Curriculum and Instruction
The study of the design, implementation, and assessment of educational curricula and instructional strategies to enhance teaching and learning.
Education
The study of learning and developing knowledge, skills, values, and understanding through study, experience, and teaching.
Overview
- Education is the academic field that studies how people learn and how teaching happens.
- The field of education examines the methods, theories, and systems used in schools and other learning environments, as well as the social, cultural, and psychological factors that shape learning and instruction.
- Education is among the most widely studied disciplines worldwide, with research spanning classrooms, universities, workplaces, online learning, and national education systems—making it both a social science and an applied profession.
Education FAQ
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about the academic discipline of education, along with links to resources that explain the discipline and what you can expect from majoring in the field.
What's education?
Education is the study of learning and teaching processes. It aims to understand how individuals acquire knowledge and skills. It also examines the roles of teachers, schools, and educational policies in shaping these processes.
For an in-depth description of the field of education, see the article on education from the Encyclopedia Britannica.
What are the main subfields of education?
Education studies cover a wide range of topical areas. However, most universities traditionally divide these topical areas into the following main areas of study:
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Early Childhood Education
- Educational Policy
- Educational Psychology
- Educational Technology
- Higher Education
- International Education
- Special Education
What other subjects are important to education research?
Education is an interdisciplinary field drawing from various academic disciplines, including:
- Anthropology
- Economics
- History
- Philosophy
- Public policy
- Psychology
- Sociology
Resources for new education majors.
If you’re thinking about majoring in education, these resources can provide useful background information and help guide your next steps. They explain what to expect from the major and the wide variety of career paths available to you.
- What You Need to Know About Becoming An Education Major - U.S. News & World Report
- Find Your Teacher Career Path - Teach.org
- Major Education - Big Future/College Board
Education Subfields
In American universities, the discipline of education is divided into specialized subfields, each focusing on different stages of learning and teaching in the US education system, including preschool, primary, secondary, and higher education. Scroll through the listing provided or view all subfields.
Early Childhood Education
The study of teaching young children, typically from birth to eight years old, to support their overall development and prepare them for future learning.
Education Policy
Education policy is the study and creation of rules and guidelines that govern educational systems, focusing on improving how education is delivered and addressing social needs.
Educational Psychology
The study of how people learn, focusing on mental processes and factors that influence learning in educational environments.
Educational Technology
The study of how to effectively use technological tools and methods to enhance teaching and learning experiences.
International and Comparative Education
The study of how education systems around the world function, comparing them to learn from their differences and similarities.
Special Education
The study of customized teaching and support to students with disabilities, ensuring they receive an appropriate education.
Education Reference
Education reference sources provide a convenient way to locate background information for research on critical education events, key people, concepts, or significant communication issues. This section lists major education reference materials by type. We provide links to either the publisher’s websites or Amazon for further details and descriptions.
Education Dictionaries
Dictionaries are important for understanding and contextualizing words, concepts, and terminology. Various education dictionaries provide clarity when exploring complex concepts, systems, and theories, offering clear definitions of key education-related terms.
Education Encyclopedias
Subject encyclopedias are specialized reference works providing in-depth information on specific discipline topics. Unlike general encyclopedias that cover a wide range of topics, subject encyclopedias focus exclusively on one discipline, offering detailed and comprehensive entries written by experts. For a list of general and specialized encyclopedia databases, go to Getting Started – Reference Resources.
Education Handbooks
Handbooks provide authoritative overviews, in-depth analyses, and critical discussions of a particular academic field, discipline, or topic. The following are important general education handbooks.
Education Companions and Introductions
Most education textbooks are structured for academic courses. The following "non-textbook" companions and introductions provide comprehensive yet understandable introductions to education studies. Written by experts, they present key ideas, theories, and debates in an understandable way that is ideal for readers new to the field of education, providing foundational knowledge without requiring prior expertise.
General Article Databases
Academic libraries subscribe to a diverse range of research databases of which EBSCO and ProQuest are two of the largest providers. Most colleges and universities offer access to one or both platforms. Here are some key insights about each:
- Both are multidisciplinary research databases covering multiple disciplines.
- Both provide access to dozens of subject databases with a single search interface, which allows users to search multiple databases simultaneously.
- Both provide a varied mix of e-books, scholarly journals, peer-reviewed journals, trade publications, magazines, images, and newspapers.
EBSCO
EBSCOhost is a major research database platform that allows users to search multiple EBSCO databases simultaneously. The difference between EBSCOhost and Academic Search is that Academic Search can be searched as part of the EBSCOhost platform or searched separately if your institution has a subscription. To check if your institution subscribes to EBSCOhost, use EBSCO’s Find your institution page.
ProQuest
ProQuest is a major database vendor and platform that provides access to hundreds of database collections. The ProQuest platform provides a multidisciplinary search with access to scholarly ebooks, journals, video and audio, newspapers, and more, all searchable simultaneously. ProQuest is unique for providing dissertations and theses, historical newspapers, and other primary sources.
Scholarly Article Databases
Scholarly research databases provide peer-reviewed academic journal articles, book reviews, and other scholarly resources authored by scholars, researchers, or academics who are experts in their fields. Unlike magazines (Time, Newsweek, etc.) focused on current events, news, and general-interest stories written by journalists, articles in scholarly journals undergo rigorous review before publication.
If your assignment requires the use of scholarly, peer-reviewed articles, here is a list of the most important multidisciplinary scholarly research databases.
If your assignment requires the use of scholarly, peer-reviewed articles, here is a list of the most important multidisciplinary scholarly research databases.
Google Scholar
Google Scholar is a free academic search engine that helps researchers and studentsfind scholarly literature across disciplines. It indexes journal articles, books, conference papers, theses, patents, and other resources from academic publishers, universities, and professional organizations.
- Unlike subscription databases, which publish lists of journals in their collections, Google Scholar does not provide a list of the journals, books, repositories, or conference proceedings it indexes.
- General databases such as EBSCO and ProQuest allow you to limit your results to peer-reviewed articles only. Google Scholar does not filter results for peer-reviewed articles.
- When off your school’s network, you must enable your institution’s Google Scholar library links (review process) to see full-text articles available in your institution. If Library Links are not enabled, you’ll only see paywalls, publisher links, and what’s available open-access in the public domain.
International Bibliography of the Social Sciences
The International Bibliography of the Social Sciences (IBSS), compiled by the British Library of Political and Economic Science at the London School of Economics, provides access to a vast collection of scholarly literature in the social sciences. Covering multiple disciplines, IBSS includes references to journal articles, books, newspapers, and dissertations, with records dating back to 1951.
JSTOR
JSTOR is an important scholarly research database for the humanities, social sciences, and sciences. It provides the full text of articles from thousands of influential academic journals. In addition to journal articles, users can access eBooks, book chapters, images, and primary source documents. JSTOR also provides an AI research tool that provides key points and arguments of articles.
JSTOR contains the full text of more than 2,000 journals from 1,000 publishers, with publication dates ranging from 1665 to 2015 (for certain titles). JSTOR also provides:
- Free access to Early Journal Content published before the last 95 years in the United States or before the last 143 years if initially published internationally.
- A collection of nearly 150 open-access journals covering the humanities, social sciences, and sciences.
- JSTOR allows anyone to register for a free personal JSTOR account and provides access to 100 free monthly articles.
Project Muse
Project MUSE offers online access to a vast collection of scholarly journals, books, and academic resources in the humanities, social sciences, and arts. As a leading provider of digital humanities content, it features high-quality, peer-reviewed publications from prestigious university presses, scholarly societies, and academic publishers.
ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global
ProQuest Dissertations & Theses is a database of dissertations and theses from universities worldwide. It provides access to millions of full-text works across many disciplines, including the social sciences, humanities, sciences, and business. Each dissertation includes an abstract or summary that provides a concise overview of the research, its methodology, and key findings.
ScienceDirect
ScienceDirect is a leading full-text scholarly scientific database that provides journal articles and book chapters from more than 2,500 peer-reviewed journals and more than 11,000 books. It covers over 24 major subjects in the physical sciences and engineering, life sciences, health sciences, social sciences, and the humanities.
Social Science Full Text
Social Sciences Full Text provides access to a wide range of scholarly literature in the social sciences. It covers many disciplines, including sociology, psychology, international relations, political science, anthropology, economics, and education.
Web of Science
Web of Science is a comprehensive, multidisciplinary research and citation index that provides access to a wide range of scientific, technical, social science, and humanities research. It maintains rigorous criteria for the journals and publications it indexes, ensuring that only high-quality, peer-reviewed content is included. Web of Science includes 98 million papers dating back to 1900.
Education Databases
Searching general or multi-disciplinary databases can sometimes give you too many results. To narrow your focus, try using a database dedicated to education research. The list below highlights the top databases for finding subject journals and articles. The following research databases specialize in subjects covering education and more.
Education Journals
Journal Citation Reports (JCR) is widely regarded as the leading subscription-based resource for identifying high-quality, peer-reviewed journals and assessing the impact, influence, and quality of scholarly journals across disciplines, including anthropology. To learn more about JCR and journal impact, go to Journal Databases.
Journal Citation Reports ranks Computers and Education as the most-cited education journal for 2024. To review the JCR list of highly cited educational journals, go to Journal Citation Reports and choose Categories > Social Sciences, General > Education. Listed below are the top ten education journals that receive the highest number of citations from other scholars.
Computers and Education
Computers & Education is a peer-reviewed journal that explores how technology shapes teaching and learning and the pedagogical uses of digital technology. It publishes research on digital tools, online learning, artificial intelligence, and classroom innovation.
BMC Medical Education
BMC Medical Education is an open-access, peer-reviewed journal that focuses on how doctors and other health professionals are trained. It publishes research on teaching methods, curriculum design, assessment, and clinical training. The journal highlights practical ways to improve medical education and prepare healthcare providers for real-world practice.
Teaching and Teacher Education
Teaching and Teacher Education is a peer-reviewed international journal dedicated to advancing knowledge on teaching as a professional practice, teacher education, and teachers’ development across all educational stages. It examines how teachers are prepared, supported, and developed throughout their careers. It publishes research on teacher training, classroom practice, professional growth, and education policy.
Education and Information Technologies
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Review of Educational Research
Review of Educational Research is a peer-reviewed journal that provides studies on different aspects of education. Published since 1931, it features interdisciplinary articles on educational issues and related fields, such as economics, psychology, sociology, history, philosophy, political science, computer science, statistics, anthropology, and biology.
Education Sciences
Education Sciences is a monthly, peer-reviewed, open-access education journal that publishes research on all aspects of learning, teaching, and educational systems. It covers topics like curriculum, policy, technology in education, teacher education, and how schools and programs work.
Higher Education
Higher Education is a peer-reviewed, international journal that publishes research on colleges and universities around the world. It covers developments in teaching, learning, policy, governance, and institutional change in both public and private higher education.
Studies in Higher Education
Studies in Higher Education is a peer-reviewed education journal that publishes research on how colleges and universities operate. It covers teaching and learning, student experiences, leadership, funding, and policy. The journal focuses on evidence-based insights that help improve higher education systems around the world.
System: An International Journal of Educational Technology and Applied Linguistics
System: An International Journal of Educational Technology and Applied Linguistics is a peer-reviewed education journal that publishes research on language learning and teaching, especially in second and foreign language contexts. It explores classroom practice, teacher development, learner motivation, and the use of technology in language education.
British Journal of Educational Technology
The British Journal of Educational Technology is a peer-reviewed journal that publishes research on how digital tools and media are used in teaching and learning. It examines online learning, classroom technology, instructional design, and emerging innovations.
Education News
Education news sources and magazines highlight emerging research topics, issues, and trends in the field, sparking ideas for research questions and assignments. Remember that magazines are written for the general public and lack peer review. Here are the education sections from major online news and magazines.
Higher Education News (U.S.)
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K–12 Education News (U.S.)
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International Education News
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Education Policy
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Education Methods
Research methods are how researchers gather and study information to help answer questions. Research methods are the specific strategies, tools, and techniques researchers use to collect and analyze information to answer questions or solve problems.
Research methods can be qualitative (like interviews or observations) or quantitative (numerical and statistical). As a student, you’ll likely take a research methods course that introduces you to the basics of how social science research works. Below are some of the most helpful resources available that explain different types of research methods and discuss how to collect and analyze both qualitative and quantitative data.
Sage Research Methods is a major subscription database that guides users in understanding research methodologies across different academic disciplines. It provides electronic access to reference books, journal articles, instructional videos, and other qualitative methods resources.
The following resources provide in-depth information on various research design concepts, methodologies, and techniques specific to education.
Education researchers have shown that how a teacher believes a student will perform can measurably change the student’s actual learning outcomes, even when instruction stays the same. This phenomenon is known as the Pygmalion effect. Learn More
