This study explores future directions of research in elementary education by analyzing past research trends and examining key thematic areas. It first reviews existing meta-analyses on elementary education published in various academic journals, with a particular focus on general education, cross-curricular themes, and subject-specific education. It then identifies and analyzes five key topics: elementary teacher identity, child development, pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), curriculum and content, and the conceptual foundations of elementary education. In addition to academic publications, teacher-authored books are also reviewed to reflect the voices and practices of educators. The study argues that teacher-driven research significantly contributes to the field. Based on this comprehensive review, the study proposes several potential future directions, including strengthening connections between research and practice, expanding the role of teacher-researchers, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, and establishing a distinctive academic identity for elementary education. This paper serves as a foundational reference for rethinking the landscape of elementary education research and for envisioning its evolution in response to the ever changing educational and societal contexts.
Hyugkyu Lee (Tue,) studied this question.