When I Think of Research……

• What insights have you gained about research from taking this course?

Insights about research that I have gained during this course include understanding the different types of research, understanding how to read a research based journal article, and how to design a hypothetical research simulation.

• In what ways have your ideas about the nature of doing research changed?

By learning about the different types of research and broadening my knowledge of how to conduct research it has helped me to see all the steps that go into the process. At first I was really overwhelmed when I looked at the assignments for this class. But by being able to take one step at a time through the process it has really helped me to tackle tasks which initially I thought I might not be able to figure out.

• What lessons about planning, designing, and conducting research in early childhood did you learn?

I learned that planning, designing and conducting research is very time consuming and at times overwhelming. However, despite these challenges research in early childhood is needed and can be very valuable.

• What were some of the challenges you encountered—and in what ways did you meet them?

I found some of the terminology to be very challenging during this course. As I read chapters within our text book I found myself frequently and repeatedly looking up definitions of words that I did not understand or had a hard time applying.

• What are some of the ways your perceptions of an early childhood professional have been modified as a result of this course?

When you look at conducting research within the early childhood field, it becomes evident how very complex the field really is. With its many layers and variables, early childhood professionals have to be able to recognize and juggle many different areas of development to ensure all of a child's needs are met.

 

I would also like to say thank you to all of you! It has been a pleasure sharing this experience with you and tackling research together! I have appreciated the comments and the insights you have shared throughout the duration of this course. Best of luck to each of you as you move one step closer to achieving your Master's Degree here at Walden.

Research Around the World

For this week's blog assignment, I chose to explore following website: http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/.

Current international research topics included or linked to this site include:

-Advocating for children as a part of being an EC professional
-Incorporating and using technology as an educational tool and as a collaborative practice between EC professionals
-Researching different Kindergarteners' experiences from around the world
-Researching how much has changed regarding children's involvement in research over the past 7 years.

Three surprising facts/insights/new ideas regarding early childhood on this site include:

-The "Start Early" program, which is a program put in place for the purpose of preventing domestic violence. Start Early is a source of professional development for educators in the EC field and consists of 3 free online learning modules. These modules focus on shaping behaviors and attitudes in young children early in the hopes that they will be able to have healthy relationships in adulthood.

-The parent resources available which included information about health and wellness. There was specific emphasis on establishing healthy diet and exercise patterns in children through adult modeling as a way of preventing childhood obesity. This demonstrated to me that childhood obesity is an issue worldwide, not just here in the United States.

- In an effort to supply support for EC educators there are professional development packages available through a project called "Early Years Connect", which include workshops, online modules, webinars, blogging with experts and information sheets. The purpose of the project is to help improve EC practices for the inclusion of children with disabilities as well as increase the quality outcomes for all children.

Other noteworthy information include:

I reviewed one of the articles linked to this site published in Every Child (which is a journal that this site supports). In the article, an EC professional reflected on the code of ethics published by Early Childhood Australia. The references made in this article reflect similarity to the code of ethics published by NAEYC. By identifying some of the highlights of this code, the author appeared to be supporting the professionalizing of the EC field in Australia, similar to the efforts which are being put forth here in the United States.