What I learned about Research in the Early Childhood field

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

This course has taught me the value of research.  Research begins by searching for information of the topic of study and evaluating other researcher’s results.  The entire experience has taught me how to break down a large research study into subtopics and then determine type of research design to use.  The fascinating part of learning about research is selecting persons to participate.  I had no idea that there was a process to selection through a variety of samplings.  However, the entire concept of research study amazed me thoroughly.

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

When I first participated in a study research at my job, I had no idea what the researchers had to do to prepare for neither the research study nor what they did after the research study was completed.  The work involve of preparing, conducting and analyzing research studies in a timely manner. However being a participant was very interesting and in fact fun. Although at the time of the research study I had no idea of what or why the research was being conducted but after taking this course, I realize that I was an important factor in the research study and that what makes it very exciting now. At this time, I would love to be a researcher and go through the process of the stimulus I prepared in this course.

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

What I learned about how to plan, design, and conduct a research study in early childhood, as a researcher is this.  By planning a research, I learned to develop a question, break it down in to subtopics, and develop a hypothesis of the subtopics to make one question of study with a cause and effect.  After a hypothesis is completed then we must chose a research design.  The designs to choose from are qualitative, quantitative, deductive, Inductive, or mixed methods.  A qualitative design is the collection of data that is non-numerical in form of meanings and understanding text.  Quantitative design consists of statics using facts or figures from other research studies and combines to determine the validity of the research in progress.  Deductive research proves or disapproves a hypothesis.  However, inductive research may suggest a hypothesis.  Then there is the mixed-method design, which consists of the use of quantitative, qualitative, deductive, or inductive approaches to design.  Once the choice of design is in place, then there comes the actual conducting of the research.

These consist of interviews, collecting data, observing, analyzing, and telling the story.  Interviews consist of open or closed questions, internal crosschecking, or funneling.  Collecting data consists of collecting information about the study that the researcher can use for analysis.  In addition to interviews, is observing.  There are different types of observing such as running records, anecdotal records, checklist, time, or event sampling, and rating scales.  Then the researchers gather all information and analyze it to determine validity.  Once validity is determine, the researchers begin writing a research report.  Putting all of this together will make the research valid and true.

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

In this course, I found it difficult to understand the research process.  It was difficult to see the picture of how it works.  However, after reading, evaluating, being involve in discussion with peers open my eyes to the picture of research.  I begin to think about how I was a participant in different research studies in Head Start and how they prepare the study.  I use the examples of my experience as a research participant to help me understand the process of research.  I begin to take that information and place it in my own stimulus and from that point I was confident in being able to conduct a research study.

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

My perceptions of an early childhood professional have been modified by knowing the importance and reality of research.  It is amazing how research in early childhood has improved the overall understanding of childhood development.  The importance of respecting researchers as they define a question of concern relating to the safety, education, and over all well-being of children, take that question and make changes.  After taking this course, I respect and understand the importance of early childhood research.

In addition I would like to thank my professor Sheila Deacon who gave me a great understanding of the process of research. However without my classmates in this course and their inputs on research, I would have been lost to understand the concept of research. I just want to thank all of you for your support.

Resource:

MacNaughton, G., Rolfe, S., & Siraj-Blatchford, I. (2010).  International perspectives on theory & practice: Doing early childhood research.  (Ed.)  New York, NY: McGraw Hill.