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03 August 2021 Blogs, Academic, Faculty, Librarian

Research Trends in Education

What the 20 most accessed dissertations related to education studies reveal about priorities in the field

One of the most valuable ways students and researchers learn is from each other. That is true across all subjects, including education. For this article, we decided to explore the 20 most accessed dissertation titles from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global (PQDT Global). Preview the list below.

Our reasoning was two-fold:

First, dissertations research topics tend to reflect original and cutting-edge thinking in their field. As such, they are a treasure trove of insights and information for students and scholars at every level, from beginner to advanced.

Second, looking at the most accessed titles from the 4 million researchers using PQDT Global provides education students and scholars with a glimpse at the kinds of topics their peers at colleges and universities around the world are researching. This can deepen awareness of research areas that are in high demand.

In other words, the most accessed dissertation titles reveal research trends in education which can help current undergraduate and graduation students understand present and future priorities in their field.

Insights and questions

The organization of these dissertations into “trends” can be subjective and titles can be arranged into a number of similar categorizations. As we analyzed the titles we saw commonalities that motivated us to categorize them into the following trend categories. By doing so we were able to gain some interesting insights into the content, some notable takeaways are mentioned below.

The top 2 trending topic categories are Behavior & Wellbeing and Achievement. We found it to be interesting that both categories were evenly valued by researchers. The high interest in Behavior & Wellbeing is very reflective of where we are in society and the normalization of mental wellness and mental health issues. Another interesting insight is that of the prevalence of social media topics in this category. Educators continue to manage the positive and negative effects of social media use and how it influences behavior in the classroom, impacts institution policies, and how relates to learning outcomes. This research might help to answer questions such as: What are some of the most effective ways institutions can provide guidance for students and their use of social media?

It is not a surprise that Achievement would be at the top, but it is notable to observe the continued focus on equitable learning and social emotional learning skills. Educators are well-versed in the developmental needs of students and how this impacts their learning needs as well. Clearly differentiated learning, relationships, and motivation/engagement and their correlations to student success are considerations that continue to be top of mind for educators and researchers. How will assessing achievement change to accommodate the value being placed on SEL skills as preparation for the workplace?

1. Behavior & Well-being

Application of Jean Watson's Theory of Transpersonal Caring in Nurses Practicing in a Pain Center
Author: Hubert, Patricia Malone
Pubno: 10933489

Social Media and the College Student Journey: An Examination of How Social Media Use Impacts Social Capital and Affects College Choice, Access, and Transition
Author: Horvath-Plyman, Melissa
Pubno: 10937367

Positive and Negative Effects of Social Media on Adolescent Well-Being
Author: Kennedy, Katie
Pubno: 13884786

Implications of a social media course for adolescent social media usage
Author: Johnson, Nneka A.
Pubno: 10261934

An investigation of attitudes towards adults with mental illness among mental health professionals in -training, non mental health professionals in -training, mental health professionals, and non mental health professionals
Author: Smith, Allison L.
Pubno: 3316306

Effectiveness of Components of the Zones of Regulation on Student Behaviors
Author: Quale, Marti
Pubno: 22622385

2. Achievement

Advantages and Disadvantages of Flexible Seating
Author: Havig, Jenna S.
Pubno: 10619168

The Relationship Between Multifaceted Motivational Factors and Academic Achievement
Author: Beasley, Sandra
Pubno: 27997698

How High School Students' Perceptions of Their Teacher-Student Relationships Relate to Their Academic Achievement
Author: Short, Lori A.
Pubno: 10638662

A Quantitative Study of Grit as a Predictor of Online Course Success at a Suburban Michigan Community College
Author: Climer, Steven L.
Pubno: 10682242