Research Interests
My primary research areas are philosophy of education; the ethics of communication; teaching through dialogue; and technology and education.
Additional Campus Affiliations
Edward William and Jane Marr Gutgsell Professor Emeritus, Education Policy, Organization and Leadership
Honors & Awards
Outstanding Faculty Mentorship Award, College of Education, University of Illinois, Urbana/Champaign (2024).
David Zola Distinguished Teaching Career Award, College of Education, University of Illinois, Urbana/Champaign (2021).
Outstanding Faculty Leadership Award, University of Illinois, Urbana/Champaign (2015).
Fellow, International Academy of Education (2011).
Edward William and Jane Marr Gutgsell Professorship, University of Illinois, Urbana/Champaign (2009-present).
James and Helen Merritt Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Philosophy of Education (2004).
Grayce Wicall Gauthier Professorship, College of Education, University of Illinois, Urbana/Champaign (2002-2007).
Distinguished Senior College Scholar, College of Education, University of Illinois, Urbana/Champaign (2001).
University Scholar, University of Illinois, Urbana/Champaign (1998).
Selected as a “Young Leader of the Academy,” Change magazine (1998).
Distinguished College Scholar, College of Education, University of Illinois, Urbana/Champaign (1992).
Recent Publications
Burbules, N. C. (2025). The Communicative Dimensions of Social Epistemologies. Educational Theory, 75(2), 192-207. https://doi.org/10.1111/edth.70005
Hand, M., & Burbules, N. C. (2025). Symposium Introduction: Educating Responsible Believers. Educational Theory, 75(2), 188-191. https://doi.org/10.1111/edth.70011
Burbules, N. C. (2023). Critical Thinking and the Conditions of Democracy. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 31, Article 104. https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.31.8062
Jackson, L., Davids, N., Thompson, W. C., Lussier, J., Burbules, N. C., Alston, K., Chatelier, S., Taganas, K. M. B., Mendoza, O. S., Cong, J. L., Frattura, A., & Webb, A. A. P. T. (2023). Feeling like a philosopher of education: A collective response to Jackson’s ‘The smiling philosopher’. Educational Philosophy and Theory, 55(9), 994-1005. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131857.2022.2063719
Johnston, J. S., & Burbules, N. (2023). Interview - Meta-Education: The Attempt to Get Beyond a Politicized Conceptual Framework in Philosophy of Education. Encounters in Theory and History of Education, 24. https://doi.org/10.24908/encounters.v24i0.17205