Topics for a Research Paper in Early Childhood Education

Most prospective teachers are fully engulfed in the world of education before they even take a single college course, simply because they love every aspect of teaching. Because of this, many teacher candidates often have trouble focusing on a single topic to conduct research on for a thesis paper. Fortunately, a wide array of domains within the field of education are available to choose from. In deciding which area to delve into, meditate on what drives you most as an educator and how you can benefit from learning more about a specific topic.

Teachers with a strong philosophy of education tend to focus on the overarching phenomena that have driven the field throughout history, and how these phenomena have affected the actual education of society's children. For example, the shift toward the Common Core in recent years has been met with mixed reviews from teachers, parents, children and politicians across the country. Understanding how these shifts have changed the face of education allows prospective teachers to truly examine the purpose of education and how their philosophy fits into this purpose. Researching the positive and negative results of previous paradigm shifts from various perspectives helps future teachers see how the field has changed and where they can take it in the coming years.

The use of electronics and multimedia in the classroom is a huge topic of debate in the educational world, especially when it comes to early childhood education. Should children as young as 3 be given computer time? Should a child know how to use an iPad before he knows how to use the bathroom on his own? This research would not only look to the past but also to the future, as technology becomes more and more prevalent in children's daily lives. As these arguments are relatively new to the field of education, any research done on the benefits of using technology in the classroom will help shape the future of teaching in modern society.

Involving the family in a child's education is a sensitive issue in today's society. However, prospective teachers would do well to research the powerful effects a parent-teacher partnership can have on their children. A teacher who understands the benefits of a parent-teacher relationship comprehends just how important it is to assist parents in becoming active participants in their children's education. Furthermore, researching how to involve parents more can help you, as a teacher, understand how to maintain correct boundaries in your relationships with families and empower you to advocate more effectively in the child's best interest. Knowing how to create a partnership with parents ultimately benefits all parties involved in the educational process.

Naturally, early childhood educators understand how important their job is. Although they may know this at heart, researching the benefits of early childhood education programs puts a quantifiable value on their importance, which has advantages for funding. Involvement in early education programs can have numerous effects on a child. Conducting longitudinal research on the possible future success of children in higher grades is paramount to truly comprehending how a primary teacher's efforts can lead to life-long benefits for her students. Understanding these effects drives teachers to do their best work every day and to always improve their methods.