When I Think of Research...

       It's hard to believe that eight weeks of the Building Research Competency course is almost at an end.  If you are like me, you have heard about research and you have consulted research many times.  However, I truly had no idea how much thought, planning, and hard work is involved in the research process.

       Some insights I have gained about research include knowing that research can follow a quantitative design, qualitative design, or mixed methods design.  That there are many ethical concerns that need to be considered before beginning the research process.  In addition, I have learned that researchers increase the value of their research by working to ensure that their study is reliable and valid.

       When I thought of the term research prior to this course, I envisioned quantitative research methods with researchers calculating numbers and analyzing loads of data.  After learning about qualitative design and mixed methods design, I see how using these methods in researching the early childhood field is so much more than numbers and percentages.  Early childhood research benefits children, families, educators, and the community.

       Research involves so much more than posing a question and seeking to answer it.  Developing the research question is only the beginning.  The researcher has to figure out the design method, the participants, the ethical considerations, the variables, the types of data collection, how the data will be analyzed, validating their research, and so much more.  It is a long and arduous process.

       Deciding on my research topic and redefining it was the first challenge I encountered.  I had narrowed it to three subtopics and considered my peers and colleagues opinions on which topic would work best for my research study.  It truly helped me to have that feedback.  Another challenge I encountered was choosing which design method I felt best suited my study.  I listened again to my peers, I had notes from my professor, and I evaluated all of the data collection methods I had decided to use before selecting the qualitative method.

       One thing that has become clear to me is how vitally important research is in the early childhood field.  Early childhood educators should become consumers of early childhood research because it is so beneficial to the work they do everyday.  I now have a clearer understanding of how to read research studies and how research is developed and conducted.

       I have to thank my colleagues that have worked with me and supported me as we learned about research in the early childhood field.

     

     

Research Around the World

In exploring research in the early childhood field, it can be interesting to discover what early childhood professionals are focusing on in other countries.  I decided to see what Australia is focusing on in early childhood.  I chose to focus on Early Childhood Australia.

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

Early Childhood Australia (ECA) is an advocacy organization that works to "ensure quality, social justice and equity in all issues relating to the education and care of young children."  ECA values integrity, collaboration, leadership, inclusiveness, and quality.  Their vision is:  Every young child is thriving and learning.

One topic discussed on their web site is Asthma and Asthma Management in young children.  They provide a link to Asthma Australia which provides a variety of resources for educators and parents.  Another link they include is to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare which provides helpful information on Asthma and children.

Another topic discussed on their web site is cultural awareness.  They have in-depth studies concerning the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders populations.  Adam Duncan, and early childhood educator from the Wiradjuri Preschool and Child Care Centre, provides insight for non-indigenous educators teaching about the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.  There are resources for educators regarding families and diversity.

"The Spoke" is ECA's blog.  Some of their blog topics include:  "While old Indigenous languages disappear, new ones evolve," "Cultural competence: You don’t need to be an expert," and "We trust children to know what gender they are – until they go against the norm."  Their blogs are insightful and they provide links for further research.