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.