When I think of research

I think one of the most important insights for me came at the very beginning of this course as we learned how to efficiently read research. We learned the key areas to read in order to gain a complete understanding of the research study. It has already saved me so much time in reviewing articles and understanding. I can see that this new found skill will be invaluable as I continue on at Walden and for the rest of my career in the field of early childhood. I also now have an understanding of the types of research including both quantitative and qualitative. I now understand the process of conducting research from start to finish as I have learned all of the steps. I understand that conducting research is a great task but worth the undertaking. What has truly amazed me the most is that over the course of eight weeks we have been able to construct a research simulation.

My ideas about the nature of research have changed as I can now completely see what goes into research. Through this program, I have read numerous studies but I was not familiar with the complexities and steps necessary to conduct research. I have learned that there are steps that need to be carried out in order establish, design and conduct research. There is a specific method and approach that needs to be considered before and during any research study. I hope to now be a much better consumer of research. There are many complexities to research but it is well worth delving into and maybe someday expanded my own participation as a researcher.

I learned many lessons about planning, designing and conducting research in the early childhood field. I learned that all of these steps are important and need to be carefully thought out. A research study needs to be carefully planned, designed and conducted. There are so many factors to be taken into consideration and thought about prior to beginning and while implementing a study. When planning, designing and conducting research in the early childhood field there are many decisions and choices that need to be made to best meet the needs of your study and also the needs of your participants. Care needs to be taken in order to conduct ethical and equitable research while at the same time collect data that will yield valid information that will benefit the participants and the early childhood field.

I think my greatest challenge was the fear of research going into this course. I have read research but never attempted to understand and learn how to be a researcher. A challenge for me was grasping all of the new ideas and vocabulary of research. I now can think of research in a whole new way. I think that the research charts helped a lot. Through these assignments, we were able to review our textbook, review and define vocabulary, state and respond to an issue and answer a reflection question. I really feel that these assignments helped and I was able to use them throughout the course to assist with each research simulation. Now that we have compiled these charts, we will have them always at our fingertips for review.  Another challenge was narrowing down my topic into one very specific question. Dr Dartt was able to help me through this challenge. I read through one of the articles related to the topic I was interested in studying and I was able to find a key word and that key word helped me to narrow my question down to one manageable question to study.

I have learned that it is so important for early childhood professionals to keep doing research. I have an even greater respect for the hard work and dedication of professional that undertake research as research continues to add to an increasing body of knowledge that helps our field in so many ways.

I have learned that as early childhood professionals working in early childhood settings, we are conducting research with our children every day.

I have learned that we can never stop being consumers of research. Early childhood professionals need to continue to read the current research. Research from all fields related to early childhood will help to further the knowledge that those in the field are professionals. Early childhood is a very important field that needs to be continuously studied.