College of Education and Human Development

Book Co-authored by School of Education Faculty is Selected for Textbook & Academic Authors Association Most Promising New Textbook Award

Anastasia Kitsantas, professor of Educational Psychology and Research Methodology within the School of Education at George Mason University, is co-author of a book that has received a prestigious award from the Textbook & Academic Authors Association (TAA). The book, titled Essentials of Research Methods for Educators, 1st edition, was selected for TAA’s 2025 Most Promising New Textbook Award, an honor which recognizes excellence in 1st edition textbooks and learning materials.

The textbook has been widely praised for its clear content and easy-to-follow structure that makes it a valuable and reliable resource for understanding and applying research methods in educational settings. The intended audience of the book includes preservice teachers, licensed teachers, assessment specialists, school and educational psychologists, mental health providers, school administrators, and other educational professionals seeking to improve their teaching and learning skills as they become “Educator Scientists.”

Upon learning that her book had been selected for the TAA Most Promising New Textbook Award, Kitsantas took a moment to express her gratitude and appreciation. She stated, “Being chosen for this award was incredibly exciting. It signaled that the book’s approach to delivering content resonated with the educational community.”

Kitsantas discussed the motivations that compelled her to become involved in co-authoring the book. “After nearly 30 years of teaching research methods, I have watched countless students wrestle with the abstract nature of the material, often feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or disconnected,” she explained. “This book emerged from a desire to help students take ownership of their learning, build confidence, and reimagine the experience by bringing research methods to life in a way that is approachable, engaging, and most importantly, relevant to their practice. It helps future educators in various disciplines recognize how data and evidence can directly inform their teaching and decision-making.”

The book centers on the steps comprising the scientific method and does so in a way that makes the process easier to understand for those who may be new to the fundamentals of research in education. Throughout the text are examples grounded in a Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) framework and features designed to help the reader learn the essential components of each step of the scientific method. These include learning objective boxes, prompts, takeaway messages, and real-world ‘A Day at Work’ scenarios. The book also includes developmentally sequenced activities (Let’s See It! Let’s Do It! You Do It!) that reinforce the reader’s comprehension of concepts and material covered in the book. Finally, the book addresses how learning technologies and platforms (e.g., SAGE Vantage) embedded within Learning Management Systems can support student educators in developing self-direction when applying research methods.

Elaborating on the SRL approach upon which the book is based, Kitsantas stated, “We believe that SRL can support students in becoming more strategic, reflective, and effective. The integration of SRL principles into research methods instruction can enhance both instructor teaching practices and student outcomes.”

Kitsantas noted that much of her academic research has focused on how the application of SRL has been shown to help students master their cognition (thoughts), affect (feelings), and behavior (actions) to achieve their learning goals. Kitsantas says that SRL is increasingly recognized as a critical driver of academic success regardless of the content area, situation, or context in which it is applied.

She added that nurturing SRL skills in student educators is especially important in helping them overcome challenges or difficulties they may encounter. Kitsantas observed, “Many educators taking research methods courses, whether those currently in practice or at the pre-service level, tend to exhibit anxiety and self-doubts given their relative inexperience with the scientific method, concerns about statistical or quantitative topics, and negative perceptions regarding the relevance of research methods to teaching. Embedding SRL principles into such courses can help to ameliorate some of the challenges for student educators.”

Kitsantas shared her perspective on the importance of the book in showing how educational research methods can be implemented inside the K-12 classroom, thus increasing the likelihood of better academic outcomes for students. She stated, “Understanding how to interpret and apply published research is a vital skill for educators who aim to make informed, evidence-based decisions about pressing and emerging issues in education. This book is important because it helps demystify research methods and makes them more accessible, especially for future teachers who may initially find the content abstract or intimidating.”

She continued, “Research methods courses are often challenging, requiring abstract thinking and a conceptual shift from practitioner to critical consumer of research. These demands can present barriers to student engagement and long-term retention of knowledge. However, by grounding research concepts in authentic classroom contexts and demonstrating how data can inform practice, this book empowers educators to translate research into meaningful action. Ultimately, when educators are better equipped to interpret educational research, they can implement more effective strategies and interventions, leading to improved academic outcomes for students across K–12 school settings.”

Concluding her remarks, Kitsantas offered her thoughts on the impact she hopes the book will have on its readers. She stated, “We hope educators come away from reading this textbook with the confidence and practical tools to actively participate in the research process, rather than view it as something abstract or inaccessible. Ultimately, we want readers to feel empowered to learn how to use data to inform decisions, improve outcomes, and see themselves as ‘Educator Scientists’ who are strategic, reflective, and evidence-informed practitioners.”

The book may be ordered by visiting the publisher’s website or through online booksellers, including Amazon.