An Ed.D can help you pursue a career in higher education leadership as an educator or administrator. It teaches the skills necessary to problem solve, manage effectively, and produce positive change in learning institutions. With an Ed.D, you can become an admissions director, academic dean, provost, or a college professor.
Whether you’re getting your degree from an online doctor of education program or a traditional one, you’ll be required to work on a dissertation. But many students who have decided to complete a doctor of education degree (Ed. D) can’t seem to settle on a dissertation topic. So here are 7 tips on how to choose a dissertation topic in education.
1. It doesn’t have to be a new topic
When it comes to your dissertation, you don’t have to discover something new or reinvent the wheel. It’s most likely that someone else must have covered your topic before. So you just have to choose what interests you the most, research the topic and make your own contributions.
Many students also choose complex topics and are unable to start or finish their dissertation early enough. Your topic needs to be concise and very straightforward. It would help you identify your focus group and the exact research methods to use. Then, you’ll be able to expand your research topic and cover several aspects of it.
2. Identify gaps in research
During your Ed.D program, you’ll have to explore what you don’t know and dig deep into what you’re already familiar with. So you should analyze previous research or dissertations within your subject area. There may be unanswered questions or certain issues that are yet to be properly addressed.
You can also find dissertation topic ideas by searching online or looking at recent articles published in journals. Many universities upload their students’ dissertations online and you can access them for free. You should also check out scholarly journals in education.
3. Pick a topic you’re passionate about
It can take up to two years to write a dissertation for your Ed.D. You may have to draft and defend a proposal, conduct surveys and interviews, review existing literature, and create an outline before you start writing. It’s only best for you to select a topic that you’re interested in and will be motivated to keep working on for a very long time.
There are a few ways of choosing a dissertation topic that you’re passionate about. It could be something you usually complain about, explain to others or even try to defend amongst your peers. You can also refer to past assessment tasks that were challenging yet most fulfilling for you.
4. Select a niche that’s in line with the career you want to pursue
Your dissertation needs to be relevant to your career goals. It can help to discover what you want to specialize in and how you intend to differentiate yourself from others. For example, if you want to be in higher education leadership, you need to choose a topic that helps to show your analytical and problem-solving abilities.
Your dissertation topic can also be what you present to recruiters or potential employers as your expert knowledge or area of expertise. If you can find a great research topic that causes so much concern but hasn’t been particularly solved yet, you’ll be able to set yourself apart from others.
5. Let current educational trends guide you
An Ed.D dissertation is an opportunity for you to make unique contributions to specific issues in education. Your research could be based on school funding problems, educational disparities, curriculum development or instruction challenges, job skills development, and college counseling.
You should also look at the current and predicted trends in education for inspiration on a relevant topic. There are policy documents and newspaper articles that talk about neglected issues in education. Other people’s research may also be centered around such educational trends.
6. Bounce ideas off your peers
A Doctor of Education program often consists of students from diverse backgrounds. Their various opinions can help you refine your idea or provide a different perspective. Those who have already completed an Ed.D can also give you tips on how to approach your dissertation.
If you’re enrolled in an online doctor of education program, you’ll be able to connect with thousands of students and professionals from all over the world. You should leverage such a global network by asking for guidance and constructive feedback that can help to improve your research.
7. Don’t be afraid to change topic
As you progress on your dissertation, you may find it going in a slightly different direction. This is quite normal because research can make you more inquisitive. You can adjust your topic or change it completely if necessary (and if you feel you are still able to meet your deadline).
If you have more than one topic idea that you’re passionate about, you should talk to your dissertation supervisor. They can help to choose the dissertation topic that would be best for you. Your supervisor can also advise you on how to navigate the dissertation writing process.
TechnologyHQ is a platform about business insights, tech, 4IR, digital transformation, AI, Blockchain, Cybersecurity, and social media for businesses.
We manage social media groups with more than 200,000 members with almost 100% engagement.
