be Available to All People for Free? Many students are finding it hard to graduate because of financial constraints, even though the government offers financial support.
• Utilitarians and College Education The purpose of this paper is to discuss the value of education in utilitarianism and to answer the question of whether a utilitarian can argue that going to college is morally wrong.
• Should College Tuition Be Free: University Education In the view of compromised quality of education, tuition fee should not be free. Thus, tuition fee should not be free because the fee contributes significantly to the development of educational facilities and saves the […]
• The Value of Liberal Arts Education in College or University This paper will argue that liberal arts education should be encouraged since it adds value to society by offering the ideal college experience that promotes intellectual growth, personal development, and the acquisition of a wide […]
• Opportunity Cost in Higher Education For instance, going to school would deny the student the opportunity to work. However, the opportunity cost is not the sum of all the other things the student would have done.
• Is College Education Appropriate or Should It Be Mandatory Even though college education is identified to be beneficial to the individuals who attain such qualifications as well as to the society in general, there are some dangers that are associated with attending college.
• College Majors and Its Role in Education and Work This implied that, what mattered most was the value of higher education to enable an individual to apply mastery in accomplishing a variety of duties in different fields.
• What Do You Mean by College Tuition Cost? College tuition costs pertains to the charge that a student is obliged to compensate for enrolling and going to public or private colleges.
• College Tuition Fees: The Unprecedented Growth The constant growth in college fees that increase at rates disproportional to inflation poses a challenge for those who want to get a high quality education.
• Stress and Deviance in College Education The other concept of the connection between deviance and stress is the stress factors. Management of stressors and the consequent effects on deviance among college students is yet to be investigated.
• College Education and Family Foundation However, it is always essential for a person to be able to evaluate the information they have and decide whether they need it or not.
• College Education in the United States However, college education is necessary to expand personal horizons and increase the overall level of erudition. Thus, the purpose of the college is to teach people how to learn.
• Attending Community College: Pursuing Higher Education This is captured in the report on ‘Education Attainment in the United States,’ which revealed that holders of a master’s degree earned $70, 000 more than their counterparts with less than a high-school diploma.
• Free or Low-Cost Education at the Secondary Level Overall, although free education seems to be an ideal solution to the problem discussed above, it is not necessarily easy to realize it in reality without impacting the quality of education negatively.
• Buying Textbooks: Hidden Cost of Studying at College Savvy students have learned a few tricks to avoid some of the high costs of textbooks. The inability to pay for expensive, use-one-time-and-cannot-resell textbooks should not be the determining factor in whether students can go […]
• American Colleges: Types, Education and Rewards One of the oldest educational institutions for higher learning in the United States was Harvard University, which was established mainly to prepare citizens, the cream of nation, for the ministry and high-ranking posts in the […]
• College Education vs. Real Business World Experience Prepare for job requirements in a constantly changing marketplace in the 20th century, a high school diploma was usually enough to assure American employers that job applicants could handle most basic functions.
• Higher Education Administration: The College of Business at the UCCS In this paper, the College of Business at the University of Colorado – Colorado Springs will be thoroughly studied to understand if the institutional mission aligns with the mission of the department.
• Educational Tests: Toddlers and College Students The collection of standardized data regarding the quality of the learning environment prepared for young children is the intended purpose of this test.
• American Aviation Colleges Tuition Fee In this research, I intend to find out the average tuition cost for a four-year aviation management course in the American Aviation Colleges.
• Free College Education in the United States In general, despite the existing controversies and doubts, I want to believe that the US government can promote free education for college students.
• Adam Davidson: Is College Tuition Really Too High In particular, the writer notes that public funds are usually transferred to the most prosperous classes of the community. The problem is that they do not have the opportunity to pay the price of a […]
• College Education: Controversy and Its Sources The outcome and the quality of lives after the attainment of the college schooling determine whether it is worth pursuing. Graduates are therefore not guaranteed to get their expected jobs, a factor that makes the […]
• The Impact of Demand on College Tuition The price of a college education is the tuition the students are required to pay while the quantity demanded is represented by the number of enrollments.
• Personal Responsibility in College Education Personal responsibility involves understanding of the effect of one’s actions on the welfare of others and acceptance of one’s mistakes and failures. In addition, it refers to the attitude of accepting one’s mistakes and looking […]
• Current State of Education: College Pressures On the contrary, it should provide students with a possibility to try their skills and abilities and understand what they are capable of. In addition, financial factors should also be reconsidered for students to understand […]
• Is College Education Worth the Money Not only are people in contemporary society raised and conditioned to believe that one needs college education to succeed in life, but the stiff competition for the few job openings available continue to inform the […]
• NC Taxpayers and College Education Further, as Research studies show, because of the expensive nature of college education, and because a good number of students come from families with average incomes, most parents cannot afford to pay their children’s college […]
• Successful Study Habits for College Students The researchers contended that the environment in which students study and their participation in other activities are critical determinants of their success in career and employment.
• Education in Saudi Arabia: College Teachers and College Problems Speaking of the current state of the college teachers in Saudi Arabia, it is possible to say that despite they strive to follow the footprints of the European countries, they are still facing the difficulties […]
• Analysis of College Education A need to reduce the cost of college education in the country is necessary. The introduction of online education can also be integral in reducing the cost of college education.
• Should Every American Have a One-Year College Education Every American should have a one year college education in order to participate in rebuilding the economy of the country. The outcomes of the one year college education are great and have put some people […]
• Allocating Government Education Expenditures Across K-12 and College Education
• Assets and Liabilities, Race/Ethnicity, and Children’s College Education
• Balancing School and Work for Students Pursuing College Education
• Career, Career Interests, and the Value of a College Education
• College Education and Social Trust: Evidence-Based Study on the Causal Mechanisms
• Correlation Between College Education and Students’ Career
• Impact of College Education on the Middle Class
• College Education Has Changed Over the Years
• The Relations Between College Education and Wages in the U.K.
• College Education Comparison Between America and Vietnam
• Importance of College Education for Prison Inmates
• College Education Has Become a Minimum Requirement
• Why College Education Isn’t for Everyone
• College Education: People Can Succeed Without One
• Analysis of College Education’s Socioeconomic Importance
• College Education: Professional Preparation or Social Integration
• Reasons Why College Education Still Worth It for Everyone
• College Education Raises the Chances of Earning More in the Future
• Comparison of College Education and High School
• College Education Should Not Be the Main Requirement for a Job
• Credit Constraints and Human Capital Investment in College Education
• College Education Should Not Be Free
• Different Selections for College Education
• College Education: The Worthwhile Choice?
• Education Problems With the College Education System
• College Experience: The Benefits of a College Education
• Why Cultural Diversity Is Important in a College Education
• Whether College Education Is Worth the Investment of Time, Money, and Energy
• Getting Into Debt for a College Education
• Good Things Derived From a College Education
• Important Skills for Gaining Success in College Education
• Making America Great Again With Free Community College Education
• Parental Credit Constraints and Children’s College Education
• Prisoners Should Not Receive a Free College Education
• Reasons Supporting Mandatory of College Education
• Social Inequalities and Failures in College Education
• Sorting, Selection, and Transformation of Return to College Education in China
• Student Debt and Its Effect on College Education
• The Athletic Advantage Within a College Education
• The Costs and Worth of a College Education
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IvyPanda. (2023, October 26). 73 College Education Essay Topic Ideas & Examples. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/college-education-essay-topics/

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21 College Essay Topics & Ideas That Worked (Guide + Examples)

You’re looking for a giant list of college essay topics to choose from.

And that’s exactly what you’ll find at the bottom of this page.

Wouldn’t it be nice if I gave you two great brainstorming exercises to help you find your own college essay topics?

I’ll answer that rhetorical question: Yes.

And that’s what you’ll find before we get to that giant list.

How do I know these exercises work? Because over the years I’ve worked with thousands of students, many of whom (like you)...

Have decent grades and a pretty good but not perfect SAT score

Are afraid they don’t have outstanding extracurricular activities to write about

Feel like their essay could make a difference in their college application but aren’t sure where to start.

Sound familiar?

My hope is that, by going through these step-by-step brainstorming exercises, you’ll find a topic that’s elastic, meaning that it’s stretchy enough to talk about lots of different parts of you, which is a characteristic you’ll find in most outstanding personal statements.

Great brainstorming is key to a great application. Want to see an example of a student’s brainstorming exercises, and the essays and application that brainstorming led to? Go here .

Pro Tip: Download your own blank template of that list and fill it in here.

All right, let’s do this.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Topic Brainstorming: The Values Exercise
• Topic Brainstorming: The Essence Objects Exercise
• Topic Brainstorming:"Everything I Want Colleges to Know About Me" List
• Essay Topics and Ideas

The Values exercise

This exercise is useful for identifying both your core values and your aspirations by answering this question: WHAT DO I VALUE?

The Essence Objects Exercise

This is one of my favorite brainstorming activities for generating college essay ideas. Why?

It’s one of the most efficient ways I know to help create a TON of content for your personal statement and also add texture to bring your essay to life.

Also, it’s just fun to do and a great way to reflect.

Ready to do it?

Click here for a list of questions to help you with the exercise.  Then, watch the video below.

What’s one of your essence objects?

The ‘Everything I Want Colleges to Know About me’ Exercise

Make a list of all the things you want colleges to know about you.

How? You can do this either:

in a bulletpoint format (organized, easy to read)

on a blank sheet of paper (with drawings, get creative)

on a timeline

For more detailed instructions, head here .

College Essay Topic Samples

Here’s a list of essay topics and ideas that worked for my one-on-one students:

Essay Topic: My Allergies Inspired Me

After nearly dying from anaphylactic shock at five years old, I began a journey healing my anxiety and understanding the PTSD around my allergies. This created a passion for medicine and immunology, and now I want to become an allergist so no other child will have to feel the same.

To read the full essay, click here.

Essay Topic: My Foreign Exchange Experience

My 28 months in America living with five families helped me develop five values: open mindedness, spending quality time with family, understanding, discipline, and genuine appreciation.

Essay Topic:  Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?

I’ve created my own essay prompt: why did the chicken cross the road? In short, the chicken discovers that her idyllic world is not all it seems, and she must cross the road to discover her true purpose in life. She may come to realize that the world is more terrible and beautiful than she’s ever known.

To read the full essay, click here .

Essay Topic: A Palestinian Hunger Strike Turns Into a Purpose

My experience supporting a hunger strike in my native land, and watching my fellow students slowly lose interest in the strike and my protest, taught me to be passionate about social justice and inspired the creation of my own ethical clothing company.

Essay Topic: Lessons From My Pilgrimage to Mecca

My pilgrimage to Mecca taught me that I am valuable and family is centrally important. Now, I'm proud of my heritage, passionate about languages, and excited to bring all of it to college.

Essay Topic: From Homeschool to the Football Field

Instead of my original plan of playing football in high school, I freed myself of my fear of social interactions and my age gap by discovering a love for coaching.

Essay Topic: My First Flight Failed, But My Love Was Born

While my attempt at flight when I was five years old ended in disaster, my passion only grew as I became older. My love of engineering has taught me collaboration, social justice, curiosity, and diligence.

Essay Topic: Poop, Animals, and the Environment

I don’t mind being pooped on, bitten or scratched because my passion for animals is bigger than all of that. I know the world is rife with environmental problems, and I’m ready to spend my life making a difference.

Essay Topic: A Word a Day, A Life of Imagination

The NYT word of the day reminds me of something: my own imagination. My curiosity has taught me to love playing basketball, the violin, and inventing new words.

Essay Topic: Where I’m Home

I find myself feeling at “home” wherever I am, whether it’s spending quality time eating chicken with my family, diligently working on my chemistry research in the lab, or expanding my world through my college electives at Governor's School East.

Essay Topic: Easter, Travel, and Dad

Despite my abusive father’s wishes, I took a trip abroad and discovered my independence. Now, I want to pursue international relations and women’s studies to help women around the world discover who they are.

Essay Topic: My Cosmetic Journey

Although I initially saw my interest in cosmetics as a superficial obsession, through research and advocacy I’m now a community leader and online advocate for ethical cosmetics testing and labeling.

Essay Topic: Transformers Are Not Just for Boys

Being punished for playing with transformers because they “aren’t for girls” didn’t stop me from becoming passionate about robotics, where I created and fought for an open source platform that educates children about robotics around the world.

Essay Topic: The Instagram Post

Being publicly shamed for my pro-choice stance taught me to be passionate about my point of view, and now I understand that, while dissent and social justice are sometimes painful, they are sometimes necessary.

Essay Topic: My Grandmother Passing

My grandmother is my source of inspiration. When she passed away I couldn’t help but reflect on my love of family, passion for education, and my volunteering experiences at a cancer treatment center.

Essay Topic: My Self-Proclaimed Identity

I love writing, philosophy, speech and debate... and punk rock music. But I am not any one of these things, because I am all of them. I call myself a “punk-rock philosopher.”

Essay Topic: My Grandma’s Kimchi

I’ll always remember the passion and attention to detail my grandmother put into making kimchi. Watching my grandmother eventually lose her ability to make this important dish made me reflect on memory, death, and the importance of family. Now I’m the one who makes the kimchi.

Essay Topic: How Traveling Led to My Love of Language

My experiences traveling around the world influenced my interest in  language and human connection. That interest is what I want to bring into my dual majors of foreign language and linguistics.

Essay Topic: A Girl Muses on a Dead Bird

One day, my cat attacked a bird in the front yard. In my vain attempt at saving its life, I was forced to reconcile with losing one of my best friends in a tragic accident years ago.

Essay Topic: I Shot My Brother

My lifelong jealousy towards my little brother erupted when I shot him with a bb gun. Haunted with guilt, I sought to treat my brother with newfound respect and love, and learned the importance of family.

4 trends that will shape the future of higher education

Higher education needs to address the problems it faces by moving towards active learning, and teaching skills that will endure in a changing world. Image:  Vasily Koloda for Unsplash

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Stay up to date:.

Listen to the article

• Measures adopted during the pandemic do not address the root causes of the problems facing higher education.
• Institutions need to undertake true reform, moving towards active learning, and teaching skills that will endure in a changing world.
• Formative assessment is more effective than high-stakes exams in equipping students with the skills they need to succeed.

Since the onset of the recent pandemic, schools and universities have been forced to put a lot of their teaching online. On the surface, this seems to have spurred a series of innovations in the education sector. Colleges around the world embraced more flexibility, offering both virtual and physical classrooms. Coding is making its way into more school curricula , and the SAT exam for college admission in the US has recently been shortened and digitized , making it easier to take and less stressful for students.

These changes might give the illusion that education is undergoing some much-needed reform. However, if we look closely, these measures do not address the real problems facing higher education. In most countries, higher education is inaccessible to the socio-economically underprivileged, certifies knowledge rather than nurtures learning, and focuses on easily-outdated knowledge. In brief, it is failing on both counts of quality and access.

Have you read?

Four ways universities can future-proof education, the global education crisis is even worse than we thought. here's what needs to happen, covid-19’s impact on jobs and education: using data to cushion the blow, higher education trends.

In the last year, we have started to see examples of true reform, addressing the root causes of the education challenge. Below are four higher education trends we see taking shape in 2022.

1. Learning from everywhere

There is recognition that as schools and universities all over the world had to abruptly pivot to online teaching, learning outcomes suffered across the education spectrum . However, the experiment with online teaching did force a reexamination of the concepts of time and space in the education world. There were some benefits to students learning at their own pace, and conducting science experiments in their kitchens . Hybrid learning does not just mean combining a virtual and physical classroom, but allowing for truly immersive and experiential learning, enabling students to apply concepts learned in the classroom out in the real world.

So rather than shifting to a “learn from anywhere ” approach (providing flexibility), education institutions should move to a “learn from everywhere ” approach (providing immersion). One of our partners, the European business school, Esade, launched a new bachelor’s degree in 2021, which combines classes conducted on campus in Barcelona, and remotely over a purpose-designed learning platform, with immersive practical experiences working in Berlin and Shanghai, while students create their own social enterprise. This kind of course is a truly hybrid learning experience.

2. Replacing lectures with active learning

Lectures are an efficient way of teaching and an ineffective way of learning. Universities and colleges have been using them for centuries as cost-effective methods for professors to impart their knowledge to students.

However, with digital information being ubiquitous and free, it seems ludicrous to pay thousands of dollars to listen to someone giving you information you can find elsewhere at a much cheaper price. School and college closures have shed light on this as bad lectures made their way into parents’ living rooms, demonstrating their ineffectiveness.

Education institutions need to demonstrate effective learning outcomes, and some are starting to embrace teaching methods that rely on the science of learning. This shows that our brains do not learn by listening, and the little information we learn that way is easily forgotten (as shown by the Ebbinghaus forgetting curve , below). Real learning relies on principles such as spaced learning, emotional learning, and the application of knowledge.

The educational establishment has gradually accepted this method, known as 'fully active learning'. There is evidence that it not only improves learning outcomes but also reduces the education gap with socio-economically disadvantaged students. For example, Paul Quinn College, an HBCU based in Texas, launched an Honors Program using fully active learning in 2020, combined with internships at regional employers. This has given students from traditionally marginalised backgrounds the opportunity to apply the knowledge gained at university in the real world.

3. Teaching skills that remain relevant in a changing world

According to a recent survey, 96% of Chief Academic Officers at universities think they are doing a good job preparing young people for the workforce . Less than half (41%) of college students and only 11% of business leaders shared that view. Universities continue to focus on teaching specific skills involving the latest technologies, even though these skills and the technologies that support them are bound to become obsolete. As a result, universities are forever playing catch up with the skills needed in the future workplace.

What we need to teach are skills that remain relevant in new, changing, and unknown contexts. For example, journalism students might once have been taught how to produce long-form stories that could be published in a newspaper; more recently, they would have been taught how to produce shorter pieces and post content for social media. More enduring skills would be: how to identify and relate to readers, how to compose a written piece; how to choose the right medium for your target readership. These are skills that cross the boundaries of disciplines, applying equally to scientific researchers or lawyers.

San Francisco-based Minerva University, which shares a founder with the Minerva Project, has broken down competencies such as critical thinking or creative thinking into foundational concepts and habits of mind . It teaches these over the four undergraduate years and across disciplines, regardless of the major a student chooses to pursue.

4. Using formative assessment instead of high-stake exams

If you were to sit the final exam of the subject you majored in today, how would you fare? Most of us would fail, as that exam did not measure our learning, but rather what information we retained at that point in time. Equally, many of us hold certifications in subject matters we know little about.

Many people gain admission to higher education based on standardized tests that skew to a certain socio-economic class , rather than measure any real competency level. Universities then try to rectify this bias by imposing admission quotas, rather than dissociating their evaluation of competence from income level. Many US universities are starting to abandon standardized tests, with Harvard leading the charge , and there have been some attempts to replace high-stake exams with other measures that not only assess learning outcomes but actually improve them.

Formative assessment, which entails both formal and informal evaluations through the learning journey, encourages students to actually improve their performance rather than just have it evaluated. The documentation and recording of this assessment includes a range of measures, replacing alphabetical or numerical grades that are uni-dimensional.

The COVID-19 pandemic and recent social and political unrest have created a profound sense of urgency for companies to actively work to tackle inequity.

The Forum's work on Diversity, Equality, Inclusion and Social Justice is driven by the New Economy and Society Platform, which is focused on building prosperous, inclusive and just economies and societies. In addition to its work on economic growth, revival and transformation, work, wages and job creation, and education, skills and learning, the Platform takes an integrated and holistic approach to diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice, and aims to tackle exclusion, bias and discrimination related to race, gender, ability, sexual orientation and all other forms of human diversity.

The Platform produces data, standards and insights, such as the Global Gender Gap Report and the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion 4.0 Toolkit , and drives or supports action initiatives, such as Partnering for Racial Justice in Business , The Valuable 500 – Closing the Disability Inclusion Gap , Hardwiring Gender Parity in the Future of Work , Closing the Gender Gap Country Accelerators , the Partnership for Global LGBTI Equality , the Community of Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officers and the Global Future Council on Equity and Social Justice .

The International School in Geneva just launched its Learner Passport that includes measures of creativity, responsibility and citizenship. In the US, a consortium of schools have launched the Mastery Transcript Consortium that has redesigned the high school transcript to show a more holistic picture of the competencies acquired by students.

Education reform requires looking at the root cause of some of its current problems. We need to look at what is being taught (curriculum), how (pedagogy), when and where (technology and the real world) and whom we are teaching (access and inclusion). Those institutions who are ready to address these fundamental issues will succeed in truly transforming higher education.

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The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.

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19 College Essay Topics and Prompts

Not sure what to write for your college essay? We've got you covered with a number of topics and prompts to help shape your unique story.

As part of your college application materials, you'll likely be asked to submit a college essay. These tend to be between 250 and 650 words , and are a unique opportunity to showcase your personality. Admissions panels are typically looking for students who will positively represent the school as a whole. In the end, your goal is to show them that you and the college are a good match. 

When drafting your college essay, you may be expected to answer a prompt or come up with a topic on your own. In this article, we've rounded up several ideas to get you thinking—and writing.

19 college essay topics

Each school sets different requirements around the college essay, so it's important to review the expectations around every application you intend to submit. Some give you creative freedom, while others expect you to respond to a pre-developed prompt. Either way, a strong college essay conveys to the admissions team who you are, why you want to attend that particular school, and what matters to you. It's a way to personalize an application that often focuses on quantitative data, such as GPA and SAT scores.

If you're given the creative freedom to write about whatever you want, consider a college essay topic that allows you to be honest and original. We've compiled the following ideas to help you brainstorm:

What's an important issue you care about? How have you gotten involved?

Have you changed your mind about something in recent years? What was it and why?

What's a situation that caused you to grow?

Explain a time when you failed. What did you learn from that moment?

Share a surprising pastime or hobby and what interested you about it.

What extracurricular activity are you involved in that speaks to your personality?

Detail a meaningful volunteer experience.

Dive into a meaningful travel experience.

Who do you most admire and why?

If you have a unique background, share a bit about it. How did you get where you are?

What's the best advice you've ever received?

Was there ever a time when you had to stand up for something—or someone?

What's something you might change about the world to make it better?

What do you hope to accomplish by attending college?

Is there something you want to do after graduating college?

Have you ever made or created something? Talk about it.

Do you have a big idea that could potentially impact your community?

What is most valuable to you? Dive into your values and share an example.

What are you most passionate about? Why?

Pre-developed college essay prompts

Some colleges and universities will give you a series of prompts to choose from. These will vary from school to school, and can either be questions or statements. Here are a few examples of both.

Sample question prompts:

What excites your intellectual curiosity?

How has your upbringing shaped the person you are today?

Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

Sample statement prompts:

Talk about an unusual circumstance in your life

Share how you hope to use your college education

Discuss a list of books you have read in the last year

Common App essay prompts

Common App is an online platform designed to simplify the college application process. Over 900 colleges use Common App, making it possible for you to fill out one application that's then submitted to multiple schools.

If you choose to complete the Common App, you'll have a choice of several distinctive prompts that change every academic year. Here's a sample of the 2022-2023 essay prompts [ 1 ]:

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

Stick to the prompt.

No matter what type of prompt you receive, it's your job to stick to it. The admissions team has a lot of essays to read, so you'll have a better chance of standing out if you develop a cohesive response that stays on topic.

Start by identifying the prompt's main topic, then spend some time brainstorming to find the idea that resonates most with you. For many people, it's the topic that makes them feel some sort of emotion or reminds them of an entertaining story. Understanding what you're being asked to write about should make staying on topic throughout the entire composition easier.

5 additional college essay tips

Once you decide what you'd like to write, follow the tips below to craft a standout essay. You can also find more advice about college essays in our article College Essay Format: Writing and Editing Tips .

1. Be considerate with humor.

Showing off your sense of humor lets your personality show through your words and can make reading the essay more entertaining. Try including a few sentences that you think will bring a smile to the reader's face, or use adjectives to insert some colorful comedy.

2. Offer insight.

Beyond recounting an event, experience, or memory, a great essay shows insight aka an ability to highlight meaningful takeaways. For example, if you choose to write about your unique hobby, try to discuss what you've learned from that pastime—or how you've grown as a result of it.

3. Add details

Great essays also invite the reader to connect with the story on an emotional level. With that in mind, it can help to recount a specific memory rather than answer a prompt without those colorful details. More than discussing something on a surface level—or vaguely—you want to provide enough particulars to keep your readers engaged. For example, if you choose to write about the best advice you ever received, set the scene and take the reader back to that moment.

4. Have an editor.

Your essay should ideally be error-free. Ask a trusted friend or family member to review your essay and suggest edits. An editor can help you catch grammatical errors or points out ways to better develop your response.

Avoid passing your paper along to too many people, though, so you don't lose your own voice amid all of the edits and suggestions. The admissions team wants to get to know you through your writing and not your sister or best friend who edited your paper.

5. Revise your essay.

Your first draft is just that: a draft. Give yourself plenty of time to read and revise your first pass and make sure you fully developed your response, stayed on topic, and shared your personality.

When revising your essay, you may find it helpful to read it aloud so you hear the words as you're saying them. Some people prefer to print a copy on paper and write notes by hand. Both options give your brain a new way to process the information to catch details you may miss if you keep everything in your head and on the computer.

Watch to find out why the essay many admission counselor's favorite part of the application:

Next steps: Apply with confidence

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160 Good Argumentative Essay Topics for Students in 2024

April 3, 2024

The skill of writing an excellent argumentative essay is a crucial one for every high school or college student to master. In sum, argumentative essays teach students how to organize their thoughts logically and present them in a convincing way. This skill is helpful not only for those pursuing degrees in law , international relations , or public policy , but for any student who wishes to develop their critical thinking faculties. In this article, we’ll cover what makes a good argument essay and offer several argumentative essay topics for high school and college students. Let’s begin!

What is an Argumentative Essay?

An argumentative essay is an essay that uses research to present a reasoned argument on a particular subject . As with the persuasive essay , the purpose of an argumentative essay is to sway the reader to the writer’s position. However, a strong persuasive essay makes its point through diligent research and emotion while a strong argumentative essay should be based solely on facts, not feelings.

Moreover, each fact should be supported by clear evidence from credible sources . Furthermore, a good argumentative essay will have an easy-to-follow structure. When organizing your argumentative essay, use this format as a guide:

• Introduction
• Supporting body paragraphs
• Paragraph(s) addressing common counterarguments

Argumentative Essay Format

In the introduction , the writer presents their position and thesis statement —a sentence that summarizes the paper’s main points. The body paragraphs then draw upon supporting evidence to back up this initial statement, with each paragraph focusing on its own point. The length of your paper will determine the amount of examples you need. In general, you’ll likely need at least two to three. Additionally, your examples should be as detailed as possible, citing specific research, case studies, statistics, or anecdotes.

In the counterargument paragraph , the writer acknowledges and refutes opposing viewpoints. Finally, in the conclusion , the writer restates the main argument made in the thesis statement and summarizes the points of the essay. Additionally, the conclusion may offer a final proposal to persuade the reader of the essay’s position.

How to Write an Effective Argumentative Essay, Step by Step

• Choose your topic. Use the list below to help you pick a topic. Ideally, a good argumentative essay topic will be meaningful to you—writing is always stronger when you are interested in the subject matter. In addition, the topic should be complex with plenty of “pro” and “con” arguments. Avoid choosing a topic that is either widely accepted as fact or too narrow. For example, “Is the earth round?” would not be a solid choice.
• Research. Use the library, the web, and any other resources to gather information about your argumentative essay topic. Research widely but smartly. As you go, take organized notes, marking the source of every quote and where it may fit in the scheme of your larger essay. Moreover, remember to look for (and research) possible counterarguments.
• Outline . Using the argument essay format above, create an outline for your essay. Then, brainstorm a thesis statement covering your argument’s main points, and begin to put your examples in order, focusing on logical flow. It’s often best to place your strongest example last.
• Write . Draw on your research and outline to create a first draft. Remember, your first draft doesn’t need to be perfect. (As Voltaire says, “Perfect is the enemy of good.”) Accordingly, just focus on getting the words down on paper.
• Does my thesis statement need to be adjusted?
• Which examples feel strongest? Weakest?
• Do the transitions flow smoothly?
• Do I have a strong opening paragraph?
• Does the conclusion reinforce my argument?

Tips for Revising an Argument Essay

Evaluating your own work can be difficult, so you might consider the following strategies:

• Read your work aloud to yourself.
• Record yourself reading your paper, and listen to the recording.
• Reverse outline your paper. Firstly, next to each paragraph, write a short summary of that paragraph’s main points/idea. Then, read through your reverse outline. Does it have a logical flow? If not, where should you adjust?
• Print out your paper and cut it into paragraphs. What happens when you rearrange the paragraphs?

Good Argumentative Essay Topics for Middle School, High School, and College Students

Family argumentative essay topics.

• Should the government provide financial incentives for families to have children to address the declining birth rate?
• Should we require parents to provide their children with a certain level of nutrition and physical activity to prevent childhood obesity?
• Should parents implement limits on how much time their children spend playing video games?
• Should cell phones be banned from family/holiday gatherings?
• Should we hold parents legally responsible for their children’s actions?
• Should children have the right to sue their parents for neglect?
• Should parents have the right to choose their child’s religion?
• Are spanking and other forms of physical punishment an effective method of discipline?
• Should courts allow children to choose where they live in cases of divorce?
• Should parents have the right to monitor teens’ activity on social media?
• Should parents control their child’s medical treatment, even if it goes against the child’s wishes?
• Should parents be allowed to post pictures of their children on social media without their consent?
• Should fathers have a legal say in whether their partners do or do not receive an abortion?
• Can television have positive developmental benefits on children?
• Should the driving age be raised to prevent teen car accidents?
• Should adult children be legally required to care for their aging parents?

Education Argument Essay Topics

• Should schools ban the use of technology like ChatGPT?
• Are zoos unethical, or necessary for conservation and education?
• To what degree should we hold parents responsible in the event of a school shooting?
• Should schools offer students a set number of mental health days?
• Should school science curriculums offer a course on combating climate change?
• Should public libraries be allowed to ban certain books? If so, what types?
• What role, if any, should prayer play in public schools?
• Should schools push to abolish homework?
• Are gifted and talented programs in schools more harmful than beneficial due to their exclusionary nature?
• Should universities do away with Greek life?
• Should schools remove artwork, such as murals, that some perceive as offensive?
• Should the government grant parents the right to choose alternative education options for their children and use taxpayer funds to support these options?
• Is homeschooling better than traditional schooling for children’s academic and social development?
• Should we require schools to teach sex education to reduce teen pregnancy rates?
• Should we require schools to provide sex education that includes information about both homosexual and heterosexual relationships?
• Should colleges use affirmative action and other race-conscious policies to address diversity on campus?
• Should public schools remove the line “under God” from the Pledge of Allegiance?
• Should college admissions officers be allowed to look at students’ social media accounts?
• Should schools abolish their dress codes, many of which unfairly target girls, LGBTQ students, and students of color?
• Should schools be required to stock free period products in bathrooms?
• Should legacy students receive preferential treatment during the college admissions process?
• Are school “voluntourism” trips ethical?

Government Argumentative Essay Topics

• Should the U.S. decriminalize prostitution?
• Should the U.S. issue migration visas to all eligible applicants?
• Should the federal government cancel all student loan debt?
• Should we lower the minimum voting age? If so, to what?
• Should the federal government abolish all laws penalizing drug production and use?
• Should the U.S. use its military power to deter a Chinese invasion of Taiwan?
• Should the U.S. supply Ukraine with further military intelligence and supplies?
• Should the North and South of the U.S. split up into two regions?
• Should Americans hold up nationalism as a critical value?
• Should we permit Supreme Court justices to hold their positions indefinitely?
• Should Supreme Court justices be democratically elected?
• Is the Electoral College still a productive approach to electing the U.S. president?
• Should the U.S. implement a national firearm registry?
• Is it ethical for countries like China and Israel to mandate compulsory military service for all citizens?
• Should the U.S. government implement a ranked-choice voting system?
• Should institutions that benefited from slavery be required to provide reparations?
• Based on the 1619 project, should history classes change how they teach about the founding of the U.S.?
• Should term limits be imposed on Senators and Representatives? If so, how long?
• Should women be allowed into special forces units?
• Should the federal government implement stronger, universal firearm licensing laws?
• Do public sex offender registries help prevent future sex crimes?
• Should the government be allowed to regulate family size?
• Should all adults legally be considered mandated reporters?
• Should the government fund public universities to make higher education more accessible to low-income students?
• Should the government fund universal preschool to improve children’s readiness for kindergarten?

Health/Bioethics Argumentative Essay Topics

• Should the U.S. government offer its own healthcare plan?
• In the case of highly infectious pandemics, should we focus on individual freedoms or public safety when implementing policies to control the spread?
• Should we legally require parents to vaccinate their children to protect public health?
• Is it ethical for parents to use genetic engineering to create “designer babies” with specific physical and intellectual traits?
• Should the government fund research on embryonic stem cells for medical treatments?
• Should the government legalize assisted suicide for terminally ill patients?
• Should organ donation be mandatory?
• Is cloning animals ethical?
• Should cancer screenings start earlier? If so, what age?
• Is surrogacy ethical?
• Should birth control require a prescription?
• Should minors have access to emergency contraception?
• Should hospitals be for-profit or nonprofit institutions?

Good Argumentative Essay Topics — Continued

Social media argumentative essay topics.

• Should the federal government increase its efforts to minimize the negative impact of social media?
• Do social media and smartphones strengthen one’s relationships?
• Should antitrust regulators take action to limit the size of big tech companies?
• Should social media platforms ban political advertisements?
• Should the federal government hold social media companies accountable for instances of hate speech discovered on their platforms?
• Do apps such as TikTok and Instagram ultimately worsen the mental well-being of teenagers?
• Should governments oversee how social media platforms manage their users’ data?
• Should social media platforms like Facebook enforce a minimum age requirement for users?
• Should social media companies be held responsible for cases of cyberbullying?
• Should the United States ban TikTok?
• Is social media harmful to children?
• Should employers screen applicants’ social media accounts during the hiring process?

Religion Argument Essay Topics

• Should religious institutions be tax-exempt?
• Should religious symbols such as the hijab or crucifix be allowed in public spaces?
• Should religious freedoms be protected, even when they conflict with secular laws?
• Should the government regulate religious practices?
• Should we allow churches to engage in political activities?
• Religion: a force for good or evil in the world?
• Should the government provide funding for religious schools?
• Is it ethical for healthcare providers to deny abortions based on religious beliefs?
• Should religious organizations be allowed to discriminate in their hiring practices?
• Should we allow people to opt out of medical treatments based on their religious beliefs?
• Should the U.S. government hold religious organizations accountable for cases of sexual abuse within their community?
• Should religious beliefs be exempt from anti-discrimination laws?
• Should religious individuals be allowed to refuse services to others based on their beliefs or lifestyles? (As in this famous case .)
• Should the US ban religion-based federal holidays?
• Should public schools be allowed to teach children about religious holidays?

Science Argument Essay Topics

• Would the world be safer if we eliminated nuclear weapons?
• Should scientists bring back extinct animals? If so, which ones?
• Should we hold companies fiscally responsible for their carbon footprint?
• Should we ban pesticides in favor of organic farming methods?
• Should the federal government ban all fossil fuels, despite the potential economic impact on specific industries and communities?
• What renewable energy source should the U.S. invest more money in?
• Should the FDA outlaw GMOs?
• Should we worry about artificial intelligence surpassing human intelligence?
• Should the alternative medicine industry be more stringently regulated?
• Is colonizing Mars a viable option?
• Is the animal testing worth the potential to save human lives?

Sports Argument Essay Topics

• Should colleges compensate student-athletes?
• How should sports teams and leagues address the gender pay gap?
• Should youth sports teams do away with scorekeeping?
• Should we ban aggressive contact sports like boxing and MMA?
• Should professional sports associations mandate that athletes stand during the national anthem?
• Should high schools require their student-athletes to maintain a certain GPA?
• Should transgender athletes compete in sports according to their gender identity?
• Should schools ban football due to the inherent danger it poses to players?
• Should performance-enhancing drugs be allowed in sports?
• Do participation trophies foster entitlement and unrealistic expectations?
• Should sports teams be divided by gender?
• Should professional athletes be allowed to compete in the Olympics?
• Should women be allowed on NFL teams?

Technology Argumentative Essay Topics

• Should sites like DALL-E compensate the artists whose work it was trained on?
• Should the federal government make human exploration of space a more significant priority?
• Is it ethical for the government to use surveillance technology to monitor citizens?
• Should websites require proof of age from their users? If so, what age?
• Should we consider A.I.-generated images and text pieces of art?
• Does the use of facial recognition technology violate individuals’ privacy?
• Is online learning as effective as in-person learning?
• Does computing harm the environment?
• Should buying, sharing, and selling collected personal data be illegal?
• Are electric cars really better for the environment?
• Should car companies be held responsible for self-driving car accidents?
• Should private jets be banned?
• Do violent video games contribute to real-life violence?

Business Argument Essay Topics

• Should the U.S. government phase out the use of paper money in favor of a fully digital currency system?
• Should the federal government abolish its patent and copyright laws?
• Should we replace the Federal Reserve with free-market institutions?
• Is free-market ideology responsible for the U.S. economy’s poor performance over the past decade?
• Will cryptocurrencies overtake natural resources like gold and silver?
• Is capitalism the best economic system? What system would be better?
• Should the U.S. government enact a universal basic income?
• Should we require companies to provide paid parental leave to their employees?
• Should the government raise the minimum wage? If so, to what?
• Should antitrust regulators break up large companies to promote competition?
• Is it ethical for companies to prioritize profits over social responsibility?
• Should gig-economy workers like Uber and Lyft drivers be considered employees or independent contractors?
• Should the federal government regulate the gig economy to ensure fair treatment of workers?
• Should the government require companies to disclose the environmental impact of their products?
• Should companies be allowed to fire employees based on political views or activities?
• Should tipping practices be phased out?
• Should employees who choose not to have children be given the same amount of paid leave as parents?
• Should MLMs (multi-level marketing companies) be illegal?
• Should employers be allowed to factor tattoos and personal appearance into hiring decisions?

In Conclusion – Argument Essay Topics

Using the tips above, you can effectively structure and pen a compelling argumentative essay that will wow your instructor and classmates. Remember to craft a thesis statement that offers readers a roadmap through your essay, draw on your sources wisely to back up any claims, and read through your paper several times before it’s due to catch any last-minute proofreading errors. With time, diligence, and patience, your essay will be the most outstanding assignment you’ve ever turned in…until the next one rolls around.

Looking for more fresh and engaging topics for use in the classroom? You might consider checking out the following:

• 125 Good Debate Topics for High School Students
• 150 Good Persuasive Speech Topics
• 7 Best Places to Study
• Guide to the IB Extended Essay
• How to Write the AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay
• AP Lit Reading List
• How to Write the AP Lang Synthesis Essay
• 49 Most Interesting Biology Research Topics
• High School Success

Lauren Green

With a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing from Columbia University and an MFA in Fiction from the Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas at Austin, Lauren has been a professional writer for over a decade. She is the author of the chapbook  A Great Dark House  (Poetry Society of America, 2023) and a forthcoming novel (Viking/Penguin).

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• Academy of Management Learning & Education Features a wide range of materials devoted to management education in colleges and universities, and all organizations that formally foster learning about management. from 09/01/2002 to present
• Economics of Education Review Publishes research on education policy and finance, human capital production and acquisition, and the returns to human capital from 1981 to present
• Educational Administration Quarterly Publishes prominent empirical and conceptual articles focused on timely and critical leadership and policy issues of educational organizations. Coverage from 1965 to the present
• Educational Management Administration & Leadership Publishes original and significant contributions on educational administration, management and leadership, in its widest sense, from all over the world. From 1965 to present
• Harvard Business Review Presents analysis of management problems and helpful commentary on advanced thinking and practice in all fields of management and administration. from 10/01/1922 to present
• Higher Education Management & Policy Previously published as Higher Education Management, Higher Education Management and Policy (HEMP). It covers the field through articles and reports on such issues as quality assurance, human resources, funding, and internationalisation. It also is a source of information on activities and events organised by OECD’s IMHE Programme. from 2001 to present
• International Journal of Organizational Innovation Contains research, scholarship, educational and practitioner perspectives on management/organizational-related themes and topics. from 04/01/2009 to present
• Leader to Leader Report on management, leadership, and strategy written by today's top leaders themselves. from 01/01/2000 to present
• University Business (non-scholarly) Deals with the bureaucratic side of higher learning. from 12/01/2001 to present

Provides access to Cambridge University Press journals and ebooks across all academic disciplines. Tutorial for the Cambridge Core database.

• Chronicle of Higher Education - Web Edition This link opens in a new window The Chronicle of Higher Education -Web Edition is the online edition of the Chronicle, the leading source of news and information on Higher Education. The web edition includes exclusive multimedia features, such as videos and podcasts, on current topics in higher education. (Non-scholarly source)
• Educational Administration Abstracts This link opens in a new window Abstracts of literature concerning educational administration, including educational leadership, educational management, and educational research. Tutorial for the Educational Administration Abstracts database.
• Education Database This link opens in a new window Coverage spans the literature on primary, secondary and higher education as well as special education, home schooling and adult education.

• ScienceDirect This link opens in a new window Access (searching and browsing) journals and eBooks published by Elsevier and its partners. Covers most disciplines, including science, medicine, economics and the social sciences. Tutorial for the ScienceDirect database.
• Social Sciences Citation Index This link opens in a new window Indexes more than 3,000 journals across 55 social science disciplines, as well as selected items from 3,500 of the world's leading scientific and technical journals. Covers from 1900 to the present. Part of Web of Science. Tutorial for the Social Science Citation Index Expanded database.
• Web of Science: Core Collection This link opens in a new window Contains citations and searchable author abstracts, covering scholarly literature in journals, books and conference proceedings. Includes: Science Citation Index Expanded, Social Sciences Citation Index, Arts and Humanities Citation Index, Book Citation Index, Conference Proceedings Citation Index, Current Chemical Reactions, Index Chemicus, and Emerging Sources Citation Index. Additional resources available by selecting from the dropdown list next to the Core Collection heading. Tutorial for the Web of Science: Core Collection database.

• American Association of University Administrators (AAUA) Works to develop and advance superior standards for the profession of higher education administration.
• American Council on Education: Leadership ACE is consistently at the center of federal policy debates in areas critical to higher education. Because of our role as a convener of higher education associations and agencies, the higher education community is able to speak with one clear voice on vital issues affecting institutions and students.
• Association of College Administration Professionals (ACAP) Provides services to all college and university administrators, regardless of their positions.
• Commission for Academic Affairs ( ACPA) Provides outreach, advocacy, and professional development opportunities to individuals in higher education who work in or with academic affairs related areas.
• Council of Higher Education Management Associations (CHEMA) An informal voluntary assembly of management-oriented higher education associations in the United States and Canada.

This page links to resources related to issues in community colleges and higher education.  Including relevant:

• Community College Enterprise Published by and for community college practitioners, fosters & shares sound educational practices based upon scholarship & research. from 11/01/2003 to present
• Community College Journal Features articles by leading experts, opinions that put the news in perspective, coverage of higher education issues, & profiles of the field's leaders; covers news & information from a national network of colleges, providing the latest surveys, etc. from 02/01/2000 to present
• Community College Journal of Research and Practice Multidisciplinary forum for researchers and practitioners in higher education and the behavioral and social sciences. It promotes an increased awareness of community college issues by providing an exchange of ideas, research, and empirically tested educational innovations. from 01/01/1997 to present
• Community College Review Publishes articles on all aspects of community college administration, education, and policy, both within the American higher education system as well as within the higher education systems of other countries that have similar tertiary institutions. from 04/01/1973 to present
• Journal of Applied Research in the Community College Focused on serving institutional researchers and planners in community colleges. All submissions must have clearly identified recommendations for practice, which inform enhanced programming, policies, practices, and structures in community colleges. from 09/01/2004 to present
• ERIC This link opens in a new window References to thousands of educational topics. Indexes journal articles, books, theses, curricula, conference papers, standards, guidelines and more. ERIC documents (non-journal literature) are available full-text, 1993 to the present. View a tutorial on this database here .
• Taylor and Francis Online This link opens in a new window Search, browse, and access the full text of more than 2,000 journals published by Taylor & Francis covering the humanities, medicine, the social sciences, science, and technology. View a tutorial on this database here.

• American Association for Women in Community Colleges (AAWCC) AAWCC has worked deliberately and diligently to ensure the equitable treatment and success of women in community colleges.
• American Association of Community Colleges AACC promotes community colleges through five strategic action areas: recognition and advocacy for community colleges; student access, learning, and success; community college leadership development; economic and workforce development; and global and intercultural education.
• American Student Association of Community Colleges (ASACC) A national student-governed organization that provides leadership, citizenship and advocacy development opportunities for community college student government leaders.
• Community College Research Center Leading independent authority on the nation’s nearly 1,200 two-year colleges.

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• Gateways: International Journal of Community Research & Engagement Concerned with the practice and processes of community research and other forms of engagement. from 2008 to present
• International Journal for Service Learning in Engineering Focuses on projects, programs, research and pedagogy that involve humanitarian engineering, social entrepreneurship, and service learning. from 2006 to present
• Journal of Community Engagement and Scholarship Integrates teaching, research, and community engagement in all disciplines, addressing problems identified through a community-participatory process. from 09/01/2008 to present
• Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement Features content on theory and practice related to all forms of outreach and engagement between higher education institutions and communities. from Spring 1996 to present
• Chronicle of Higher Education - Web Edition This link opens in a new window Source of news and information on Higher Education. Includes exclusive multimedia features, such as videos and podcasts, on current topics in higher education. Additionally, the current annual Almanac of Higher Education is accessible for demographic information in higher education. Other features include interactive tools for career development, and job searching.
• ECAR (EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research) This link opens in a new window Publications about the role and implications of information technology in higher education. Access to full-text is available only to current GMU faculty, staff and students by registering for a user name and password. note: Click on Login to create a user profile (with your Mason e-mail account) or to log in to your account.
• Education Database This link opens in a new window Gives users access to over 900 educational publications.. Coverage spans the literature on primary, secondary and higher education as well as special education, home schooling, and adult education.
• ProQuest Social Sciences Collections This link opens in a new window Provides global indexing of the scholarly literature in the social sciences, including full-text scholarly journals and key non-periodical sources such as dissertations and working papers, covering political science, sociology, the applied social sciences, criminal justice, education, and other areas.

• Doing More with Less [Summary] : the Role of School-Community Partnerships in the Academic Success and Post-Secondary Aspirations of Low-income Students in Small Rural Schools in Virginia The work of rural K-12 educators is necessarily supplemented by community organizations and individuals in a wide variety of ways both inside and outside the school setting. Such support, referred to in the report as school-community partnerships, was found to be vital to the success of small rural schools and area students, particularly those from low-income backgrounds
• Civic Learning American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) AAC&U provides many resources for strengthening civic and social responsibility, including white papers, campus models and case studies, assessment tools, and publications. This is an institutional membership organization, though many resources are also available to nonmembers
• Engagement Scholarship Consortium (ESC) Supports university-community partnerships with an emphasis on research and scholarship. In addition to an annual conference and publishing two journals, ESC also offers an annual, selective Emerging Engagement Scholars Workshop for doctoral students and early-career faculty interested in community-engaged scholarship.
• International Association for Research on Service-Learning and Community Engagement (IARSLCE) This key organization advances research focused on community engagement. It offers an annual conference and provides resources such as a journal, Graduate Student Network, job postings, an email newsletter, webinars, and awards/recognition for faculty and graduate student scholarship.
• National Service-Learning Clearinghouse This searchable database of free online service-learning resources includes assignments, articles, activities, reflection prompts, and more. It includes both K–12 and higher education resources.
• Swearer Center for Public Service, Brown University. The center coordinates the elective Community Engagement Classification for higher education institutions (formerly coordinated by the Carnegie Foundation, 2006-2016). Criteria includes institutional mission, reciprocity of community relationships, assessment, scholarship, and other areas.
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• American Journal of Distance Education Provides a unique depository of previous research as well as the most recent research-based knowledge about all aspects of the pedagogy of the field. from 01/01/1997 to present
• Distance Education The journal publishes research and scholarly material in the fields of open, distance and flexible education where learners are free from the constraints of the time, pace and place of study. 1997 to present
• International Journal of Distance Education Technologies A forum for researchers and practitioners to disseminate practical solutions to the automation of open and distance learning . from 01/01/2003 to present
• International Journal of e-Learning & Distance Education Aims are to promote and encourage scholarly work in e-learning and distance education and provide a forum for the dissemination of international scholarship. from 03/01/2014 to present
• Open Education: The Journal for Open Education & Educational Technology Publishes theoretical papers, original research, translations of articles, reviews and presentation of congress, symposiums, conferences, seminars and educational activities which are relevant to Open and Distance Education Technology. from 12/01/2009 to present
• Quarterly Review of Distance Education Publishes articles, research briefs, reviews, & editorials dealing with the theories, research, & practices of distance education. from 03/01/2002 to present
• Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education (TOJDE) Contains articles focusing on the issues and challenges of providing theory, research and information services to global learners in any kind of distance education or open learning applications. from 2000 to present
• Education Database This link opens in a new window Coverage spans the literature on primary, secondary and higher education as well as special education, home schooling and adult education. More Info
• LearnTechLib This link opens in a new window Contains over thirty years worth of peer-reviewed and published international journal articles and conference papers on the latest research, developments, and applications related to all aspects of Educational Technology and E-Learning. View a tutorial on this database here .

• EDUCAUSE A nonprofit association that helps higher education elevate the impact of Information Technology
• European Association for Distance Learning (EADL) EADL aims to improve the quality and acceptance of distance learning to ensure the maximum benefit for students. EADL provides its members with a forum for open discussion of all issues related to distance learning and for sharing ideas and good practice.
• International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE) Global membership organization for online, open and flexible education and draws its membership from institutions, educational authorities, commercial actors, and individuals.
• Online Learning Consortium Dedicated to quality digital education for anyone, anywhere, anytime.
• United States Distance Learning Association The first nonprofit distance learning association in the United States to support distance learning research, development and praxis across the complete arena of education, training and communications.
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This page links to resources related to issues in international higher education.  Including relevant:

• Comprehensive Internationalzation
• British Educational Research Journal International peer reviewed medium for the publication of articles of interest to researchers in education and has rapidly become a major focal point for the publication of educational research from throughout the world. from 1997 to present
• Education Research International An international journal aimed at facilitating the global exchange of education theory from 2011 to present
• International Journal of Educational Development Reports new insight and foster critical debate about the role that education plays in development. from 1981 to present
• Journal of Higher Education Publishes original research reporting on the academic study of higher education as a broad enterprise. from 01/01/1997 to present
• Journal of Studies in International Education (JSIE) Forum for higher education leaders, administrators, educators, researchers and policy makers interested in all facets of the internationalization of higher education. from 03/01/1997 to present

• Max Planck Encyclopedia of Public International Law Online No longer available as of December 2023
• Social Sciences Citation Index This link opens in a new window A multidisciplinary database indexing more than 3,000 journals across 55 social science disciplines, as well as selected items from 3,500 of the world's leading scientific and technical journals
• Springer LINK This link opens in a new window Access over 480 journals, books, book series (including Lecture Notes in Computer Science and Topics in Current Chemistry), protocols, and reference works published by Springer and its partners. Covers subjects in computer science, engineering, humanities, social sciences, law, business and economics, biomedical and life sciences. Tutorial for the Springer LINK database.

Comprehensive Internationalization Framework

Comprehensive internationalization is defined by the American Council on Education (ACE) as a strategic, coordinated process that seeks to align and integrate policies, programs, and initiatives to position colleges and universities as more globally oriented and internationally connected institutions.

Based on its work colleges and universities in the  ACE Internationalization Laboratory  and other institutions, ACE has identify six interconnected target areas that require attention and resources in order to achieve truly comprehensive internationalization. Together, these comprise the  ACE Model for Comprehensive Internationalization :

For detailed information about the  six interconnected target areas pictured above, click on the following link:  Comprehensive internationalization Framework .

Visit the Internalization Toolkit   which includes e xamples of policies, programs, surveys, and information from participants in the Internalization Laboratory  program and other institutions.

• Alliance for International Exchange An association of 90 nongovernmental organizations comprising the international educational and cultural exchange community in the United States.
• American Council on Education (ACE) describe
• ACE Model for Comprehensive Internationalization Based on its work colleges and universities in the ACE Internationalization Laboratory and other institutions, ACE has identify six interconnected target areas that require attention and resources in order to achieve truly comprehensive internationalization. Together, these comprise the ACE Model for Comprehensive Internationalization:
• Consortium for North American Higher Education Collaboration CONAHEC advises and connects institutions interested in establishing or strengthening academic collaborative programs within the North American region and beyond.
• European Association for International Education (EAIE) The EAIE is the European centre for expertise, networking and resources in the internationalisation of higher education.
• IIE: The Power of International Education IIE’s mission is to help people and organizations leverage the power of international education to thrive in today’s interconnected world
• International Higher Education Teaching and Learning Association (HETL) The aim of HETL is to bring together higher education professionals and thought leaders from around the world to dialogue, network, and collaborate on issues relevant to teaching and learning in higher education.
• NAFSA: Association of International Educators the world's largest nonprofit association dedicated to international education and exchange, working to advance policies and practices that ensure a more interconnected, peaceful world today and for generations to come.
• Federal & State Resources

This page links to resources related to the role of legislation and law in higher education. Including relevant:

• Brigham Young University Education and Law Journal Articles, review articles, commentary and book reviews covering legal topics within the field of education. from 1993 to present
• Journal of College and University Law he only law review in the United States dedicated exclusively to the law of higher education. Since post-secondary education represents a microcosm of the greater community and world, virtually all legal issues of significant interest—race, gender, freedom of speech, religion and bioethics—arise on our campuses. from 1973 to present
• Journal of Law and Education Devoted exclusively to school law, with emphasis on critical current & emerging issues, serving both the legal & educational professions. from 1972 to present
• HeinOnline Very large image-based legal research database includes such collections as: Legal Classics, Law Journal Library, U.S. Supreme Court Library, U.S. Federal Legislative History Library, Treaties and Agreements Library and more.
• JSTOR Collection of core scholarly journals in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences digitized in most cases back to the first date of issue. JSTOR also includes selected books, primary sources and other materials for academic work.

JSTOR The complete text (full back runs) of core scholarly journals in Anthropology, Asian Studies, Ecology, Economics, Education, Finance, History, Mathematics, Philosophy, Political Science, Population Studies and Sociology.

PolicyFile Public policy research and analytical papers on governmental and legal topics can be accessed here, representing the work of think tanks, research groups and academic institutes.

Public Affairs Information Service Formerly PAIS Decade, this database consists of articles, books, conference proceedings, government documents, book chapters, and statistical directories.

• Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) The official compilation of all administrative regulations issued by agencies of the state of Maryland.
• Congress.gov Presented by the Library of Congress, Congress.gov is the official website for U.S. federal legislative information.
• Maryland Higher Education Commission Coordinating board responsible for establishing statewide policies for Maryland public and private colleges and universities and for-profit career schools. MHEC also administers state financial aid programs that affect students on a statewide basis.
• State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) SCHEV is the Commonwealth's coordinating body for higher education.
• U.S. Department of Education - Laws and Guidance Legislation, regulations, guidance, and other policy documents can be found here for the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), and other topics. NOTE: In the U.S., the federal role in education is limited. Because of the Tenth Amendment, most education policy is decided at the state and local levels.
• Virginia Codes, Rules and Statutes Includes bill tracking, browsing and searching, a comprehensive subject index of bills, resolutions and documents, and state code searching.

• Center for Excellence in Higher Education Law and Policy at Stetson Law School Provides a unique resource for both attorneys and non-attorneys alike in advancing a better understanding of the ever-changing realm of higher education.
• Education Law Association he premier association for practical knowledge, scholarship, and interdisciplinary dialogue about legal and policy issues affecting all levels of education.
• National Association for College and University Attorneys The Association's purpose is to enhance legal assistance to colleges and universities by educating attorneys and administrators as to the nature of campus legal issues.
• University of Houston Law Center: Institute for Higher Education Law and Governance It has as its primary aim providing information and publications to colleges and universities related to the field of higher education law, and also has a broader mission to be a focal point for discussion and thoughtful analysis of higher education legal issues
• Professesional Organizations

This page links to resources related to issues related to minorities and gender in higher education.  Including relevant:

• Diverse Issues in Higher Education Covers issues & events affecting diverse groups in higher education. from 8/25/2005 to present
• Equity and Excellence in Education Contains essays relating to implementing equality of learning and expanding understanding of its implications in a multicultural world; studies on schools in society. from 04/01/1997 to present
• Gender & Education Articles and viewpoints from around the world which contribute to feminist knowledge, theory, consciousness, action, and debate. from 03/01/1995 to present
• Gender, Work and Organization Dedicated to advancing theory, research and analytically driven applications concerning gender relations at work, the organization of gender and the gendering of organizations. Draws on organisation and management theory, cultural studies etc. from 01/01/1996 to present
• Journal of Diversity in Higher Education Offers research findings, theory, and promising practices to help guide the efforts of institutions of higher education in the pursuit of inclusive excellence. from 03/01/2008 to present
• Journal of Hispanic Higher Education Devoted to the advancement of knowledge and understanding of issues at Hispanic-serving institutions. from 01/01/2002 to present
• Women Studies Quarterly An interdisciplinary forum for the exchange of emerging perspectives on women, gender, and sexuality from 03/01/2008 to present
• GenderWatch This link opens in a new window Provides publications that focus on how gender impacts a broad spectrum of subject areas. Its archival material, dating back to 1970, focuses on the evolution of the women's movement, men's studies, the transgendered community and the changes in gender roles over the years.
• LGBTQ+ Source This link opens in a new window Historically significant Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender journals, magazines and regional newspapers, as well as full-text monographs/books. Scope includes traditional academic, cultural, lifestyle and regional material, as well as speeches, case studies, newsletters and more.
• Sociological Abstracts This link opens in a new window Abstracts and indexes the international literature of sociology and related disciplines in the social and behavioral sciences.

• American Association of University Professors Committed solely to college and university faculty members. It defends academic freedom and tenure, advocates collegial governance, and develops policies ensuring due process.
• American Association of University Women (AAUW) The nation’s leading voice promoting equity and education for women and girls.
• American Council on Education: Diversity & Inclusion Programs, resources and research to foster greater diversity and inclusion in higher education, particularly within the senior leadership ranks.
• Association on Higher Education & Disability (AHEAD) AHEAD has offered an unparalleled member experience to disability resource professionals, student affairs personnel, ADA coordinators, diversity officers, AT/IT staff, faculty and other instructional personnel, and colleagues who are invested in creating welcoming higher education experiences for disabled individuals.
• Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals Support individuals who work on campuses to educate and support people of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities, as well as advocate for more inclusive policies and practices through an intersectional and racial justice framework
• Hispanic Association of Colleges & Univeristies (HACU) HACU is committed to Hispanic success in education, from kindergarten through graduate school and into the work force of tomorrow.
• Planning journals
• Policy Journals

This page links to scholarly and empirical resources which examine: local, regional, state and federal higher education policies local, regional, state and federal higher education planning policies and practices related to the economics of higher education higher education legislation and the law

• Journal of Marketing for Higher Education Focuses on the marketing of higher education. from 02/01/1997 to present
• Perspectives: Policy and Practice in Higher Education Provides higher education managers and administrators with innovative material which analyses and informs their practice of management. from 03/01/1997
• Planning for Higher Education Covers trends and issues in academic planning and management, planning techniques and applied research of relevance to educational decision making. from 10/01/2008 to present
• Quality in Higher Education Aimed at those interested in the theory, practice and policies relating to the control, management and improvement of quality in higher education from 04/01/1997 to present
• Educational Policy Examines the relationship between educational policy and educational practice, and sheds new light on important debates and controversies within the field. from 03/01/1987 to present
• Education Policy Analysis and strategic research Contains analysis of education policy at all levels and in all nations. 01/15/2006 to present
• Higher Education Policy Focuses on issues of significance in higher education policy. from 01/01/1997 to present
• Higher Education Quarterly Articles concerned with policy, strategic management and ideas in higher education. from 1987 to present
• Journal of Education Policy Publishes original, critically and theoretically informed research that discusses, analyses and debates policymaking, policy implementation and the impact of policy at all levels and in all facets of formal and informal education from 01/01/1997 to present
• Journal of Higher Education Policy & Management The journal also aims to be of use to managers and senior academic staff who seek to place their work and interests in a broad context and influence educational policy and practice. from 05/01/1997 to present
• Studies in Higher Education The Journal welcomes contributions that seek to enhance understanding of higher education policy, institutional management and performance, teaching and learning, and the contribution of higher education to society and the economy. from 01/01/1976 to present
• PAIS Index This link opens in a new window Covers issues in the public debate through selective coverage of a variety of international sources including journal articles, books, government documents, statistical directories, grey literature, research reports, conference papers, web content, and more, from 1972 to present. Includes PAIS Archive, covering content published in print 1915-1976. Tutorial for PAIS Index database.

• Association for the Study of Higher Education romotes collaboration among its members and others engaged in the study of higher education through research, conferences, and publications, including its highly regarded journal,
• Brown Center on Education Policy at the Brookings Institution The Law Library collects all Brookings Institution publications; check GULLiver catalog for print versions. This site provides a subject arrangement of Brookings' publications on education. Topics included are: education equality, education finance, education research, education statistics, elementary and secondary education (K-12), higher education, school choice, teachers, testing and assessments.
• Society for College and University Planning (SCUP) community of higher education leaders responsible for the integration of planning on their campuses and for the professionals who support them.
• University Risk Management and Insurance Association (URMIA) URMIA's core purpose is to promote the advancement and application of effective risk management principles and practices in institutions of higher education.

This page links to resources related to issues in program evaluation in higher education.  Including relevant:

• American Journal of Evaluation Contains articles on techniques and methods of evaluation to assist evaluators to improve the theory and practice of their profession, to develop their skills, to encourage dialogue, and to improve their knowledege base. from 02/01/1981 to present
• Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education Provides current information about significant developments within the field of assessment & evaluation in higher education. from 03/01/1997 to present
• Educational Assessment, Evaluation & Accountability Original title: Journal of Personnel Evaluation in Education (2002 - 2007). Focuses on educational effectiveness from 2009 to present
• Evaluation & Program Planning Based on the principle that the techniques and methods of evaluation and planning transcend the boundaries of specific fields and that relevant contributions to these areas come from people representing many different positions, intellectual traditions, and interests. from 1978 to present

Cambridge Journals Online   Over 125 specialized journals from renowned research societies and associations in the sciences, social sciences, and humanities.

Education Full Text  Coverage of education-related English-language periodicals, monographs & yearbooks. Topics include: comparative education, educational technology, multicultural/ethnic education, teaching methods, literacy standards, school administration & others.

Education Research Complete   Education Research Complete covers all aspects of education including multilingual education, health education, testing, curriculum instruction, administration, policy, funding, and all levels of education from early childhood to higher education.

Educational Administration Abstracts   Abstracts of literature concerning educational administration, including educational leadership, educational management, and educational research.

Social Sciences Citation Index   A multidisciplinary database, with searchable author abstracts for over 60% of the articles, covering the journal literature of the social sciences

• The American Evaluation Association The American Evaluation Association is a professional association of evaluators devoted to the application and exploration of program evaluation, personnel evaluation, technology, and many other forms of evaluation. Evaluation involves assessing the strengths and weaknesses of programs, policies, personnel, products, and organizations to improve their effectiveness.
• Center for Measuring University Performance (MUP) A research enterprise focused on the competitive national context for major research universities. The MUP work relies heavily on the initiative and insight of its advisory board and draws on the insight and recommendations of many colleagues throughout the country who contribute data, information, and perspective.
• Council for Higher Education Accreditation A national advocate and institutional voice for promoting academic quality through accreditation,
• Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS} Pre-eminent force for promoting standards in student affairs, student services, and student development programs.
• National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment (NILOA) NILOA’s primary objective is to discover and disseminate ways that academic programs and institutions can productively use assessment data internally to inform and strengthen undergraduate education, and externally to communicate with policy makers, families and other stakeholders.
• Professional Oragnizations

This page links to resources related to issues in student services in higher education.  Including relevant:

• College Student Affairs Journal Focuses on concepts, practices, and research that have implications and applicability for practitioners involved in college student affairs work. from 03/01/2005 to present
• Journal of College & University Student Housing Features current research, literature reviews, & other scholarly material of interest to housing officers. from 06/01/2004 to present
• Journal of College Student Development Largest and leading source of research about college students and the field of student affairs, publishes scholarly articles and reviews from a wide range of academic fields. from 01/01/2003 to present
• Journal of Educational Administration & History The Journal publishes papers that contribute to and historicise debates on educational administration, leadership, management and policy in a range of settings. from 01/01/1997 to present
• Journal of Student Affairs Research & Practice (JSARP) Formerly known as NAPSA Journal. JSARP publishes the most rigorous, relevant, and well-respected research and practice making a difference in student affairs practice from 01/01/2010 to present
• New Directions for Student Services A series of thematic journals offering guidelines and programs for aiding students in their total development--emotional, social and physical as well as intellectual. from 01/01/1996 to present
• Sage Journals Online This link opens in a new window Provides online access (searching and browsing) to over 800 journals published by Sage in fields of Business, Humanities, Social Sciences, and Science, Technology and Medicine. Tutorial for the Sage Journals Online database.

• American Association of Collegiate Registrars & Admissions Officers Provides professional development, guidelines, and voluntary standards to be used by higher education officials regarding the best practices in records management, admissions, enrollment management, administrative information technology, and student services.
• American College Personnel Association (ACPA) Leading comprehensive student affairs association that advances student affairs and engages students for a lifetime of learning and discovery.
• Association for Student Conduct Administration (ASCA) The mission statement of ASCA is to advance the student conduct profession.
• National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) NACADA promotes and supports quality academic advising in institutions of higher education to enhance the educational development of students.
• National Association of Student Affairs Professionals (NASAP) The mission of NASAP is to promote professional development training, research, and advocacy for student affairs professionals and student leaders who serve at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and those professionals who serve in other diverse settings of higher education.
• National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) Provides professional development and services for financial aid administrators; advocates for public policies that increase student access and success; serves as a forum on student financial aid issues, and is committed to diversity throughout all activities.
• Teaching methods journals
• Theory & practice journals
• Searching for a specific journal

This page links to resources related to issues in teaching methods and curriculum in higher education.  Including relevant:

• Active Learning in Higher Education An international, refereed publication for all those who teach and support learning in higher education (HE) and those who undertake or use research into effective learning, teaching and assessment in universities and colleges. from 07/01/2000 to present
• Curriculum Inquiry Dedicated to studies of educational experience in schools, communities, families, and other local or transnational settings, using a range of theoretical and disciplinary approaches. from 01/01/1997 to present
• International Journal of Teaching & Learning in Higher Education Provides broad coverage of higher education pedagogy and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) across diverse content areas, educational institutions, and levels of instructional expertise. from 2006 to present
• Journal of Computing in Higher Education Contributes to our understanding of the design, development, and implementation of instructional processes and technologies in higher education. from 01/01/1997 to present
• National Teaching & Learning Forum Covers the breadth of college teaching and learning issues including learning theory, class management, pedagogical innovation, technology and more from 1997 to present
• Teaching in Higher Education Addresses the roles of teaching, learning and the curriculum in higher education in order to explore and clarify the intellectual challenges which they present. from 03/01/1997 to present
• Action Learning: Research and Practice Publishes articles which advance knowledge and assist the development of practice through the processes of action learning. from 04/01/2004 to present
• Higher Education Research & Development Informs and challenges researchers, teachers, administrators, policy-makers and others concerned with the past, present and future of higher education. from 04/01/1997 to present
• Innovative Higher Education A refereed scholarly journal of articles presenting descriptions and evaluations of current innovations in higher education that strike a balance between practice and theory. from Fall 1983 to present
• Journal of Higher Education Theory and Practice Dedicated to the advancement and dissemination of academic and intellectual knowledge by publishing, through a blind, refereed process, ongoing results of research in accordance with international scientific or scholarly standards. from 04/01/2011 to present
• New Directions for Teaching & Learning A series of thematic journals presenting ideas and techniques for improving college teaching, based both on the practical expertise of seasoned instructors and on the latest research findings of educational and psychological researchers. from 01/01/1996 to present
• Professional Development in Education Publishes original contributions on professional learning and development (PLD) in its widest sense. from 03/01/2009 to present

• American Association of University Professors AAUP has helped to shape American higher education by developing the standards and procedures that maintain quality in education and academic freedom in this country's colleges and universities. We define fundamental professional values and standards for higher education, advance the rights of academics, particularly as those rights pertain to academic freedom and shared governance, and promote the interests of higher education teaching and research.
• American Educational Research Association The American Educational Research Association (AERA), a national research society, strives to advance knowledge about education, to encourage scholarly inquiry related to education, and to promote the use of research to improve education and serve the public good.
• Educause EDUCAUSE is a nonprofit association whose mission is to advance higher education through the use of information technology.
• National Education Association: Higher Education Faculty & Staff Provides a wealth of information on organizing, issues and advocacy, and much more
• Tomorrow's Professor Tomorrow’s Professor is a mailing list aimed at sharing diverse and world-wide teaching and learning topics among its 25,000+ subscribers. This initiative is sponsored by the Stanford Center for Teaching and Learning.
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38 Argumentative Essay Topics on Education You Will Enjoy Writing

Many students love to write essays about what schools and universities should be like: this is a unique opportunity to voice their opinions about what makes part of their lives without going to a rally. Unfortunately, having a lot to say might play against you this time, as you risk writing an essay that lacks focus and thus has doom chances for an A.  Here are some great essay topics on education that will help you choose your focus and write an excellent paper.

Essay topics on the organization of the educational process

1. Can online education be compatible with a traditional one?

2. Is homeschooling compatible with/better than traditional schooling?

3. Should parents have an active role in the education of their children?

4. Does the use of computers/technology benefit the educational process?

5. Should students be allowed to use computers and tablets in classes?

6. Should video games be used in education?

7. Should students be required to wear a uniform?

8. Are single-sex classes better than mixed ones?

9. Does the class size affect the effectiveness of a teacher?

10. Should students’ knowledge be assessed with the help of exams and tests?

11. Should students be sent to the next grade even if they have not passed the current one?

12. Should students get more or less homework than they currently do?

13. Should grades exist?

14. Is higher education worth its value?

Essay topics on the content of education

15. Should a foreign language be a compulsory subject at school?

16. How school promotes patriotism and if it should (see arguments and review of quality sources in the article on  patriotism essay )

17. Should students be taught typing instead of writing?

18. Should there be parenting classes at school or university?

19. Should physical education be a compulsory subject? Should the language of coding be a compulsory subject?

20. Should students have sex education classes?

21. Should students be taught the personal lives of the prominent people of the past or their accomplishments only? (Alternatively, Should teachers silence negative traits, deeds, or habits of national heroes?)

Essay topics on state policy in relation to education

22. Should there be compulsory education funded by the state?

23. Should higher education be funded by the state?

24. Should athletic scholarships exist? Facts and reading on the topic.

25. Should homeschooling be controlled by the state?

26. Should teachers’ proficiency be regularly tested?

27. Should schools be accountable for poor achievements of students?

28. Should the state better invest in small classes or bonuses for the teachers working in large ones?

29. Should school menus be regulated?

Essay topics on school laws and policies

30. Should students’ free speech be restricted on campus?  Review of credible sources on the topic .

31. Should there be any regulation of cyberbullying?

32. Should guns be allowed at schools/on campus?

33. Should teachers or security personnel be armed?

34. Should schools be allowed to test students on drugs?

35. Should attendance/in-class performance record affect the course grade?

36. Should schools regulate what students bring for their lunches?

37. Should beauty contests be allowed at school?

38. Should public prayers or discussions of religion be banned at school?

Essay topics on education are the best choice in case you have to write an essay containing examples from your own experience or personal stories.

You may choose to write on the issue you have already formed an opinion about. This way, the essay will help you demonstrate your views on education  policies  or practices and make a stand for or against them.

However, do not skip the issues you have never thought of. When choosing a topic, consider not what you consider easy to write about, but what will be interesting to read about. Choosing an “easy” topic may turn out to be a wrong track as you may have difficulties finding credible sources to support your views.

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5 Tips for Choosing Your EdD Dissertation Topic

Faculty Insights Industry Advice Education

Associate teaching professor Corliss Thompson shares her top tips for choosing your EdD dissertation topic.

You’ve learned more about why you should earn your Doctor of Education (EdD), and now you’re ready to apply. As part of the Northeastern application process, however, you’re required to submit a problem of practice that you want to pursue throughout the course of your doctoral program.

But how do you arrive at that problem of practice and narrow your area of interest down into a specific dissertation topic? Here are some tips to keep in mind.

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Tips for Choosing a Dissertation Topic

1. pick a topic you’re passionate about..

A lot of work goes into your dissertation—from the literature review, where you’re conducting a critical analysis of what’s been published on your topic, to interviewing stakeholders and actually writing the dissertation itself. Each of those steps take time, so you want to choose a topic that will keep you engaged and hold your interest.

When trying to decide your area of focus, consider the challenges you’re motivated to address and the difference you want to make both during and at the end of your EdD program. The goal is that you will continuously build off your dissertation research and leverage the work in a way that positively impacts your organization and/or community.

2. Ensure your topic is manageable.

You want to select a topic you can complete during the duration of your EdD program that is also aligned with your budget. If you need to travel or perform longitudinal research, your idea might not be achievable. Find what available, attainable data you can, and use that to narrow down your research into a dissertation that’s more manageable.

3. Embrace the unknown.

Although you’re passionate about your topic and it’s manageable, there will still be lingering questions about your subject. Be prepared to explore what you don’t know and deepen what you already do know. Strong research typically results in more questions.

Be ready to ask questions of yourself, others, and the literature, and get comfortable with not knowing the answer. As you’re thinking about your dissertation, keep track of inquiries that emerge around different ideas. Those may help you hone in on a topic.

4. Leverage your peers.

One benefit of enrolling in an EdD program is the diversity of backgrounds and opinions you’ll find within your cohort. At Northeastern, EdD instruction is primarily online, which enables students to connect and collaborate with professionals from around the world.

Vasiliki Goudanas Mavroudhis, a recent graduate of Northeastern’s EdD program, emphasized this benefit in her piece on what it’s like to be in an online doctoral program , saying:

The ability to not only have a cohort-based network, but one that crossed cohorts and continents, allowed me to have a far richer and deeper experience. I learned from students with different perspectives who came from different industries across a number of countries.

When fleshing out your dissertation, use that global network to your advantage. Ask your peers for constructive feedback. It’s likely they’ll have suggestions on how you can approach your topic from different cultural perspectives.

5. Know it’s OK to change your topic.

It’s natural for your dissertation topic to evolve the more research you complete and experts you interview. Actually, it’s expected.

Switching topics halfway through the program might seem like more work, but you will have already gone through the research process once and laid the foundation for your dissertation. As you approach your topic from different perspectives, it’s understandable if your own viewpoint changes a bit.

If you’re in need of inspiration, here are some examples of doctoral research Northeastern students have recently conducted:

• “The Drop Out Decisions of Latino College Students”
• “Changing the Experiences of African Refugee Youth”
• “Supporting Students Through Mindful Mentoring”
• “The Transitioning Student Veteran: Finding Your Civilian Career Through Academic Success”
• “Bridging the Gap Between Training and Educating in Adult Learning”
• “Watch out for Shards from the Glass Ceiling: A Study of Women Higher Educational Administrators’ Leadership Development Experiences”

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Reasons To Enroll in a Doctor of Education Program

Why I Chose to Pursue Learning Analytics

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The median annual salary for professional degree holders is $97,000. (BLS, 2020)

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What Will We Be Reading This Year?

• Posted January 2, 2020
• By Emily Boudreau

Immigration — and welcoming newcomers

While the story of migration is a human one, in the past few years, it has become a contentious political one as well. Within the United States, classroom demographics have shifted dramatically, teachers struggle to support students whose families have been torn apart, and stories of abuse at the border haunt news cycles. At HGSE, Professor Roberto Gonzales leads the new Immigration Initiative at Harvard . As part of the initiative, Gonzales will work with a community of Harvard researchers from different schools to conduct non-partisan research that informs immigration policy. “Research aimed at understanding the mechanisms that facilitate and constrain immigrant incorporation is incredibly useful to policymakers and practitioners on the ground — in communities and local organizations,” Gonzales told  us. “It is my hope that through IIH we can lift up this work and make it available to inform key stakeholders.”

Usable Knowledge has a series on how schools are welcoming newcomers ; we'll continue to develop that theme this year.  

Last fall's results of the NAEP exam were disappointing  to say the least, showing that most reading scores, as measured by NAEP, dropped significantly, despite a combination of reform efforts and government spending. This drop left experts searching for a culprit — was it  balanced literacy ? Pedagogy? The amount of time students spent on screens ? The way we think about and evaluate test scores themselves? Still, some states performed well and perhaps offer interesting case studies moving forward. Looking ahead to the new year, Usable Knowledge has editorial plans to offer insight and research from HGSE experts on the best contemporary approaches to literacy instruction.

What should students be learning — and how should we be measuring it?

NAEP and other assessments tell part of the story, but what components of learning do they miss? Are there things we should be measuring but aren’t? After all, research suggests that there may be a disconnect between what kids are learning in schools and what they need to know to be successful in the future. How can we align curricula to match? In Search of Deeper Learning , a 2019 book by HGSE Professor Jal Mehta  and educator Sarah Fine, explored the importance of a curriculum that allows space for authentic learning — and showed what that kind of learning looks like in highs schools across the country. They discussed the topic in-depth on the Harvard EdCast , in what became the podcast's most popular episode to date. HGSE Professor David Deming also picked up the theme, writing an op-ed for The New York Times about the importance of collaborative thinking in contemporary workplaces and the startling lack of curriculum, especially in higher education, that allows students to build this skill.

Digital literacy

From smart phones to smart boards, children and teachers need to navigate digital worlds daily. But when are kids actually taught to use and engage with technology meaningfully? And whose responsibility is it to teach them? A forthcoming study from Project Information Literacy , led by researcher Alison Head , will explore how college students navigate the news and information that the internet and their devices flood them with — and how they make decisions about what to trust and act on. This research is especially important considering the network of algorithms that now influences behavior and the choices people make about what products to buy, what news sources they consume, and even how they construct their world views.  

And what does all this digital action mean for kids' privacy and their healthy development? “Unlike us as adults, [kids] have not yet had a chance to have a childhood and adolescence that is protected; a childhood and adolescence where they can make mischief, even make some mistakes and grow up better for having made them by figuring out who they are, what makes them tick, and how they want to be in the world, ” law professor and author of Sharenthood: Why We Should Think Before We Talk About Our Kids Online Leah Plunkett told the Harvard EdCast. “And if we're depriving them of that space, we really do run the risk of depriving them of, or at least limiting their ability to become the grownups that they're meant to be.”

Trauma and supporting vulnerable students

Studies continue to demonstrate the impact trauma has on young minds and bodies, as well as on the practitioners who work with communities that have absorbed trauma. But researchers still have unanswered questions on the best way to support students, practitioners, and communities and how to help nurture resilience. Education Redesign Lab director and HGSE Professor Paul Reville says , “The challenge [for trauma-sensitive schools and educators] is to broaden that set of contacts [and resources] to the whole community, to take the whole village into the challenge of raising young people who can be successful and participate in a 21st-century democracy.” At HGSE, the  Center on the Developing Child at Harvard , the Education Redesign Lab , and the new REACH Initiative are advocating for research that supports and informs the development and expansion of trauma-sensitive schools and communities in the United States and around the world.

The election and civics education

After a historic vote in the House of Representatives to impeach  President Donald Trump and a looming trial in the senate, the 2020 elections stand as an important marker for the future of American democracy. Yet teachers may fear that discussing politics and elections in classrooms can be contentious . Still, educators need to help even young students develop the critical thinking skills and knowledge necessary to participate in a democracy. HGSE Professor Meira Levinson’s work on civics education gained traction in the 2016 election cycle and will likely continue to influence the way teachers talk about democracy in classrooms in 2020. Levinson recently debuted a multimedia case study  that expands on her work with  Justice in Schools to bring conversations about ethical and educational dilemmas into the classroom, and there will be more to come in the year ahead.

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100 Exciting Education Essay Topics for College Students

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The list of 100 interesting education essay topic examples is based on materials that I used for my students with education major during 2018. Finding an excellent argumentative education essay topic can be a tricky process with all the available ideas. Thus, it is no wonder to feel stuck at times! I updated the list for 2019 and decided to publish for your use — feel free to check!

Why do we need education topics?  When my students write an education essay, their professors tell them to be specific. How can they be specific when they don’t even know their topic? I decided to go an opposite way to get their minds free from the block — by composing a list of at least ten education topics that they wanted to explore. With more students to come, this list expanded to 100 good topics, each of which was tested for the ability to get A+, find sources on the Internet, and catch attention.

Today, I publish this list for you. Feel free to check my education essay topics below! 👇

Contents (Clickable)

   Check Out Some Education Essay Examples From Our Database!

In order to help you through the hunt for knowledge, I want to tell you of several education essay examples that you can look up in our vast essay database:

• Diversity in Schools – Diversity is one of the most relevant topics in modern education with the presence of international students and the importance of personality and an individual’s growth.
• The Pros and Cons of Charter Schools – Explore the advantages and flaws of the charter schools. Focus on the reasons why the charter schools can benefit particular students. It is an example of education argument topic where you can speak out your position.
• Early Education Case Study – Here is an example of a little bit different education essay topic because it is based on a case study where you can do some research and argument your opinion and the educational methods. A good brainstorming example for prospective teachers!
• The Use of the Cellphones by the Students in Educational Establishments Journal Entry – Living in the age of technology, it is barely possible to write a good education essay without exploring the ways how the cell phones influence the way young people learn. A good example of an education essay with a personal twist!
• Social Functions of Education – This is an example of an excellent essay where you can explore the social function and the impact of modern education. Choosing the social aspect of learning, you can focus on your particular major and choose between several thesis statements that you may already have in mind!

Before we start with a list of 100 education essay topics, let me tell you a little bit about what an education is and what may be included in an education essay writing. I have divided the topics by 20 examples each, so you can remember the titles without too much stress! Remember that one of the most important tricks that professionals in the field of education use when they have to choose a good essay topic is writing down a list of all the relevant social issues. Your essay has to make people engaged (see the actual examples we have provided), and I know how to help you reach success!

   General Education Topics

Do not be afraid to experience an information overload as the list of 100 topics will keep your mind work like a race car as the creative ideas will start flowing! Take your time as you read through the list because you may already have a good topic in mind, but just need to formulate it in a better way. It is exactly what the topic lists are for – to help a student or a prospective teacher to save time and keep focused when lots of good ideas are just around the corner!

• Why is education important in society? You can write about this using your own opinion and focus on why an education is important and life-changing. If you want, you can back up your statements with a research and relevant case study.
• Do you take education for granted? Once again, you are free to write in your own words and speak of personal experiences. Why do you take education for granted? What are the factors that make people take education for granted? Is the situation the same in other countries than the one you know well?
• Special education. Write about how special education can help people with special needs and how much important it is to timely identify special needs students.
• What is education? You can have your own definition of education. You may even cite an existing definition of the concept and state your opinion about it. This is where you can even go philosophical. Be unique!
• The quality of education you receive: Is it up to standards? An essay about the quality of education where you can work by comparing the standards on paper and in practice.
• Education and the use of technology. Write about how technology and digital media has impacted modern education.
• Online/e-learning. Explore the benefits of e-learning and mention how the teachers have to re-learn to adapt to new education methods.
• Level of education and employment. Writing this essay, you can explore the relationship between employment rates and the level of education. A true argumentative essay!
• Level of education and wages. Do people with a degree get paid more?
• Racial/gender discrimination in schools. Explore your local school or write about existing statistics that speak of racial and gender challenges.
• What is the purpose of education? This is where you can write about the purposes of education and the goals it tries to achieve. While it may sound obvious, try to write about how education helps to address social challenges and bring development and growth of the younger population.
• What is an education system ? An essay about your definition and understanding of an education system.
• Bullying in schools: How does one address it? Write about the ways how bullying can be identified, reported, and managed. Use this structure as your essay’s body.
• Education as a human right: Why is education considered as a human right? Explore the reasons why an education is considered to be a primary human right.
• Education and a person’s social standing in his/her community. Write about the ways how education influences social image of a person in the local community.
• The importance of teaching handwriting in schools. Write about how the skills of handwriting can help to develop cognitive skills of schoolchildren.
• What is/are the significance of learning a second language in school? An essay about learning a second language through the lens of cultural growth and new employment benefits.
• The importance of a critical thinking in education. Explore the methods of critical thinking in education for different age groups.
• Teacher’s Teaching Style/s versus Student Learning Style/s. Write about how the teaching styles that go against the way a student learns can lead to private tutoring and education conflicts.
• The significance of learning soft skills in the academic environment. Start with an explanation of what the soft skills are and end up by writing of how soft skills in the academic environment can help in the future employment.

So you have a topic idea, but still need help on how to start an essay? Stuck with the most basic writing challenges? Get some tips on how to start an essay of any type !

   Essay Topics Related to The Education System

An education system consists of several institutions, such as schools or the ministries of education. It also includes education policies, academic curriculum, teacher-training methods, challenges of education, and the learning progress among other topics. To help you get through the maze of education systems, check these topics:

• What are the flaws of the current education system in the United States? (or any country you choose to research about) For example, write about the mass nature of the current education system that does not address individuality and students with the learning problems that are not yet identified?
• What are the benefits of the current education system in the United States? (or any country) Explore the ways in which the education system in the US is unique and beneficial.
• How can critical thinking be integrated into the education system?  I believe that critical thinking is an important asset in today’s world. This is useful as there is fake news posted all over the internet. Young or old, student or professional, critical thinking plays a significant role.
• Integrating practical knowledge into the education system. Write about how the practical skills can challenge existing educational theories.
• How can students practice using soft skills in the academic environment (Ex: negotiation)? You can start about mediation, negotiation, dealing with bullying.
• How can soft skills be integrated the academic setting? Write an essay by turning to sociocultural theorists.
• What is your school’s policy on bullying? Are there changes you want to bring up? Choosing to write this essay topic, you can start by researching your school and speak of your own experiences.
• Adopting a 21st century model in the education system. Start your essay with a table where you write of things that make 21st-century model unique.
• What is the future of education? Feel free to be as creative as you can.
• Is memorization still practice in modern schools? Explore the new ways of learning with the help of technology and see what role is played by memorization.
• What can the current school system do with the mental health of students? Write about the ways how the schools can identify and help students with mental issues.
• What can the school system do to promote diversity in the classroom? Write about cultural initiatives in the classroom.
• Compare and contrast the US Education System with another education system model (Ex: Finland) How different is the education system in the US and what practices from the other countries could be beneficial?
• Integrating Sex Education in the school’s curriculum. Be argumentative and write about the pros and cons of sex education in the modern school.
• Are school policies gender fair? While every school’s policy is different, choose the most extreme ones and try to explore from there.
• Historical bias in lectures or textbooks. Try to remain unbiased as you write. As you write this essay, see how each country discusses the same historic event.
• Are teachers paid enough? An article about the balance of teacher’s responsibilities and wages.
• How can schools promote healthy eating among students? Write about how obesity and health issues among the students relate to stress and the school’s curriculum.
• Favoritism in schools. Every teacher has a pet student, as we all know… Why does it happen?
• Ethics in schools. How much ethical do the schools act when a conflict occurs?

   College Education Essay Topics

As a college student, you will definitely have to write an education essay starting from the English class to your primary chosen major in education. Since higher education is already a challenge by itself, I hope that this topics list will help you out:

• College and a road to career: How can the students get prepared for the life ahead? The lecturers or college seniors should enlighten students concerning the harsh realities of life. The theme of an essay is writing of the students, like my former self, who might expect too much in life after college graduation.
• What are the issues plaguing higher education? For example, a biased attitude, enrollment issues, GPA challenges.
• Leadership in the context of higher education. How much important is to be a leader as a student and an educator?
• Sexual harassment in the campus. Write about the safety on campus and the reasons why the cases of sexual harassment are rarely reported and dealt with.
• Time management: Balancing extracurricular activities and academics. Write about time management skills.
• Mental health of the college students. Explore the ways how the mental health of students can be monitored with the help of special programs and coaching.
• How to improve safety on college campuses? Write about initiatives related to college safety.
• The challenges of student loans. Write about how the student loans can make education a real challenge and a different outcome compared to what students expect.
• Life innovation (Ex: Starting a business) Starting a business in college to fund the studies and the times of leisure.
• Is enrolling in college worth it, given the fact that students will have student loans by the time they graduate?
• Nutrition and health of the college students. Write about healthy eating and the ways how snack foods and eating on the run make students stressed and anxious.

Besides, we’ve created a complete overview of plagiarism & ethics in academics. Feel free to use it for your article!

• How is/are your experience/s in college so far? (A narrative essay)
• How to cope with college stress? Stress management options.
• Academic freedom. Write about how academic freedom is understood and if there is a place for it.
• The women in academic fields. What issues are faced by women in education?
• Why is higher education important? Write about the reasons why higher education can make a difference when a person seeks for a job.
• Racial discrimination in higher education. Is there a racial discrimination in the enrollment process and on campus?
• Technology in higher education. What are the perks and challenges?
• What is the role of social media in higher education? What are the benefits and disadvantages of social media?

   IELTS Essay Topics

IELTS stands for International English Language Testing System. It is a standardized proficiency test for non-native speakers. Here are some interesting IELTS education essay topics:

• Improving the quality of the English Language. An essay about how English language lessons can be improved.
• The implications of globalization in the 21st century. Write about the challenges that international students face.
• Art: Expressing your creativity and the other benefits. Choosing anything related to art and express yourself the best way you can.
• Which is more preferable? Uniforms or a casual attire? (Dress Code Challenges)
• Cyberbullying. Write an essay about the new phenomenon and online safety.
• Sports as a potential career. If you are an athlete, write about your life and education.
• Exercising safety on social media. Simple as that: educating people about social media safety.
• A healthy lifestyle. How can a healthy lifestyle influence good grades?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of studying abroad?
• Internet censorship: The right to access information. Should the information be free and what should we know?
• Pollution: Effects and the ways to challenge it. Explore environmental issues in your local or a global community.
• Do we have free will? Think about your own situation!
• Is there anything truly original? Is there anything original really left?
• Does the government spend more money on a particular social sector? Is the government biased and, if so, why?
• Does the death penalty deter crime? An ethical issue to argue about.
• Child labor. Explore if the lack of equal or general education leads to child labor.
• Internet ethics. Do online ethics help?
• The current issues plaguing cyberspace. Write about how social media and excessive use of the Internet affects our lives.
• Financial scams. Write about the latest financial scams.
• Technology and the family-to-family socialization. How technology affects physical cooperation.

   Education Topics for Prospective Teachers

Now the prospective teachers need a good education essay topic! Trust me, it can be even more challenging for educators because they already know a lot, yet do not know how to come up with a right topic. It is only natural! Here are few helpful ideas for you:

• The challenges of teaching quality and the methods. An essay about how particular methods of teaching affect the quality of education.
• Teaching as a passion. Should teaching be one’s passion?
• What are the ways to support your students’ mental health? Write about coaching, mentoring, mediation, social consulting, and other education methods.
• What are the strategies for teacher learning? How can a teacher improve and learn new methods of development and education?
• What makes a good teacher?
• How do you prepare students for the future? How can a teacher help students learn how to master new skills and knowledge?
• Teachers of the 21st century. Technology or still the old methods of teaching?
• What are the essential skills that a teacher should have?
• What teaching methods will you use in the classroom?
• The use of online platforms (Ex: Edmodo ). How can the use of technology and online learning platforms cross the distances and address the needs of any child?
• The importance of writing skills amongst teachers. An essay about how good writing skills can become an indicator of a good teacher’s education.
• Student’s Discipline Methods.
• Classroom management. Write about which ways of classroom management you would use.
• Prospective teachers as the e-learning designers. Are the teachers of the future the ones to design the e-learning processes?
• What are the challenges faced by prospective teachers?
• Prospective teachers in Algebra. What are the specifics of Algebra teaching?
• Educational Psychology. Why is it important for education?
• Prospective teachers and social justice. Write an essay about the social aspect of teaching. Focus on how social justice can become a significant social change.
• The significance of well-trained and prepared teachers. What methods can be used to help teachers keep up-to-date with all the latest changes?
• Prospective teachers and writing anxiety. This is just when you get stuck as a teacher (or a student).

Yes, exactly, the writing anxiety! I know this problem very well myself, so I want to share a final tip to help you when you get stuck!

   The Help is There: Helping You to Teach

As a future educator with a part-time job or a student who has too much to get done before the deadlines, you are going through extreme levels of stress and writing anxiety. In this difficult time, when you need a bit of professional guidance and homework help to get things done, our skilled team of professionals in the field of education will happily help you get through any assignment by breaking down these awful mental barriers. It is perfectly fine to ask for help with your task and save your time, nerves, and the grades. Tell us of your task, fill in the simple form and let us help you do the rest!

Have an essay due? Need to write an education essay? Let Homework Lab help you with your task:

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Now that you have finished reading through the list of 100 exciting education essay topics, you have already learned a lot and, I hope, got closer to the writing of a good paper! Keep your brain engaged and do not forget that education is a way how the future is shaped.

Writing an education essay is your chance to speak of what concerns you and research the ways how you can become a change you want to see in the society! I am sincerely hoping that my guide has given you some potential ideas for your education essay. If you’re going to write of a particular topic or share your suggestions for the guide, feel free to do so in the comments below! Take good care, my dear friend! May the light of knowledge be with you!

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168 Dissertation Topics In Education To Check Out!

Education considers different methods of teaching and learning to promote positive changes in human life and behaviors. The field instills a gradual process of learning, unlearning, and relearning to transfer values and mold human behaviors.

Generally, education is formal, informal, and non-formal. But education as a discipline cuts across several aspects. There is alternative education as well as self-directed education. Education can also be evidence-based, open learning, and electronic.

In this article, we cover all topics regarding education and how you can get on them for your dissertations. These topics are grouped for easy selection. If you’ve been looking for compelling education topics, this article is your answer.

What Are the Characteristics of a Good Dissertation Paper?

A thesis is a long work of research that gets unreadable when poorly structured; likewise a dissertation. If you want to score excellently well in your research, then your dissertation on education should be fun and engaging. Here are features of a good dissertation paper:

Accuracy: Your dissertation paper must be accurate. By accuracy, we mean it should be factual and reflect real values. It should be devoid of misleading information. Clarity: Writing a dissertation does not mean it has to be negligent of clarity. Ambiguous terms should be broken down to allow improved readability. Conciseness: You can write in two or three short sentences rather than in blocks of paragraphs. Splitting sentences makes for more conciseness. Validity: Your dissertation should be valid and produce the needed results. It should also be topically relevant. Verifiability: If your research cannot be verified, it has failed in providing solutions. Your dissertation should be fact-checked before publication. Organization: No professor will score a poorly organized dissertation. An engaging paper should have an introduction, a body, and a conclusion.

While writing a good dissertation should follow the features above, it should also have a good topic. Below are possible dissertation topics in education you can explore.

Interesting Educational Topics

When your dissertation paper is interesting, it means it engages all senses of the readers and introduces them to new knowledge. Whether you’re writing your PhD thesis or an undergraduate dissertation about education, here are a few most interesting dissertation ideas in education you can choose from:

• Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of sex education to youths.
• Examine the benefits and impacts of technology on education.
• Trace the evolution of educational approaches in history.
• What are the implications of virtual education on traditional students?
• What are your opinions on same-sex schools and their impact on sexuality?
• Theoretical education or practical education; which would you go for?
• Is apprenticeship necessary for developing educational systems?
• What are your perspectives on grade calculation using the Bell Curve?
• Virtual education: what are the ways to keep students engaged?
• Education and dress code: are some of the rules outdated?
• Principles and approach: what makes the modern teacher?
• How to help students navigate through the huge virtual library.
• The role of education in curtailing the classroom and cyberbullying.
• Detail the history of some of the greatest schools in the world.
• Explore the contributions of some of the greatest teachers in the world.
• What are the functions of education in dealing with school violence?
• Discuss character building as the primary role of education.
• Explain how the concept of basic education differs from one country to another.
• Racism and discrimination: how schools contribute to the crisis.
• Should there be a radical change to the modern curriculum?
• Review how homeschooling negatively impacts students.
• What do you think are factors responsible for school dropouts?
• Uniformity in schools and how it has overstayed its roles.
• Should schools move to offer courses that only meet the future?
• Bilingual education: meaning, roles, benefits, and effects.

Fascinating List of Dissertation Topics in Education

Education topics can be fascinating, but you’ll need to be intentional about them. We mean you can get topics on education that charm your readers and delight your professors. If this is what you want, here is a list of education dissertation topics we consider highly fascinating:

• What do you think about ability grouping enhancing academic performance?
• Blended learning: what are the effects of online education mixed with traditional education?
• Examine the impact of bringing students through the same buses on academic outcomes.
• How does a bigger class size influence academic performance?
• Digital literacy and how it affects students’ learning and capabilities.
• How essential is preschool to academic development?
• Do homeschoolers perform better than traditional students?
• How can schools and institutions devise learning styles that engage students?
• Should teachers receive standard salaries or be paid based on performance?
• The unfairness of standard testing in deciding academic potential.
• Is distance learning the future of education learning?
• Diversity in schools and how students can benefit from it.
• Should the use of smartphones in classrooms be banned?
• Why should the level of education inform employment?
• Why do people with degrees get paid less in the 21st century?
• What considerations make education a fundamental human right?
• How does the level of education influence social and economic status?
• What are the benefits and risks of learning a second language while in school?
• What is the usefulness of soft skills in the modern-day workplace?
• What are the impacts of globalization on the online education system?
• What is the role of the school towards ensuring the good mental wellbeing of students?
• Discuss the historical bias in western education systems against blacks.
• Probe the gender bias of school policies and explain the way forward.
• Factors responsible for the decline of ethics in schools.
• Why there should be a balance between extracurricular activities and students’ academics.

Controversial Dissertation Topics in Education

Sometimes, it gets controversial when issues become opinionated. But controversy can be fun, too, especially when the topics are about education. These dissertation topics below, themed on education, will give you the needed heat to enjoy the dynamism of education:

• Girls or boys: which gender does better at school?
• At what years should children start learning in school?
• Should young people leave school at an early age to join the workforce?
• Education should only be mandated for the selected few and not for all.
• Explain why teachers should be tested regardless of their qualifications.
• Women or men: who become better teachers and why?
• School bullies should be sent out of schools and homeschooled instead.
• School bullying: should we blame the parents, teachers, or society?
• Reasons school uniforms should be scrapped from schools.
• Excluding religious studies from schools is the right decision against terrorism.
• All western schools should prohibit any forms of religious wear.
• Inclusiveness in schools should not consider religious beliefs.
• Should the school take up guns to protect the students?
• Would you rather be homeschooled or follow the traditional education system?
• Education system: online education vs. traditional education.
• Analyze how students in mixed schools perform better than those in same-sex schools.
• Which is more important: practical education or theoretical education?
• Should the government spend more on education than other sectors?
• Is it necessary for teachers to have parenting skills?
• Why should the world drive towards a global education system?
• Should grades be retained or scrapped?
• Should students learn how to type rather than how to write?
• Probe why foreign languages should be allowed at schools.
• What are your opinions on sex education classes?
• Should students be mandated to learn how to code?

Childhood Education Dissertations Topics

We all have childhood memories without which a lot of things wouldn’t have been. But what better way to improve them if not to research them? Childhood education talks about the cognitive and behavioral growth of children. Here are thesis topics in education that boldly reflect that:

• Academic performance of children with disabilities through the use of technology.
• Perception of parents towards play-based learning in schools.
• Relationship between children’s grades and the race for excellence.
• A comparative analysis of children’s phonics and whole language learning.
• Effect of technology on children’s academic behaviors.
• How should teachers teach children gender norms and identity?
• Explore Piaget’s theory and contributions to childhood education.
• Should schools adopt authoritarian strategies towards children’s behavior management?
• Challenges confronting the integration of autistic children into mainstream classrooms.
• What are the impacts of seating arrangements on children’s academic performance?
• What are the barriers responsible for effective classroom inclusion?
• Should children be taught the essence of diversity?
• Impacts of homework on low-income black children’s grades?
• A critical review of teachers’ and parents’ roles on children’s moral upbringing.
• Problems faced by children of immigrant parents in schools.
• At what age should the school allow parents to introduce children to technology?
• How are male teachers different from female teachers in considering children’s education?
• Discuss how schools should attend to drug use tendencies among poor children.
• What are the impacts of a negative community on poor children?
• Challenges faced by teachers in teaching an inclusive class in lower schools.
• The emergence of coding and the need to teach children as early as possible.
• Explain the theory and practice of video games in improving children’s academic performance.
• Creating an efficient school environment in developing early childhood education.
• Combining outdoor learning with a basic curriculum to develop children’s cognitive brilliance.
• Should children rather be taught in schools, homeschooled, or enrolled in virtual education?

Special Education Dissertation Ideas

Special education suggests the instructional needs of students with disabilities. It cuts across the classroom, hospital, learning institutions, and other educational settings. This form of education fosters learning inclusion. Below are topics that capture special education dissertation ideas:

• Detail the history of special education in the United States.
• What role do parents play in the education of children with special needs?
• The social networking of children with behavioral and emotional disabilities.
• Technological growth and the support of children with special education.
• How can Artificial Intelligence improve the educational development of children with special needs?
• The challenges of integrating children with disorders and functioning children.
• How students with mental disabilities can improve academic performance.
• Impacts of classroom bullying on disabled students.
• What are the problems to reducing Assistive Technology for children with autism?
• Is disability a threat to teaching and classroom inclusion?
• Including children with learning differences and the promotion of learning experiences.
• Videogames as a learning tool for children with disabilities.
• Deaf students and their exclusion from learning in lower schools.
• Threats to inclusive education and the way forward.
• Why teachers should be trained to be more inclusive in perspective transformation.
• An analysis of teacher support programs in guiding children with an emotional disorder.
• The significant relationship between urban areas and children’s emotional disturbance.
• A critical study of emotional issues faced by marginalized students.
• Sign languages and the drive for its global adoption in schools.
• Problems of speech-recognition software on students with exceptionalities.
• What are your opinions on expelling students identified as emotionally disturbed?
• Should students with special needs be provided with personal digital assistants?
• The need for personal care assistants in special education schools.
• What are the most effective therapies for students with emotional disturbance?
• Understanding special education support and impact on inclusive learning.

Physical Education Thesis Topics

Physical education teaches the development of students’ physical competence and mental well-being. For students to perform a wide range of activities, they need to be in the right physical and mental mindset. We have listed below engaging physical education thesis topics for an impressive dissertation:

• How essential is physical literacy to the academic performance of students?
• Integration of motor skill assessments into the academic curriculum.
• Explain how exercises improve self-confidence in students with special needs.
• Should augmented physical education be introduced to schools?
• Discuss how teachers’ involvement in physical activities improves academic welfare.
• Threats to planning a comprehensive physical activity program in schools.
• Impacts of physical education on the social skills of students.
• What is the correlation between teaching behaviors and physical activities?
• How can physical education promote peace and inclusion in schools?
• How exercises lead to effective rehabilitation of students with emotional disturbance.
• A critical study of how physical education improves general well-being is students.
• Impacts of sports on the development of educational infrastructure.
• The relationship between exercises and positive grade performance.
• Analyze the impacts of computerized sports on students’ fitness performance.
• What are the impacts of observational learning in sports on academic performance?
• Soft skills acquisition through active engagement in physical exercises.
• Role of physical activity and dietary supplements on the performance of students.
• Investigating the role of aerobic capacity and muscular exercises on undergraduate students.
• Prison education: understanding the need for policy changes in health and physical education.
• Role of inclusive physical education towards diversity tolerance.
• Impacts of physical education on the learning performance of elementary students.
• A critical evaluation of sporting facilities in the education sector.
• Teaching physical fitness improves self-perception in adolescents. Discuss.
• How methods conflict with the boundaries of physical education.
• What are your opinions on physical education as a tool to curtail crime rates?

Higher Education Dissertation Topics

Higher education is tertiary education that awards an academic degree. It is the next level of education after secondary education. Below is a list of higher education dissertation topics you can use for your research:

• What factors are responsible for the decline in the Humanities?
• Account for the discrepancy in students’ job preparation and skill development?
• What reasons cause the rising debt of students in higher education?
• The institutionalization of racism and discrimination in western universities.
• The prevalence of enrollment agreements in distance learning.
• Detail the need for a flexible, modular system in higher education.
• Why is the modern workplace no longer accepting college degrees?
• What factors are responsible for the divide between faculty and staff?
• What new models or instruments should measure academic efficacy?
• What are your opinions on the autonomy of students in language education?
• Account the prevalence of cheating in high schools and corrective measures.
• Is distance learning the university of the future?
• Evaluating the social and digital skills of teachers after the pandemic.
• How effective are course portfolios at improving higher education learning?
• The adoption of integrative learning approaches and interactive digital strategies.
• What are the challenges confronting modern colleges and what is the way forward?
• What is your perspective on the de-privatization of higher education?
• Reasons the workplace should no longer regard university grades as a criterion for jobs.
• What are the benefits and risks of alternative higher education?
• What do you understand by ‘meaningful’ learning and why does it matter?
• Would you argue against skill or degree?
• How does the consumer approach to higher education affect traditional universities?
• What does economics education mean and what factors predate it?
• What can students’ attitudes towards e-learning be measured?
• Do teachers need a degree before becoming professionals in the field?

Is Your Dissertation in Education Too Challenging?

Education is a wide discipline and it stretches into several areas of academics. But to write a very good dissertation, you’d need to follow some features and keep good notes on dissertation topics on education.

However, if you feel too overwhelmed to get your education dissertation done, we have experts who could help you with it. Why post, ‘write my thesis?’ when our thesis help is fast, reliable, and attentive to details. Our writers are degree holders and provide awesome, custom dissertations at the best prices. Book our online help now!

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180 Top Educational Research Topics To Get Best Grades

Writing about educational research topics requires careful selection of the title and investigating it thoroughly. Also, students must analyze information and package it correctly to impress educators to award them the top scores. The primary purpose of research is to expand knowledge in a particular field. Therefore, the educational topic you choose to write about should let you research and introduce new knowledge to this field.

Many students need help choosing research problems in education. That’s because the field is broad, and other scholars have covered most topics in their studies. This blog post lists unique and interesting issues to consider for your educational research paper. It is essential because many learners need help to pick the best titles for their research papers while educators set strict deadlines for this assignment.

What Is An Educational Research Paper?

An educational research paper is a type of academic writing that focuses on evaluating, analyzing, and interpreting a specific topic related to education. It can involve any discipline, including history, sociology, psychology, philosophy, economics, and anthropology. Educational papers often incorporate primary sources like interviews or surveys that individuals conduct to learn more about field experiences.

A Basic Guide On How To Do An Educational Research Paper

Writing an educational research paper involves topic selection, research, outlining, literature review, writing, and editing. Here’s how to do it:

• Choose the Topic:  Please select a topic that interests you and narrow it down to focus on specific aspects of education that address your research questions.
• Research the Topic:  Delve into the research process by gathering information from reliable sources, including scholarly journals, books, online databases, and others, to get enough information for your paper. Also, check whether the existing theories are relevant to your chosen topic.
• Write the Literature Review:  In this section, discuss all the main points of your research and explain why they matter based on the existing knowledge. Also, summarize the sources you consulted while providing your analysis.
• Create the Outline:  A good outline should include an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Please ensure you arrange your points logically to make readers understand easily.
• Write the Paper:  The final step is writing the paper itself. Remember to support all your claims with evidence from reliable sources and cite them correctly according to the formatting style specified by your professor or chosen discipline guidelines.After writing the paper, take the time to proofread or edit it. Alternatively, ask somebody else to edit it, eliminating all grammatical, factual, spelling, and typo errors.

Hot Educational Research Topics In 2023

Write about a topic that captures everyone’s attention. Here are hot titles to consider for your paper:

• Does homeschooling have a positive or negative effect on children?
• How is online learning changing the educational system globally?
• Is artificial intelligence impacting education in any way?
• What are the implications of gender roles in education?
• What role do teachers play in creating an inclusive classroom environment?
• How can we measure student motivation and engagement in the classroom?
• Is technology improving educational outcomes for students with disabilities?
• Are there cultural differences that influence student performance and behavior in schools?
• What are the benefits and disadvantages of virtual reality in education?
• How does poverty impact educational attainment levels across countries?
• Should students have access to social media while in the classroom?
• How can we create more effective collaboration between teachers and parents?
• What are the main challenges of implementing educational reform movements?
• Can technology be used to reduce cheating among students in the classroom?
• Are there any differences between private and public school systems?
• Why is standardized testing vital in education today?
• How does growing inequality affect educational outcomes worldwide?
• Is e-learning an adequate replacement for traditional learning methods?
• Do extracurricular activities help develop skills for later life success among students?
• How does the use of data improve teaching and learning in schools?

These topics offer an excellent starting point for research. When you find one that interests you, take some time to narrow it down and focus on a specific aspect of education.

Interesting Educational Topics For Research Papers

Picking an exciting topic for your educational research paper can make your project more enjoyable. Here are exciting ideas to consider for your research project:

• The impact of technology on education
• The effectiveness of different teaching methods and approaches
• The benefits and challenges of online learning
• The role of standardized testing in education
• The effects of homework on student achievement
• The relationship between socioeconomic status and academic success
• The critical role of parental involvement on student achievement
• The importance of early childhood education
• The effectiveness of educational interventions for students with learning disabilities
• The impact of teacher training and professional development on student outcomes
• The benefits and drawbacks of bilingual education
• The role of arts education in cognitive development
• The effectiveness of charter schools versus traditional public schools
• The impact of school choice and voucher programs on educational equity
• The benefits and challenges of homeschooling
• The impact of school climate and culture on student achievement
• The role of physical education in promoting health and wellness
• The effectiveness of anti-bullying programs in schools
• The impact of social media on student mental health and well-being
• The importance of financial literacy education for young people

These are exciting ideas to explore in research papers. Nevertheless, after choosing any of these ideas, prepare to spend sufficient time investigating your title to write a high-quality essay.

Intriguing Education Research Questions

You may want to answer intriguing questions in your research papers. In that case, consider the following educational research topics for your projects:

• How can we improve student engagement in online learning environments?
• What are the most effective teaching methods for promoting critical thinking skills?
• How do different forms of feedback impact student learning?
• How can we enhance student motivation to learn and succeed in school?
• What is the impact of teacher diversity on student academic achievement?
• How can we support students with special needs in mainstream classrooms?
• How does parental involvement affect student academic performance?
• How can we improve the quality of teacher preparation programs?
• What are the best strategies for reducing the achievement gap between low-income and high-income students?
• How can technology be used to enhance teaching and learning in the classroom?
• What is the impact of teacher-student relationships on academic achievement?
• How can learning institutions better prepare students for the future workforce?
• What are the most effective strategies for teaching students from culturally diverse backgrounds?
• How can we better support student mental health in schools?
• What is the impact of school choice policies on student academic achievement?
• How do different types of school governance structures impact student learning outcomes?
• How can we improve school leadership to support student success?
• What is the relationship between student learning and school facilities?
• How can parents prepare students for college and career readiness?
• What is the impact of standardized testing on student learning outcomes?

Answering these questions through research and writing can lead to excellent academic papers. Nevertheless, ensure your paper meets your educator’s or faculty’s requirements.

Educational Research Topics For Thesis

Writing a thesis about an educational topic requires extensive research and data analysis. Here are titles to consider for your thesis paper:

• How effective is online learning compared to traditional classroom learning
• The impact of teacher-student relationships on student achievement
• Parental involvement on academic performance: What’s the influence?
• The correlation between school funding and student outcomes
• The relationship between technology use in the classroom and student achievement
• The effectiveness of differentiated instruction on student learning outcomes
• The impact of teacher diversity on student achievement and attitudes
• The correlation between standardized testing and student achievement
• How effective are bilingual education programs in language acquisition
• How class size influences student achievement and behavior
• How teacher professional development affects student outcomes
• The correlation between teacher burnout and student achievement
• The effectiveness of inclusion programs for students with disabilities
• The influence of school climate on student engagement and behavior
• The relationship between homework and student achievement
• Effectiveness of peer tutoring on student performance
• The correlation between school leadership and student outcomes
• The impact of early childhood education on long-term academic achievement
• The effectiveness of project-based learning on student engagement and achievement
• The influence of parental socioeconomic status on student achievement

Information on these topics is relatively easy to find online. However, take adequate time analyzing and organizing it to write a winning thesis paper.

Educational Psychology Research Topics

Educational topics in psychology focus on the way people learn. Here are ideas to explore if education psychology interests you:

• How technology affects student learning and engagement
• The impact of teacher-student relationships on academic achievement
• The role of motivation in student learning
• The benefits and drawbacks of standardized testing
• The effectiveness of different teaching methods
• How parental involvement enhances student achievement
• The effects of teacher burnout on student learning
• The influence of culture and ethnicity on learning and academic achievement
• The role of memory and attention in learning
• The effectiveness of cooperative learning strategies
• The relationship between self-efficacy and academic achievement
• The impact of sleep on learning and academic performance
• The effects of classroom environment on student motivation and learning
• The relationship between intelligence and academic achievement
• The effectiveness of different feedback methods on student learning
• The effects of early childhood education on later academic achievement
• The impact of teacher expectations on student performance
• How social and emotional learning affect academic success
• The relationship between learning disabilities and academic achievement
• The impact of student engagement on academic success
• The effectiveness of differentiated instruction on student learning
• The role of creativity in learning and academic achievement
• The effects of technology on cognitive development
• The impact of gender on academic achievement
• The relationship between student self-regulation and academic achievement
• The effects of school climate on student motivation and learning
• The effectiveness of inquiry-based learning on student achievement
• How teacher training relates to student achievement
• The impact of teacher expectations on student motivation and engagement.

Education psychology topics cover teaching methods, individual differences, and instruction processes. Consider them if you want to explore these areas.

Educational Leadership Research Topics

Educational leadership focuses on guiding energies and talents to achieve academic success. Here are ideas to explore in this discipline:

• The impact of transformational leadership on student achievement
• How emotional intelligence relates to effective leadership
• Gender role in educational leadership: Challenges and opportunities
• The influence of distributed leadership on school improvement
• The effectiveness of collaborative leadership in managing organizational change in education
• How authentic leadership relates to teacher job satisfaction
• The effectiveness of servant leadership in fostering a positive school culture
• The role of ethics in educational leadership: Principles and practices
• How leadership styles relate to teacher performance
• The importance of emotional labor in educational leadership
• The effectiveness of transformational leadership in promoting teacher retention
• The role of visionary leadership in school reform
• The influence of instructional leadership on student learning outcomes
• How ethical leadership relates to school performance
• The impact of cultural intelligence on cross-cultural educational leadership
• The role of shared leadership in promoting teacher collaboration and learning
• The effectiveness of distributed leadership in enhancing teacher professional development
• How leadership practices relate to school climate
• The role of mindfulness in educational leadership: Strategies and outcomes
• The effectiveness of transformational leadership in promoting student engagement
• The importance of emotional intelligence in cross-cultural educational leadership
• How collaborative leadership relates to student achievement
• How servant leadership promotes teacher empowerment and autonomy
• The role of gender in transformational leadership: A comparative study
• How leadership coaching enhances the development of influential educational leaders
• The role of emotional labor in improving teacher motivation and performance
• The influence of distributed leadership on teacher professional identity
• The effectiveness of transformational leadership in fostering a culture of innovation
• How ethical leadership relates to teacher job satisfaction
• The importance of emotional intelligence in educational leadership: Challenges and strategies

Explore these educational research ideas if you want to explore sector leadership concepts. Nevertheless, take the time to investigate your chosen title to write a quality paper.

Elementary Education Research Topics

Elementary education focuses on teaching young students the fundamentals of education. Here are research topics for elementary education to explore in your papers:

• The effectiveness of different teaching strategies in elementary schools
• The impact of technology on student learning in the elementary classroom
• How parent involvement relates to student achievement in elementary schools
• How class size affects student learning in elementary schools
• The role of play-based learning in elementary education
• The impact of teacher diversity on student achievement in elementary schools
• The effects of homework on student achievement in elementary schools
• How effective is differentiated instruction in the elementary classroom
• The impact of standardized testing on elementary school education
• How school climate relates to student achievement in elementary schools
• The effects of outdoor education on student learning in elementary schools
• The role of arts education in elementary schools
• The impact of teacher training and professional development on student achievement in elementary schools
• The effects of early childhood education on later academic success in elementary school
• The impact of school nutrition programs on student achievement in elementary schools
• The role of social-emotional learning in elementary education
• The effects of bilingual education on student achievement in elementary schools
• The impact of school choice policies on elementary school education
• The role of school counselors in promoting academic and emotional success in elementary schools
• The effects of summer learning programs on student achievement in elementary schools

Explore these amazing ideas through in-depth research to write winning essays. Take the time to investigate your ideas to present factual and relevant information.

Higher Education Research Topics

If you’re pursuing higher learning program, you may need education related research topics for your  undergraduate dissertation . Here are interesting educational research topics for college students:

• How new technologies change teaching and learning in higher education
• Factors influencing student motivation and engagement in higher education
• How faculty workloads and job satisfaction affect the quality of higher learning
• The benefits and drawbacks of online learning and how it compares to traditional classroom-based instruction
• Strategies for improving student success rates and reduce dropout rates
• Diversity and inclusion in higher education
• The role of liberal arts education in preparing students for the workforce
• The impact of student debt on college attendance
• The effectiveness of financial aid programs in higher learning
• The role of community colleges in higher education
• The effect of standardized testing on higher education
• The value of internships and experiential learning
• How effective is competency-based education at preparing students for the workforce?
• The impact of globalization on higher education
• The role of accreditation in higher education
• The effect of government funding on higher education
• The impact of student activism on higher education
• The role of private institutions in higher education
• How artificial intelligence affects higher education
• The role of graduate education in the workforce

Students have many awesome topics on education to consider for their papers. Nevertheless, picking a topic you’re comfortable with will help you write a well-researched paper and enjoy working on the project.

Get Custom Help with Educational Research Paper

Do you help with a term paper, master thesis, or any other paper on an educational topic? If so, talk to us for the best assistance with the project. Whether you choose controversial or smart educational technology research topics, we can help you. We offer fast, reliable, and professional writing services online. Our expert writers have completed countless academic research papers over the years. Trust us to write a paper to make you stand out in class or school.

Getting our assistance is straightforward. Fill out an online form or contact us saying, “Please  do my dissertation .” We’ll pick the most competent expert on our team to do it for you. Contact us now!

What is a good education research topic?

A good education research topic can be anything related to the field of education, such as how new technologies change teaching and learning, strategies for improving student success rates, diversity and inclusion in higher education, or the impact of student activism on higher education.

What are some of the best research topics on education?

Some exciting research topics on education include:

• The effects of teacher training and professional development on student achievement in elementary schools
• The influence of early childhood education on later academic success in elementary school
• The effect of bilingual education on student achievement in elementary schools.

How can I write a good research paper about an education topic?

To write a good research paper about an education topic, do adequate research beforehand to understand your title fully. Brainstorm ideas and develop an outline for your paper. Also, use credible sources such as scholarly journals and peer-reviewed articles. Once you have gathered the necessary information, start writing your essay while citing all the sources used. Lastly, proofread and edit your paper before submitting it.

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Carnegie—Higher Ed Marketing & Enrollment

Higher Education Marketing and Enrollment Strategy

Hot Topics in Higher Education

Over the past several months, our team has been asked many questions related to marketing, content development, digital execution, lead generation, name availability, and the impact of COVID-19 on everything we do in higher education. We wanted to take some of the most common and pressing questions and ask our internal experts to chime in with their best advice.

This month’s questions:

• With 90% of decisions being based on feelings, how do we include this in our messaging when we have so much information to get out there? What are actionable steps we can make as marketers to do this?
• A recent NACAC survey noted that 46% of respondents believe there will be a substantial impact on their ability to build a prospect pool. What are your top suggestions/strategies to make the most of the current situation to fill the pool effectively?
• With social media activity so strong and the continued increase of screen time, how should schools be leveraging social differently (or more) during this unique cycle?
• With the plethora of student surveys that have been conducted over the past several months (by Carnegie Dartlet and others) and some of the primary themes and results from them, what are your top recommendations from a strategic marketing standpoint in response to it all?

For this installment of expert advice, we’ve focused on messaging, building prospect pools, social media, and student survey themes and results.

Question 1: With 90% of decisions being based on feelings, how do we include this in our messaging when we have so much information to get out there? What are actionable steps we can make as marketers to do this?

Jorie: Be empathetic in your research and messaging. Look at what students are saying about their college decisions on social media—trending hashtags from spring/summer 2020 will reveal a trove of honest thoughts (and not just hashtags that are specific to higher education). Start your message with content that addresses their real concerns (using your institution’s distinct voice/tone) and follow it with the information/facts you want to share about your school.

Kristy: Remember the saying, “A picture is worth a thousand words”? This 100% applies to the photos selected for your messaging strategies. Often, we’re more focused on the call to action and messaging but overlook the image selected. Especially at a time when campus visits are few and far between, look at the photos you choose. What emotions do they make you feel? If you aren’t getting butterflies and feeling the magic of stepping foot on your campus, maybe it’s time to choose another image.

Melissa: With so many institutions historically relying on the awe-struck moment of walking on campus to tap into the emotional decision-making process, institutions must bring the emotions and feeling to the student. Now is the time to abandon bland, boring, common messaging and tell deeply emotional stories of the campus culture and excitement students can expect once they come to campus.

Bethany: When creating your message, start with the question, “How do you want a student to feel?” then try to include only the content that serves to produce this feeling. This doesn’t mean you have to avoid technical facts and figures entirely, but try to not let these overtake the message. Instead, prioritize emotive narrative and integrate facts in such a way that they support and prove out the larger story—that is, the larger narrative about your brand. In cases where you have many facts to communicate—so much so that they dominate the space allowed for writing—explore whether you can move the more technical how-to’s or informative lists to a linked website or landing page. Finally, consider your audience and the worth of the real estate where you are communicating your message. If the message is for prospective students, fostering a feeling is incredibly important to ensure greater interest, affinity, and engagement, whereas a statement to partners or donors may suffice with a sentence or two of emotive narrative followed by a message more informative in nature.

Sheridan: Segment your messaging based on the motivators of your specific audiences. You can then be very intentional about what messaging you’re putting where. When you layer that with authenticity, you’ve hit a home run. If you haven’t already, take a deep dive into who your audience is, looking past location and GPA and measuring their feelings (it’s possible!) so you can deliver messages that will resonate.

Question 2: A recent NACAC survey noted that 46% of respondents believe there will be a substantial impact on their ability to build a prospect pool. What are your top suggestions/strategies to make the most of the current situation to fill the pool effectively?

Megan: Continue with ongoing daily/weekly sources providing names that are truly interested in you, like CollegeXpress. With year-over-year increases in registrations, CollegeXpress is gaining incredible traction with students as a top college search resource and lead generation tool. Data from schools that have been a part of the CollegeXpress service show CollegeXpress reach into their inquiry funnel via email by more than 75%, and over 30% of these names are engaging directly on the CollegeXpress website. Being visible on a site like CollegeXpress promises a stream of student inquiries throughout the year when other sources can’t.

Kristy: Now more than ever, it’s important to think of the student journey and where/how the lead is coming to your school. What level of brand awareness do these students have for your school? It is critical to be aware of how much “warming up” your comm-flow and admission team will have to do before a student takes action to move through your funnel. If the majority of your funnel is focused on top-heavy names, now is the time to be strategic and diversify where you source your names. One strategic way is to expand your CollegeXpress segment mix or invest in adding CollegeXpress as a lead generation platform for your school. This is a powerful lead gen tool that connects institutions to funnel-ready leads. Your CollegeXpress leads are students directly leaning into their college search, knocking on your door to learn more, ready to directly enter your comm-flow and engage with your school.

Ben: Evaluating the extent to which your enrollment operation mirrors a funnel timeline versus anticipating more unpredictable timelines of engagement through various ports of entry within an ecosystem environment is the first step. Layered and coordinated strategies that include cross-divisional outreach through consistent tactics like digital, social, SMS, email campaigns, and reputation saturation are more important than ever. Those who manage this well are likely to experience stronger results. Additionally, qualifying students should come from aggregate interactions and form submissions rather than traditional markers from visit registrations and application starts.

Consider creative ways to further build affinity with any and all students who have initiated interest. Go beyond the virtual visit and create pathways of connection that might include optional interviews for students (those who couldn’t test, scholarship opportunities, key populations), a return to higher-impact print collateral, and ongoing micro-interactions through polls (get them to your portal). Leverage these opportunities for yield (which, as a function of smaller admit pools and increased interactions, will likely rise this year). Application counts could be the result of a delayed timeline (stay patient). Perhaps this is a notable year for a shortfall (yield is now a constant strategy, not a season), or it could be that a smaller inquiry pool is exactly what some universities need (high-volume search could be a thing of the past).

Eric: First, for the 54% who don’t believe there will be a substantial impact, you have to accept it. This cycle is going to be different. And some of the changes will be permanent. With the disruption to standardized testing and so many schools going “test-optional,” likely for good, the volume to which you build your prospect pool and the way you build it is going to change. The key in the short term and in the future is going to be diversifying your lead sources and thinking beyond traditional ways of reaching students. Beyond your student search strategy, what is your inbound marketing strategy? What’s your social media strategy? How are you cultivating markets to elevate awareness and drive engagement? And “engagement” is going to look different in the future. Ultimately, because your prospect pool is going to be smaller, you have to shift the emphasis to yield, and you do that by getting really intentional and strategic about delivering a personalized experience to those students you can reach and engage.

Question 3: With social media activity so strong and the continued increase of screen time, how should schools be leveraging social differently (or more) during this unique cycle?

Erika: We all know the importance of getting students to campus to be able to experience what makes a particular school and program unique. But travel hasn’t been able to resume to pre-COVID levels yet, so that means prospective students and their families are seeking more opportunities than ever before to experience different campuses virtually. If you don’t have a video strategy in place yet, this is something to start prioritizing! Now is the time to tap into your students, faculty, stuff, and alumni to bring more of those authentic stories through video content to your social channels—on both the organic and paid side of things. Don’t be afraid to let your current students generate the content you’re sharing on channels like TikTok, Instagram Stories, and Snapchat. Your current students will be much more in-tune with what’s going to resonate with prospective students, especially if it’s for a channel you aren’t active on yourself.

Sheridan: Meet them where they are. Build a brand presence and be sure to offer a strong call to action leading them to the information they’re after. Now is a great time to engage with students and focus on the top of the funnel. There’s immense value in developing a comprehensive campaign that aligns with your unique challenges and goals so that you’re able to eliminate the risk of going dark and reducing engagement and better push prospects through the funnel.

Melissa: Short, powerful, and awe-inspiring videos are a must. While screen time has increased, attention spans have not. Fact and data-driven messaging will be easily tossed aside. So you have a deadline to promote? Wrap that into a story about the impact made on a life because someone took that step you’re looking to promote. Also rely on your students and alumni to tell stories on your behalf. Think like a social media influencer: rarely do people buy products because the company told them to—it’s a celebrity or real-person testimonial that drives us to purchase, click, or read.

Kevin: Now more than ever, schools need to leverage their social media presence not only to drive inquiries and applications but to leverage their brand. Your audiences are on their mobile devices the majority of the day, so you have a captive audience who is searching for colleges. Your social media presence should be leveraging not only high school seniors but also juniors, sophomores, and parents. Use this opportunity to get underclassmen into your communications flow and begin the process of “courting” them with the admission materials they’ve requested from your school. Drive your seniors to inquire, sign up for, and attend your on-campus or virtual events. Parents are sometimes overlooked, so you should have a campaign designated to highlight information about your school that’s important to the decision-making process that parents are going through with their children (including financial aid, student services, career services, five-year programs, etc.). Your messages should be segmented based on the audiences you’re trying to reach, driving them to a designated landing page for each campaign audience.

Question 4: With the plethora of student surveys that have been conducted over the past several months (by Carnegie Dartlet and others) and some of the primary themes and results from them, what are your top recommendations from a strategic marketing standpoint in response to it all?

Jen: In my opinion, the biggest thing that stands out is that the admission cycle has shifted and is now pushed back by at least two months. Students haven’t had the guidance they normally get, the tests they normally take, or the ability to visit. They are waiting—waiting for test scores, waiting and hoping for the ability to actually visit campus. Normally we’re in the thick of application season, but many schools won’t see that until December or later.

Eric: One theme I’ve noticed is that students, across the board, are open to more frequent communication, but they expect relevant, timely, and transparent communication about COVID-19. How schools have been handling communication about COVID to current students and their families has become a defining characteristic of their organic brand.

Dave: Based on the surveys, students have told us test options were what they wanted, but nobody really knows what that means. So many prospective applicants are waiting to take standardized tests again (or even for the first time) in order to apply. There could be a fear that if they apply to a school without test scores, they won’t be considered for merit aid. It’s quite possible that schools that rely on SAT test takers are further behind than schools that have a lot of ACT test takers because of the differences in each organization’s response to test administration during the pandemic. Schools should articulate what being “test-optional” truly means and be very up-front about it in their communications and on the web. They have to combat the notion that schools are being duplicitous on what test-optional means and perhaps even provide an incentive of some kind to encourage prospective students to apply without their test scores. To get to the bottom of some student behaviors, schools may also want to consider doing much more polling and surveying. It’s another engagement opportunity within their comm-flows or other operations but also a signal to the institution on potential interest, which may yield actionable results that are more specific to their institution than national survey results.

Scott: The lack of in-person visiting means schools need to change up the channel strategies to account for homeschooling and virtual learning environments. Plan for a longer than normal application generation cycle. Yield will likely extend further than before as well, and melt could be intense given the shifting dynamics. That means marketing needs to be thought of as a 365-day campaign this year, something new for higher education. Other tactical actions include amping up video efforts and other 30D content strategies to fill in the on-campus experience gaps, aggressively marketing financial aid and the appeals process, and actively engaging other audiences such as parents and counselors, who need dedicated campaigns more than ever before.

Ben: Portals, portals, portals. Students and parents are on their own (at least they feel that way). Universities need to provide a one-stop location where everything is updated in real time, next steps are clear, and students know exactly where they stand (in terms of missing items, decisions, etc). Also market cultivation through direct connection with key CEEBs, and don’t forget about FA22. That timeline will also be off, so why not start cultivation now?

Have other questions you’d like our experts to answer? Want to connect with them to chat through ideas? Let us know .

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State laws threaten to erode academic freedom in US higher education

Associate Professor of Political Science, Trinity College

Disclosure statement

Isaac Kamola is the Director of the Center for the Defense of Academic Freedom housed at the American Association of University Professors, which seeks to promote and defend academic freedom within higher education. The center is funded by the Mellon Foundation.

Trinity College provides funding as a member of The Conversation US.

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Over the past few years, Republican state lawmakers have introduced more than 150 bills in 35 states that seek to curb academic freedom on campus. Twenty-one of these bills have been signed into law.

This legislation is detailed in a new white paper published by the Center for the Defense of Academic Freedom , a project established by the American Association of University Professors, or AAUP. Taken together, this legislative onslaught has undermined academic freedom and institutional autonomy in five distinct and overlapping ways.

1. Academic gag orders

As detailed in the report, state legislators introduced 99 academic gag orders during legislative sessions in 2021, 2022 and 2023. All of the 10 gag orders signed into law were done so by Republican governors. These bills assert that teaching about structural racism, gender identity or unvarnished accounts of American history harm students.

These gag orders are widely known as “divisive concept” or “anti-CRT” bills. CRT is an acronym for critical race theory, an academic framework that holds racism as deeply embedded in America’s legal and political systems. The partisan activists, such as Christopher Rufo , have used this term to generate a “ moral panic ” as part of a political response to the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests.

For example, in April 2022, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 7, the “ Stop Woke Act .” The law defines a “divisive concept” as any of eight vague claims. They include claims that “Such virtues as merit, excellence, hard work, fairness, neutrality, objectivity, and racial colorblindness are racist or sexist.”

U.S. District Judge Mark Walker described this law as “ positively dystopian .” He noted that the government’s own lawyers admitted that the law would likely make any classroom discussion concerning the merits of affirmative action illegal. The vague wording of these gag orders has a chilling effect , leaving many faculty unsure about what they can and cannot legally discuss in the classroom.

2. Bans on DEI programs

The expansion of diversity, equity and inclusion – or DEI – services on campus was a major outcome of the racial justice protests in 2020. By 2023, however, the legislative backlash was in full swing. Forty bills restricting DEI efforts were introduced during the 2023 legislative cycle, with seven signed into law.

For example, Texas’ Senate Bill 17 drew directly from model policy language developed by Rufo and published by the Manhattan Institute , a right-wing think tank. SB 17 banned diversity statements and considerations in hiring. It also restricted campus diversity training and defunded campus DEI offices at Texas’ public universities.

As detailed in the AAUP white paper, only a handful of people testified in favor of SB 17, and almost all had stated or unstated affiliations with right-wing think tanks. In contrast, more than a hundred educators and citizens testified, or registered to testify, against the bill. Since its passage, Texas public universities have seen the closing of DEI programs and reduced campus services for students from minority populations. For example, after the Legislature accused the University of Texas-Austin of violating SB 17, the school was forced to shut down its DEI office. This involved laying off 40 employees .

3. Weakening tenure

Tenure was developed to shield faculty members from external political pressure. The protections of tenure make it possible for faculty to teach, research and speak publicly without fear of losing their jobs because their speech angers those in power. As detailed in the report, however, during the 2021, 2022 and 2023 legislative sessions, 20 bills were introduced, with two bills weakening tenure protections signed into law in Florida and another in Texas .

In Florida, for example, SB 7044 created a system of post-tenure review, empowering administrators to review tenured faculty every five years. The law further empowers administrators to dismiss those whose performance is deemed unsatisfactory. The law also requires that faculty post course content in a public and searchable database.

The AAUP criticized the law , noting that SB 7044 has “substantially weakened tenure in the Florida State University System and, if fully implemented as written,” would effectively “eliminate tenure protections.” Now even tenured faculty have reason to fear that what they teach might be construed as a “divisive concept,” as CRT, or as promoting DEI.

4. Mandating content

Lawmakers in several states have also passed legislation mandating viewpoint diversity, establishing new academic programs and centers to teach conservative content and shifting curricular decision-making away from the faculty.

For example, Florida’s Senate Bill 266 expanded the Hamilton Center for Classical and Civic Education at the University of Florida, without faculty input or oversight. The original proposal for the Hamilton Center stated that the center’s goal was to advance “ a conservative agenda ” within the curriculum.

SB 266 also gave the governing boards overseeing the university and college systems the authority to decide which classes count toward the core curriculum. This power was exercised in November 2023 after Manny Diaz, the education commissioner in Florida, requested that the boards remove an introduction to sociology course . He stated on social media that the discipline had been “ hijacked by left-wing activists and no longer serves its intended purpose as a general knowledge course for students.”

5. Weakening accreditation

The accreditation process is an obscure area of academic governance whereby colleges and universities regularly subject themselves to external peer review. Nonprofit accrediting agencies conduct these institutional performance reviews.

As detailed in the report, during the 2021-23 legislative cycles, six bills were introduced – three of them were passed into law – weakening the accreditation process, thereby making it easier for political interests to shape university policy.

For example, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill’s accreditor, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, warned the school’s board of trustees that establishing the School of Civic Life and Leadership without faculty oversight and consultation raised serious concerns about institutional independence. The Legislature responded with Senate Bill 680 , which would require that North Carolina public universities choose a different accrediting agency each accreditation cycle. Eventually passed as part of the omnibus House Bill 8, this policy allows schools to “shop” for an accrediting agency less likely to object to such political interference in the curriculum.

These five overlapping and reinforcing attacks on academic freedom and institutional autonomy threaten to radically transform public higher education in ways that serve the partisan interests of those in power.

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• US higher education
• Education law
• Higher ed attainment
• Diversity, equity and inclusion

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Teach students to use GenAI to create characters for stories

Over time, students will learn to perfect their prompts and work side by side with AI to enhance their creativity, write Gloria Anahí Molina Barrón and Pamela Inés Marroquin Alanis

Gloria Anahí Molina Barrón

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.css-1txxx8u{overflow:hidden;max-height:81px;text-indent:0px;} Students using generative AI to write essays isn't a crisis

How students’ genai skills affect assignment instructions, turn individual wins into team achievements in group work, access and equity: two crucial aspects of applied learning, emotions and learning: what role do emotions play in how and why students learn.

AI, and specifically LLMs (large language models), can help our students enhance their creative work. This is one of several reasons their use has become increasingly prevalent in education over the past few months. An LLM is a type of AI that mimics human intelligence and processes and analyses large amounts of data and patterns through statistical models. It also analyses the connection between words and phrases to improve content. In this resource, we provide tips for LLM prompt writing to help our students create characters for their creative projects.

Start by designing an activity with a clear objective so that you can determine the optimal tool to use to develop it. ChatGPT 3.5 is excellent at providing clear and concise information, making it an ideal choice for everyday tasks such as translation and content generation. However, the data accessed by ChatGPT 3.5 is limited to before September 2021, which restricts its use to scenarios that do not require the most up-to-date information. 

In contrast, Gemini provides suggestions based on the latest information. While its output may appear more extensive and less straightforward than that of ChatGPT 3.5, with Gemini, you can more effectively tailor the writing style to formal or informal contexts. However, this requires additional steps, which may lengthen the process.

The tool you select is contingent upon the desired outcome. If the objective is to obtain a straightforward answer, then go for ChatGPT. However, if you require a more complex, comprehensive response, then Gemini may be the better option. In the following example, we used ChatGPT.

• Resource collection: AI has arrived - so what next?
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Writing effective prompts 

When we think about prompt writing, we recall the scene in Aladdin II when Jafar tells Abis Mal that if he wants to make a wish, he has to be specific, otherwise it won’t come true. The same goes for prompts. Consider the following suggestions:

• Be clear: it is important to be direct, avoiding ambiguities or generalities. For example, if you’re looking for the definition of something like blockchain, typing in "Explain what blockchain is and how it works, in simple terms with an example in Spanish”, is much better than asking the LLM “What is blockchain?”
• Provide contextual information: if you are using it to help you plan lessons, include details such as the educational level or age of your students
• Dictate the format for the response: you can request the answer in a paragraph, essay, table or chart form, allowing you to organise the information clearly and concisely. When using image tools, specify whether you want digital art, pointillism, watercolour or any other effect
• Make the word count clear: you can specify your desired response length by limiting it to a specific number of words or pages
• Review and adjust: if the initial response is inadequate, you can request adjustments or additions to improve it during the same conversation
• Establish a structure: ensure your prompt clearly indicates the structure you’re looking for.

An example in practice

We went through the basics of prompt writing with our students before asking them to write their own. The objective was to prompt GenAI to create a character for a story. The starting point we provided was:

“In the year 3400, a robot searching for plants has the physical characteristics that enable it to perform its duties efficiently.”

In response to this, the prompt they came up with was:

“Physical characteristics of a robot in the year 3400, in 35 words living on planet Earth and searching for plants. Medium-sized, futurist.”

The answer they got was:

“The six-foot robot, with a sleek titanium body and luminescent blue accents, features adaptable hands and a sensor-rich faceplate. It moves silently on articulated legs, designed for various terrains while searching Earth’s landscapes for a rare plant.”

Using the description provided by ChatGPT, we then generated an image on Ideogram. Below is the result

Simply asking ChatGPT to describe “a robot” could have yielded a humanoid or a generic one, which was not what we were looking for. By using the prompt generated by ChatGPT, the images generated were closer to what we had imagined.

Encouraging your students to implement these recommendations can help them craft stories or characters for various narrative forms. Over time, they will learn to perfect their prompts and work side by side with AI to enhance their creativity. Prompting is a language between humans and the virtual world. Let’s learn it!

Gloria Anahí Molina Barrón is a tutor-professor of educational innovation and digital learning at Monterrey Institute of Technology; Pamela Inés Marroquin Alanis is a professor of educational innovation and digital learning at Monterrey institute of Technology.

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Education Leadership , Leadership Blogs

In Defense of Higher Education 

Dr. Conrad Hughes, Education Advisory Board Member

Updated: June 1, 2024

Published: May 31, 2024

In this age of frequent disruptions to the world of work because of rapidly evolving technologies, the whole enterprise of formal education can be put into question. The argument is sometimes made that going to university is a waste of time and money. You aren’t necessarily going to be guaranteed a job afterward. Since jobs are changing so quickly, and you could spend that time working, earning more capital, and becoming experienced in the workplace sooner rather than later, skipping college education seems to be a practical solution for many.

First of all, studies by the OECD (2010) and the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) ,(2022) show that higher educational attainment increases the likelihood of being employed. One must be careful with these statistics because they depend on the country, general employment rates, and the type of degree in question. Nonetheless, to claim that there is no positive corollary between employability and university degrees is quite simply not true. So, if it is for the simple reason of improving your employability, a university degree is a good investment. 

However, there is a second and, perhaps, deeper argument for going to university. Higher education refines your mind, improves your scholarship, improves your critical thinking , it makes you read and do research. These are good for you intellectually and socially since they teach all sorts of transferable skills such as analysis, precision, and substantiation. It is also a good test of character to pursue a degree. It sets up a challenge, puts you to the test and when you earn the degree, something that no one can take away from you after that, there is a sense of achievement. 

Gaining degrees is part of the objective, meritocratic system of academic assessment that may not feature in the workplace since in that sphere hard work and good work might not always be rewarded. University, because it leads to qualifications, is a chance to earn something whether people like you, choose to promote or demote you, or not. It’s a form of recognition that is parameterized objectively with criteria and not because of peoples’ opinions. 

So, if you can, or if you are on the fence about it, my advice is to earn a degree, even several. You won’t regret it, trust me! 

The wonderful thing about University of the People, and one of the reasons why I am so happy to be on its board, is that it offers high-quality and asynchronous online college education at an affordable fee , empowering learners globally.  

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Higher Education Needs More Socrates and Plato

By Ezekiel J. Emanuel and Harun Küçük

Dr. Emanuel and Dr. Küçük are on the faculty of the University of Pennsylvania, where Dr. Emanuel is a professor and the vice provost for global initiatives and Dr. Küçük is an associate professor of the history and sociology of science.

The right attacks colleges and universities as leftist and woke. Progressives castigate them as perpetuating patriarchy and white privilege. The burdens of these culture war assaults are compounded by parents worried that the exorbitant costs of higher education aren’t worth it.

No wonder Americans’ faith in universities is at a low. Only 36 percent of Americans have confidence in higher education, according to a survey by Gallup last year, a significant drop from eight years ago. And this was before colleges and universities across the country were swept up in a wave of protests and counter-protests over the war in Gaza.

But the problems facing American higher education are not just the protests and culture war attacks on diversity, course content, speech and speakers. The problem is that higher education is fundamentally misunderstood. In response, colleges and universities must reassert the liberal arts ideals that have made them great but that have been slipping away.

By liberal arts, we mean a broad-based education that aspires to send out into society an educated citizenry prepared to make its way responsibly in an ever-more complex and divided world. We worry that at many schools, students can fulfill all or most of their general education requirements and take any number of electives without having had a single meaningful discussion that is relevant to one’s political life as a citizen.

Over the past century, what made American higher education the best in the world is not its superiority in career training, but educating students for democratic citizenship, cultivating critical thinking and contributing to the personal growth of its students through self-creation. To revive American higher education, we need to reinvigorate these roots.

In Europe and many countries elsewhere, colleges and universities have undergraduates specialize from Day 1, focusing on developing area-specific skills and knowledge. College students are trained to become doctors, lawyers or experts in international relations, English literature or computer science.

In the United States, European-style specialization for medical, legal, business or public policy careers is the purpose of post-collegiate professional schools. Traditionally, the American college has been about imparting a liberal arts education, emphasizing reasoning and problem solving. Those enduring skills are the critical ingredients for flourishing companies and countries.

Historically, students arriving on American college campuses spent a majority of their first two years taking classes outside their projected majors. This exposed them to a common curriculum that had them engage with thoughtful writings of the past to develop the skills and capacity to form sound, independent judgments.

Over the past half century, American colleges and universities have moved away from this ideal , becoming less confident in their ability to educate students for democratic citizenship. This has led to a decline in their commitment to the liberal arts, a trend underscored in the results last year of a survey of chief academic officers at American colleges and universities by Inside Higher Ed. Nearly two-thirds agreed that liberal arts education was in decline, and well over half felt that politicians, college presidents and university boards were increasingly unsympathetic to the liberal arts.

Today, there is almost no emphasis on shared courses among majors that explore and debate big questions about the meaning of equality, justice, patriotism, personal obligations, civic responsibility and the purpose of a human life. Majors that once required only eight or 10 courses now require 14 or more, and students are increasingly double majoring — all of which crowds out a liberal arts education. Ambitious students eager to land a prestigious consulting, finance or tech job will find it too easy to brush aside courses in the arts, humanities and social and natural sciences — the core of a liberal education.

The devaluing of the first two years of a shared liberal arts education has shortchanged our students and our nation. Educating young adults to be citizens is why the first two years of college still matter.

To that end, the so-called Great Books have long been the preferred way to foster citizenship. This approach is not, contrary to critics on the left and right, about sanctifying specific texts for veneration or a mechanism for heritage transmission.

Books by Plato, Aristotle, Hobbes, Locke, Kant, Emerson, Thoreau, Whitman as well as Wollstonecraft, Austen, Woolf, Baldwin, Hurston and Orwell are worthy of introductory collegiate courses for students of all majors. These writers address the fundamental questions of human life. They explore the ideas of self-determination, friendship, virtue, equality, democracy and religious toleration and race that we have all been shaped by.

As students address those big questions, the Great Books authors provide a road map as they challenge and criticize one another and the conventional wisdom of the past. The Socrates of Plato’s dialogues is the exemplar — asking about beliefs and then subjecting them to respectful but critical analysis and skepticism.

These books are best studied in small seminar discussions, which model and inculcate in students democratic behavior. This discourse is an antidote to the grandstanding in today’s media and social media.

The teacher is less an expert in specific writers and more a role model for intellectual curiosity, asking probing questions, offering critical analyses and seeking deeper understanding. In an idealized Socratic fashion, these discussions require listening at length and speaking briefly and, most important, being willing to go where the argument leads.

Parents who are paying for college might question the value of spending $80,000 a year so that their son or daughter can read Plato, Hobbes and Thoreau instead of studying molecular biology or machine learning. But discussing life’s big value questions in seminars gives students personal engagement with professors that can never be reproduced in large lecture halls. Discussions among students on their deepest thoughts cultivates curiosity and empathy, and forges bonds of friendship important for citizenship and fulfilling lives.

Although we like to set ourselves apart from the past by appeals to modernity, the fundamental questions that we find ourselves asking are not always modern, and the latest answer is not always right. But how would you know how to think beyond the readily presented check boxes if you haven’t done the work of laying things out and putting them back together for yourself?

War was no less a concern for Thucydides, Tacitus and Thoreau than it is today. Discussing Great Books allows students to gain distance from the daily noise and allows their reason to roam free among principles and foundations rather than becoming absorbed in contemporary events. Our biggest problems are often best addressed not by leaning in but by stepping away to reflect on enduring perspectives.

Liberal arts education is not value neutral. That is why it is indispensable today. Freedom of thought, critical reasoning, empathy for others and respectful disagreement are paramount for a flourishing democratic society. Without them, we get the unreasoned condemnations so pervasive in today’s malignant public discourse. With them, we have a hope of furthering the shared governance that is vital to America’s pluralistic society.

Ezekiel Emanuel and Harun Küçük are on the faculty of the University of Pennsylvania, where Dr. Emanuel is a professor and the vice provost for global initiatives and Dr. Küçük is an associate professor of the history and sociology of science.

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

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Investigation Skills and Report Writing for Higher Education

• Fairfax, VA - 06/5/2024 08:30 AM

Please Note: We have moved to Benchmark Learning Management System for this training.  Create your account or log in here  then either search for your desired training, or come back here and click "Register" to be taken directly to the event page. For more information or help, please refer to  this user guide .

The Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) is pleased to announce that it will host a 2 - day “Investigation Skills and Report Writing for Higher Education” training.  Investigation Skills and Report Writing for Higher Education focuses on improving interviewing techniques and post-interview tasks such as credibility assessment, information synthesis, and clear report writing.

Participants will review a sample investigation report to guide their understanding of report writing mechanics, format, and structure. Additionally, registrants will engage in various interactive learning activities to practice their skills and receive feedback from ATIXA’s experts.

Topics Covered:

Overview of the Investigation Process

Trauma and Investigations

Investigation Strategy

Notetaking and Recordkeeping

Parsing the Policy

Collecting and Managing Evidence

Purpose of the Investigation Report

Writing Mechanics

Writing Clarity

Absent Information

Investigation Report Sections

Who Should Attend?

This course is designed for Virginia Title IX coordinators, Title IX and Civil Rights investigators, campus law enforcement and campus security officers, hearing/process advisors, hearing facilitators, hearing chairs, decision-makers, hearing panelists, appeals officers, human resources professionals, student conduct professionals, and Compliance and Risk Management Professionals.

Partial In-service Credit

Partial In-service Credit for law enforcement is available.

Training Time and Details

Registration begins at 8:00 a.m.

Training begins at 8:30 a.m. and concludes at 5:00 p.m. each day.

Travel, Lodging, and Meals

Participants are responsible for their transportation, meals, lodging arrangements, and related expenses.  

Cost and Registration

There is no registration fee to attend this training. 

Pre-registration is required. 

Please note that the DCJS registration system does not have the capacity to sort eligible from ineligible registrants. Therefore, anyone who registers will receive a confirmation. It is the responsibility of the DCJS assigned course director to review the roster and make a final determination on acceptance into the course. Registrants not accepted will be notified via the email address provided during registration. 

For More Information, Contact:

Marc Dawkins  804.380.9709  Email  

• Licensing / Regulation
• Law Enforcement
• School-Campus Safety
• Juvenile / Victims / Adult Justice

Biden administration launches review of office overseeing FAFSA, student loans

The government's federal student aid office has drawn widespread scrutiny this year as delays in college financial aid impacted students across the country..

The federal Education Department is launching a review of the office overseeing college financial aid and the country’s nearly $2 trillion student loan portfolio. 

The agency said Thursday it hired an independent consulting firm to make recommendations about how to improve the Federal Student Aid office, which has drawn bipartisan scrutiny this year amid its bungled overhaul of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. 

A congressional mandate to simplify the form – relied on by millions of high school and college students annually to get federal assistance paying for college – was beset by glitches and errors (the Education Department now says forms are being processed in one to three days, and more than 10 million forms have been submitted). 

Summer school worries: Some colleges are scrambling to get financial aid to students enrolled in the summer term

The botched rollout tested colleges’ relationships with the federal government while prompting Republican critics to accuse the Biden administration of prioritizing student loan relief at the expense of its other responsibilities. Students from immigrant families were hit especially hard by widespread delays this year in the financial aid process. 

The department said Thursday it is restructuring reporting protocols among its top brass and rethinking contracts with outside vendors. The review was first reported Thursday by NBC News. 

“These efforts include changes in leadership, boosting oversight and accountability, and engaging a variety of stakeholders so that FSA works best for our most important stakeholders – students and families,” Education Secretary Miguel Cardona wrote in a letter to staff Thursday. 

Cardona under oath: Biden's education secretary apologizes for FAFSA rollout amid new concerns about next year

Cardona also said the department will appoint Denise Carter, an acting assistant secretary, as the principal deputy chief operating officer at Federal Student Aid. The department is searching for a replacement for Rich Cordray, who last month announced he would step down at the end of June. 

Cordray is out: Top Education Department official steps down amid crisis over college financial aid

Zachary Schermele covers education and breaking news for   USA TODAY. You can reach him by email at [email protected]. Follow him on X at @ZachSchermele .