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.