When I Think of Research......

If I am going to be honest, when I first started this course I felt a little like this….

It did not help that when I told my colleagues at work that the course that I was starting in the fall was a research course and they all responded with the dreaded, “EEW!!!” Their response did not help with my reservations! I think that the word “research” in itself can be daunting, but as this course progressed each week it did not seem as daunting as I thought it was going to be. There were times that I did feel like this ……..

but, with the support of my peers through our dialogue on discussion board and the feedback and encouragement from Dr. Parrish, the fog lifted. I would not say that I am a rock star when it comes to research, but my knowledge and confidence has definitely blossomed and grown. Now that we have almost finished this course, I would say that I feel more like this…….

Before I began this course, I was always intimidated by research and kept it at an arm’s length as for some reason I always associated research with old men like; Piaget, Vygotsky, and Maslow! J  I never felt that I had the mindset for research as I thought it was too complex, but the fact was, that I was never taught how to do research properly. Dr. Parrish reinforced within me that I do have a mind for research. I have come to the realization that I just have to change the way I think and approach research and believe in my new found skills

Throughout this course I have learned that there are many layers to research and it is much more complex than I could have imagined. When you learn about the process of research like we did, by taking it step by step, it makes it easier to understand. This process has taught me that one important aspect to research is that the more you remain specific, the more successful you will be. We learned throughout this course that there are many components to planning, designing, and conducting research. Throughout our research simulation, we got to experience the many aspects of conducting research. 

When I reflect over the past eight weeks, there were definitely challenges that I faced. Every week brought forth the challenge of understanding new terminology and then came the challenge of applying this information to our research simulation. The challenges that I have faced throughout this course have been overcome with hard work, learning from one another, taking feedback, and lots of reading.  I never viewed these challenges in a negative way, rather I embraced these challenges as they gave me the opportunity to learn and expand my knowledge with regards to research. I am leaving this course with the knowledge and confidence, so there is no need to keep research at a distance any longer!!

WE DID IT!!!

I would like to thank all of my colleagues and Dr. Parrish for this great journey through research. Every encouraging word that was spelled out in our discussion boards helped tremendously. I wish everyone nothing but the best in your courses to come!

Cheers!

Take care,
Stephanie

Research Around the World

There are times when I get focused with the current research that is happening around me that having this opportunity to discover the important and valuable research that is happening world-wide is a great learning opportunity. There is so much that we can learn from one another on a national level. In my course Issues and Trends, we had the opportunity to make international contacts with professionals in the field of early childhood and I was successful with making contact with an educator in Australia. I came across obstacles with maintaining consistent contact, but the spark it ignited within me was enough to want to further my knowledge of what research is currently happening in the field of early childhood in Australia.

The website Early Childhood Australia is flowered with an array of useful information regarding the field of early childhood that is not only useful for professionals but also for parents. Their passion for children can be seen on the homepage as it states, “Early childhood Australia advocates to ensure quality, social justice and equity in all issues relating to the education and care of children from birth to eight” (Early Childhood Australia, 2014).

Research Topics in Australia

When navigating through the website to find current research there is a tab, “Our Publications” which leads you to the topic “Research in Practice series.” This series provides resources for anyone interested in the field of early childhood which is easy to read and are very practical. This year their topics focus on; “Ways of thinking, acting and relating about sustainability,” “Pedagogy” Programs and relationships in practice” and “Professional partnerships in children’s services: Working together for children.” Anyone can subscribe to their 12 month, four-issue subscription.

Some websites pertaining to the field of early childhood may not seem “parent” friendly as the information on these sites can be more formal and the articles can be lengthy and wordy. I like how there is a parent resource tab as this makes it inviting for parents. The topics under this tab are very relevant and meaningful which enables parents to gain knowledge with how to better support themselves and their children.

The tab, “Learning Hub” really caught my eye. They use their hub as web-based platform where they offer different learning resources for anyone working with young children (Early Childhood Australia, 2014).Their Learning Hub includes videos, webinars, written resources, and online forums (Early Childhood Australia, 2014).  A hub is a modern concept that is devised as a one-stop access point where you can gain information. I teach at a college where we have incorporated these learning hubs around our college campus. Our students can use these hubs to become part of the college’s culture and enables them to access information, events, workshops as well as many other features. I guess “Learning Hubs” are a great way to embrace technology!

Websites such as, Early Childhood Australia shows that whether we are a neighboring country or  a country that is half way around the world that we still have the same passion which drives our research. We all strive for quality care where children can grow and develop to their fullest, so it is powerful to know that research is happening around the world which gives us the tools to gain more insight in the field of early childhood.

Reference

Early Childhood Australia

http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/