The following list of sample research topics is not exhaustive; it is simply intended to stimulate thinking and encourage investigations that would be of immediate assistance to the English Language Institute (ELI) or directly inform the policy and practice of ELI staff.
For a more up-to-date research agenda or questions, please contact the ELI Director. We prioritize research and projects that align with our primary mission and improve our program operations.
Revised January, 2026
Curriculum in general
- How can our curriculum be better tied to students’ UHM content courses (for example, popular first-year courses such as Economic 130, Psychology 100, and Sociology 100)?
- What are some typical speaking and writing assignments students encounter in their courses? For example, student-researchers could conduct a campus-wide needs analysis by gathering syllabi from popular courses and majors to examine the range of these assignments.
- How can we effectively integrate AI into our curriculum?
- What are best practices for vocabulary instruction?
- Which Open Educational Resources (OER) could be adapted for the ELI?
- How can we better incorporate a Global Englishes perspective into our curriculum?
Instruction & Teacher Development
- What makes an effective ELI instructor, according to course evaluations and administrators? Knowing these qualities, how can we better support teacher development?
- How can ELI faculty teach in an engaging way that does not rely on lecturing? How can we promote more inductive learning?
- How can the ELI better train instructors to effectively use technology and AI for instructional purposes?
- What can the ELI do to help new GA instructors? Continuing GA instructors? How can we better prepare GAs for future opportunities?
- How can mid-term and end-of-term evaluations better serve the needs of teachers and their professional growth?
Curriculum – Listening/Speaking
ELI 70 = Intermediate-level listening/speaking course
ELI 80 = Advanced-level listening/speaking course
ELI 111 = Practicum for International Teaching Assistants
Development or review of:
- A diagnostic test for ELI 70 and ELI 80
- More enriching materials and activities for ELI 70 that are distinct from those in ELI 80
- Materials/activities that support the diverse needs of our graduate students enrolled in ELI 111 (e.g. TAs running a lab, graduate students that are not TAs, etc.)
- Authentic, relevant materials for developing listening skills
Curriculum – Reading/Writing
ELI 75 = Intermediate-level academic literacy course for graduate and undergraduate students
ESL 100 = Advanced-level writing course for undergraduate students
Possible projects:
- Development of the ELI 75 curriculum
- How can reading instruction/activities be better integrated into our existing reading/writing courses?
- How can ESL 100 better prepare undergraduate students for the Writing Intensive (WI) courses they must take?
Testing & Assessment
- Does the ELI Placement Test (ELIPT) reflect what is done in ELI classes? To what extent can we develop resource-efficient ELIPT components that better meet students’ needs and align with ELI courses?
- To what degree are the individual items on the three ELIPT tests (Academic Listening, Dictation, and Writing Sample) effective in terms of item difficulty and discrimination, and how reliable and valid are the current scores?
- How should the ELIPT tests be revised and updated to make them more effective and efficient? How reliable and valid are scores on the revised tests for ELI placement decisions?
- Is there a reliable and accurate way to place students in our classes before their arrival on campus?
Administration
- What types of evidence or data can be collected to demonstrate to campus stakeholders the positive benefits and value of the ELI program?
- How could the ELI grant credit for its courses or receive General Education designations (for example, Oral Communication [OC] for ELI 70 and ELI 80)?
- How can we develop efficient systems for tracking current students and alumni (for example, majors, GPA, and time to degree)?