When I Think of Research

When I Think of Research......




Taking this course has given me a totally new and unexpected insight on research. When I started the course I was very quick to believe that research was not only boring but something that I could not easily understand. It only took 2 assignments before I realized that research is anything but boring and that with some practice, ok, a lot of practice, even I could understand how to read and interpret scholarly research!




I used to think that research was completed only by professional researchers and that the rest of us were left to try and figure out what they were talking about and how to use the research in our daily lives. Now I understand that anyone can be do a research. You just need to have a question that you are passionate about and design a way to get answers to the question. I have also discovered that research is done for many reasons and that the early childhood field is ripe with both proven research and many more topics that need further research.




One of the most interesting things that I learned in this course was how to plan, design, and conduct research. The assignments that were set-up to help me break the process down step by step were invaluable in helping me focus on the process and understand the parameters of each step. I really enjoyed designing my own research simulation project and I am going to take it one step further and actually implement the project during the next school year at my childcare center. I can’t wait to actually use something that I designed!




Even though I enjoyed this course and all that I learned, it was not without challenges. I often found it hard to think like a researcher and grasp some of the technical terms. Thankfully, the use of my research chart helped me narrow down some of the terms and topics that were causing me the most difficulty. One of the biggest challenges that I faced was narrowing down my research simulation topic. I think I changed it at least 5 times before I settled on literacy.




Overall, this course has helped me realize the intrinsic value of research and how important it is to the early childhood field. As an early childhood professional I want to make sure that I am always abreast of the most current research and that I use research as I design and implement programs for the young children at my center. All in all, I had a good experience in this course and I look forward to using the knowledge that I have gained.

Research Around the World

Research Around the World

The website that I chose to review this week is:

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

I thoroughly enjoyed exploring this site.  It was extremely easy to read and was full of information.  

Some of the current research topics on the site are: inclusion, ethics, quality standards, working together in early childhood settings, bullying, diversity, and my favorite, learning and teaching through play.  All of these research articles and many, many more can be accessed by clicking on the “research in practice” tab on the left hand side of the home page.

One of the most interesting things that I learned from this site is that Australia’s research topics are very similar to ours.  I don’t know why that surprises me, but it does.   One of my favorite areas of this site was the “supporting best practice” tab.  I was very excited to see all of the information about how to help support best practices.  In our own country I have read tons of information about best practice but this site has given me some new ideas about how to support best practice in the classrooms at my center.  

Another favorite of mine on the site is all of the information about the importance of play.  Almost every tab included useful information on the importance of play.  I plan on using some of the information with the teachers and parents at my center as well as during a couple of workshops and classes that I will be teaching this fall. 

If you have not explored this site, please try to find time to click on and find out for yourself how much information is available.  Happy clicking!

Monette

Research that Benefits Children and Families

I have been personally involved with a research project in the past and I found it very rewarding and interesting.  I am the mother of fraternal twin boys who were born in 1986.  They were premature but had no life-threatening health conditions.  While in the hospital with the boys I was asked if I would participate in a twin study with the University of Virginia until the twins reached their 18th birthday.  I read all of the paperwork, discussed it with their father and decided to enter the study.

The first year of the study included answering a questionnaire of over 200 questions.  The questions asked about their birth, eating habits, overall health, and their growth and development.  During the first year the study sent me a questionnaire every other month.

Between the boys second and fifth birthdays I received a questionnaire 4 times per year and the questions were basically the same as the first year with more questions about social development and the boys relationship with each other and any other siblings in the family.  The researchers also sent us charts about development and growth that was geared towards each age and stage.

During the rest of the study I received one questionnaire per year and the questions were more about academic development, social development, and items related to puberty.  Upon the twins 18th birthday we received a certificate of completion for each of them and a small report on how our participation in the study allowed the researchers to compare twin development with development of single births.  We also learned about some comparisons between fraternal twins and identical twins.

Through this research project I was able to learn a lot about the development of my children and was also introduced to support projects and social groups for mothers of twins.  I enjoyed participating in the project and hope that we helped researchers learn something of value.

One of my favorite sites for mothers of twins is the national organization of mothers of twins club and you can check it out at:

http://www.nomotc.org

This site has a research tab that links you to all types of research on multiples.  Happy reading!

Thanks!
Monette

My Personal Research Journey

Oh boy!  Research Competency?  How will I ever pass this class?  I am terrible at understanding research and writing research papers!  These were just a few of the frightening thoughts that passed through my mind as I started this class.  For some reason, the word research brings up only negative and scary thoughts and immediately puts me in the mode of fear of failure.

With said fears being faced, I am trying to be more positive and open-minded and embrace this class.  The first assignments, while not painless, have been less painful than I expected.  I understand that in order to become a more reliable early childhood professional, I must learn to understand and appreciate research that is relevant to our field.

The most exciting thing that I have learned so far is that I don't HAVE to understand everything that is written in a research article!!!  I wish someone had told me this years ago.  Learning what things are important to understand in research has made me less apprehensive about reading articles.  I have also learned what some of the terms used for research mean and this is helping me to feel a little more knowledgeable and we all know that knowledge is power!

I am looking forward to working with all of my colleagues and I can't wait to learn from your experiences and share my experiences as well.  Good luck to you all!

Monette

Things I Have Learned!

I have really enjoyed the blog assignments for this class.  Although I was not able to make any connections with other childhood educators abroad, I have learned a lot of things about early childhood issues and trends in other areas of the world through my classmates, podcasts, and by researching various websites.

One of the most important things that I have learned is that we all face similar issues no matter the geographical location.  Equity, poverty, and quality seem to be the most pervasive issues and  common threads among the many issues that our children and families face.

I also learned, sadly, that many children in third world countries also have to worry about clean drinking water and that many children in our own country face a lack of basic medical care. 

In addition to these areas of concern, I have learned that many early educators all around the globe have a genuine interest in making the world a better place for children.  Many of us are concerned about helping families meet basic needs but we are also concerned about high-quality childcare, the lack of accessibility and equity in early childhood, and the implications of rapidly changing demographics.

It is my hope that through the connections that I have made during this class that I will continue to learn and grow and have many more opportunities to share my knowledge and learn from the experiences of others. 

Getting to Know My International Contacts

Getting to Know My International Contacts (or not)

Unfortunately, I still have not made any contacts but I have enjoyed reading all the information on the various websites and trying to contact colleagues in international areas.  Due to the lack of contacts and my switch to the alternative assignments, this week I explored the UNESCO site.

Have a look at some of the great things I found that relate to my professional goals of:  teaching at the community college level, becoming more adept at evaluating early childhood materials, curriculum, and assessment tools, and becoming a more effective partner with other early childhood professionals.  All of the resources on this site will help me build my knowledge base and also reach out to others in the field.  Have fun browsing!!!

1. I love their “News” section.  It is full of cutting edge news about early childhood.  3 of my favorite articles gave information on the three most important skills for young children, teaching pre-school children about the environment, and better monitoring practices.

1. The access and equity tab reveals a lot of information about international early childhood education efforts and why we must make early childhood programs accessible and equal for all children.  Look to the right of this tab, under related information, and read about Vietnam’s early childhood policies.  Very enlightening!

1. I also enjoyed reading information under the quality tab.  The article discussed the importance of teaching the whole child and also the dangers of placing too much emphasis on academics through pushing down a “school” type atmosphere in early childhood programs.  The related information tab has a great article on early childhood curriculum.

Resources:

http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/strengthening-education-systems/early-childhood/

Sharing Web Resources

Hello Everyone!

This week I found some fabulous outside links on NAECTE.  I have listed them below for your convenience.  One of my favorites was the Australian Early Childhood Association.  This site had a lot of information for early childhood educators that focuses on both personal and professional development.  I also enjoyed reading their media releases. 

Another excellent link was the University of Kentucky page.  This link provides certification requirements for all 50 states.  I love having that information located in one place; it makes it very easy to contrast and compare the different requirements.  

I must say that I have not been very impressed with the information on the original site that I chose, NAECTE.  There is not a wealth of information that meets my needs, but the outside links provided are well worth a second glance.  

The NAECTE newsletter is published 4 times per year.  The last publication was winter of 2013.  This edition of the newsletter is mainly devoted to the upcoming NAECTE spring conference and future NAECTE elections.  There is not any information on the website or the newsletter that is pertinent to equity or excellence in early care and education other than the push for higher levels of teacher education through licensure and certification standards.  

Happy Browsing!

1. American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education
2. American Associate Degree Early Childhood Educators
3. Association for Childhood Education International
4. Association of Teacher Educators
5. Certification Map
6. Council of Exceptional Children, Division of Early Childhood
7. Education Commission of the States, Report on State Statutes on Kindergarten
8. High/Scope Educational Research Foundation
9. National Association for the Education of Young Children
10. National Board of Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS)
11. National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)
12. OMEP-U.S. National Committee (a unit of World Organization for Early Childhood Education)
13. University of Kentucky page with certification requiements for all 50 states. 
14. Thematic Network Teacher Education in Europe
15. Australian Early Childhood Association
16. Canadian Association of Early Childhood Educators