When I Think of Research.............
What insights have you gained about research from tang to this
course?
After
taking this class I was able to understand the process of research and why research
is so important in our everyday happenings.
At first, I thought I was going to have major problems in following the
whole research process, however I soon found out it was starting to be very
interesting and I really enjoyed looking up information for this class. I found out how beneficial research is to the
participants involved in the research and that it takes many hours in doing
research. I learned the whole process of
what it means to understand, evaluate and apply the research findings successfully. After taking this class I find that I am able
to read research information and understand what it is I am reading and how to
put this information to good use.
In
what ways have your ideas about the nature of doing research changed?
I believe that my ideas about the nature
of doing research have changed in a positive manner because I have learned
about the importance of collecting and analyzing research information in order
to understand what the study entails. I
also learned that the research process is not a simple process however it takes
several steps in order to complete the process. I learned that research has
many sides to it and the researcher/examiner can come up with different
conclusions and that ethical procedures must be adhered to.
What
lessons about planning, designing, and conducting research in early childhood
did you learn?
In taking
this course, I learned that it is very important when conducting research in early
childhood that the researcher/examiner must plan accordingly, must have
patience in conducting the research. I
learned that it is also very important that we take into account the rights of
the children involved in any research along with the rights of the parents. I learned that I must look at all sides of
the research information and be objective.
What
were some of the challenges you encountered—and in what ways did you meet them?
I think that some of the
challenges I encountered in taking this class were that I had to really pay
close attention to the different ways research is conducted, understanding all
about qualitative and quantitative research.
I found a challenge in the questions at the end of the chapters, however
I was able to tackle this and met it head on and researched for the answers in
order to understand the lessons. I
challenged myself to using the Walden Library more effectively in order to get
my assignments completed. Another one of
the challenges that I was very happy in overcoming was with the blog
assignments because in my previous class, this was my major problem. I finally overcame it by researching and not
giving up.
What are some of the ways your
perceptions of an early childhood professional have been modified as a result
of this course?
In taking this course I learned the importance of conducting
research, the importance of collecting data and looking at this information in
an objective manner. I also further
learned that I must be aware of not violating the rights of the children
involved in any research I conduct. That
I must make sure that the child’s parents are well informed about the research being
conducted with their children. My perception
was further modified as a result of this course by supporting the evidence that
we as educators must put the children first even if it means that our research
is jeopardized. We must do everything in
our power to work towards the same goal which is to put children first and work
to make a better world for them. There
are many philosophies and ideas in early childhood, however we must make sure
that all the right ethical manners are used in conducting research with
children.
