Research and Outreach at the School of Education
Driving Better Outcomes for Tomorrow
In Drake University’s School of Education, our faculty embody this passion in the classroom and through careful investigation, innovative experimentation, and honest assessment.
Though our school’s research interests are broad, common themes tie them together: shaping practice in light of the best available evidence and giving heightened attention to the needs of traditionally underserved populations.
Inviting our insightful, creative, and compassionate students to join our endeavor, we’re helping to ensure better outcomes for the counselors, learners, and leaders of tomorrow. Explore all research areas and initiatives to see how you can get involved.
Our Centers and Institutes
Our initiatives leverage the resources of our expert faculty and driven students to uplift the Des Moines community through research, service, and education.
National Rehabilitation Institute
Pioneering research, funding scholarships, and conducting training, the Institute is a strategic asset for students in Drake’s MS in Counseling program who are preparing for careers in rehabilitation counseling.
South Central STEM Hub
Serving as the hub of a collaborative, state-wide network, Drake empowers area educators to expand STEM education by providing resources, hands-on materials, curriculum, and training.
Head Start
One of only a few university-based Head Start programs in the nation and the largest in Iowa, Drake University Head Start helps ensure hundreds of local children prepare to enter school with the tools to succeed.
Research Areas
Our faculty pursue research that directly relates to students’ practical concerns, delving into crucial areas like assessment, equity, and the needs of exceptional learners.
Counseling
Counseling faculty have broad research interests. Areas of exploration and publication include cross-cultural counseling, increasing access for individuals with disabilities, and school counseling.
Leadership
Leadership professors investigate how to increase effectiveness, competence, and community connection by seeking a greater understanding of domains like organizational change, talent development, and emotional intelligence.
Instructional and Assessment Methods
Educational research continues to analyze how schools teach and assess students. Faculty at Drake direct particular attention to socioscientific learning and the needs of multilingual learners, uncovering ways to promote deeper understanding and equity for all.
Literacy and Language Development
Reading influences how students grasp other academic subjects. Department faculty research literacy instructional methods at multiple developmental levels and explore technology integration in the classroom.
Special Education
Drake’s special education professors bring scholarly attention to assessments, intervention plans, policies, and support systems for students with academic, social-emotional, and behavioral needs.
Student Research Opportunities
From our bachelor’s to doctoral programs, you’ll be challenged to pursue the questions that matter to you. In the process, you’ll surface insights that will shape your own practices and contribute to the field’s growing body of knowledge.
Undergraduate Students
From the classroom to community-wide opportunities, uncover new knowledge and assess how you reach students, with technology-integrated facilities and experienced faculty available to guide your investigations.
Integrated Research Preparation
Collaborate with a faculty member on a research project through a paid assistantship. You’ll develop research skills as you explore impactful topics like science pedagogy and supporting at-risk students.
Undergraduate Research Opportunities
Participate in innovation and research starting your first year. Partner with faculty mentors, pursue a summer research fellowship, and share your discoveries at the annual Drake University Conference on Undergraduate Research in the Sciences (DUCURS).
Master’s Students
Deepen your research and expand your influence as you grow your competence and confidence in your area of specialization.
Grow Your Research Skills
All students build skills in qualitative and quantitative research methodologies and learn to critically evaluate scholarly literature. You’ll develop the background to join the conversation and establish professional practice on a data-driven foundation.
Participate in Faculty Research
Join our faculty as they actively pursue education research, making a vital contribution to projects that shape counseling, instructional, and leadership practice and publishing your results in peer-reviewed journals.
Real-World Research Projects
Participate in projects sponsored by NASA, the National Science Foundation, the William G. Stowe Foundation, the Spencer Foundation, and the Slay Fund for Social Justice that bring innovation and social impact together.
Presentation Opportunities
Strengthen your résumé and add your voice to important conversations within your discipline. Many of our master’s students present their findings at regional and national professional conferences within their focus area.
Doctoral Students
Contribute to the discipline at the highest level, honing your research skills alongside experienced faculty mentors as you investigate complex challenges that test your limits.
Capstone
Unique to the Ed.D. in Leadership program, this alternative to a traditional dissertation has students tackling applied, practical problems within their own organizations.
Dissertation
Drawing on your advanced training in research methods, you’ll complete an in-depth, scholarly project that investigates a topic or problem that interests you, surfacing novel insights that contribute to your discipline.
Research Apprenticeship
In the final year of doctoral studies, you’ll work closely with a faculty mentor who will enhance and expand your research skills, receiving guidance in areas ranging from writing to crafting conference presentations.
Take the Next Step
At Drake’s School of Education, we’re helping create data-driven, equitable practices that move our discipline forward. Join us.
