Areas of Research

Drexel University’s School of Education is rich with expertise in many diverse fields of research. Our research is collaborative, expansive, interdisciplinary and focused with a particular emphasis on technology-enhanced education and the learning sciences.

Research productivity, measured both by peer-reviewed publications and funded research expenditures continues to be a high priority, encouraging scholarly inquiry to improve education practices locally and globally.

Research in the School of Education is focused in the following areas:

Behavioral Health Sciences

Behavioral health sciences research intersects and informs educational practices in areas such as multi-tiered systems of behavioral and academic support and evidence-based practices for individuals with behavioral health needs. Faculty develop, implement and disseminate effective behavior health interventions as part of the scientist-practitioner model.

Behavioral Health Sciences Research Faculty

Global Education

Global education research aims to improve the human condition by addressing issues of educational inequality, social justice and intercultural communication. Through collaborations with partners regionally and abroad, faculty research utilizes cross-cultural perspectives and comparative methods to inform educational policymaking and practices to impact global society.

Global Education Research faculty

Leadership Development and Adult Learning

Leadership development research focuses on educational leadership principles, management and organizational behavior including neural and behavioral learning processes. Research designs help organizations examine fair and equitable environments for their workforces, design programs that support workers and promote professional growth and employee satisfaction. Underlying this research is deep understanding of adult learning principles and lifelong learning capacity.

Leadership Development and Adult Learning Research Faculty

Social Justice and Inclusive Education

Equity, access, social justice and civic engagement research transcends both the limits and possibilities of schooling, exploring the ways in which social forces such as race, class, gender, ability and culture shapes educational opportunity and outcomes throughout the life course. Through interdisciplinary research in diverse local and global contexts, research for social justice informs the advancement of equitable and inclusive learning in educational practice and policy.

Social Justice and Inclusive Education Research Faculty

STEM, STEAM, and Creativity

STEM educational research spans the disciplines of science (physics, biology, chemistry), technology, engineering and mathematics education. STEM teacher professional development, student learning, participation, retention & persistence as well as motivation and identity are signature research areas. Many projects address STEM engagement for students of color, Underrepresented Student Populations (URP) and culturally relevant informal STEM programs. Immersive digital technology applications, and cognitive and non-cognitive assessments in STEM are features of this area. STEAM research includes the role of the arts in STEM and makerspaces. creativity and innovation research centers on creativity belief systems, identity and performance as well as learning in the arts.

STEM, STEAM, and Creativity Research Faculty

Teaching, Learning and Development

Teaching, learning, and development are at the center of all faculty research. From early childhood education to preparing pre-service teachers and educational leaders across disciplines, faculty research critically examines the role teaching and learning play to help people solve intractable problems and push boundaries for innovative thinking and solution building. Developmental research identifies and addresses educational issues related to ability and behavior.

Teaching, Learning and Development Research Faculty

Technology and Digital Learning

Technology and digital learning research use cognitive, pedagogical and experiential approaches to design technology and digital spaces within formal and informal learning contexts. Helping teachers to effectively use technology in the classroom to develop content knowledge in the classroom as well as non-cognitive aspects is an important area of research.