26 February 2012

When I Think of Research

I would like to first and foremost thank all of my colleagues as well as the instructor that provided helpful considerations throughout this course.  This has been a long road for me but I absolutely feel more confident in research than ever before.  this course definitely spilled endless amounts of useful information about research and I enjoyed every moment of the class, good and bad.  thanks so much  and hope to see you later in my journey of early childhood!!

What insights have you gained about research from taking this course?

This course has really opened my eyes to a lot of like about research.  I have learned so much about the research process and the correct way to conduct it.  Different paradigms give us different perspectives about the world and helps researchers study early childhood.  I have learned the importance of ethics in research and how ethics actually add to the quality of research.  I enjoyed learning the thorough details of quantitative research, in which is based on objectivity, reductionism and measurement especially; qualitative, in which it pretty much tells a story using surveys, questionnaires, interviews and observations; I have learned the importance of eliminating biases and having ethical concerns of research.

In what ways have your ideas about the nature of doing research changed?   

I must say that I am at a more comfortable state in the nature of research.  I use to be afraid to even participate in assignments as such because I never was taught the depthness of research ever before.  I was afraid of looking hideous around colleagues.  I can now easily apply methods of research without hesitation and feel confident about what I am conducting since I have the resources to refer to when needed.

What lessons about planning, designing, and conducting research in early childhood did you learn?

Planning- I have learned that proper planning prevents poor performance.  In planning, you have to know what is it to be researched and how, where the research will take place, who will participate, what data should be collected and how they will be analyzed. 

Designing- I have learned that it helps to refine the topic and generate researchable questions, a researcher must decide which approach is best for the topic, consider the when, where and who, carefully choose methods of data collection and analysis along with modifying the design if needed.

Conducting- I learned that conducting research involves collecting data about a given subject.  In order to conduct research you have to know how to get started, and include ethical considerations as well. It includes details about interviews, surveys, observations, and analysis.

What were some of the challenges you encountered—and in what ways did you meet them?

A few challenges that I encountered what actually understanding the full meaning of paradigms and why they were so important to the research process, and designing research.  I had to spend tremendous study time with them in order to get the big picture.   There are a few things that I still may not know but I have eliminated the challenges that would cause me not to plan properly for research process.

What are some of the ways your perceptions of an early childhood professional have been modified as a result of this course?

This class definitely reveals the hard work of an early childhood professional as a researcher as well as the rewards that come with the hard work.  Being a professional requires overcoming challenges and being able to adapt to change when needed.  This is what I perceive the profession as. 




04 February 2012

International Research

Sub-suharan Areas


 I really enjoyed reading about the mission of this website.  Early childhood development virtual university is quite an intriguing site to visit because it shares so much information about the Sub-suharan program and what it offers to early childhood development.  The mission is to further develop African Early Childhood Development leadership capacity as a key strategy in support of child, family and community well-being and broader social and economic development in Africa. it is supported by several international, regional and local organizations, including the employers of participants. It trains and orients the program to uses face-to-face, distributed learning methods. Some of the methods are residential seminars, web-based instruction, a 'community of learners' strategy within and among cohort countries, etc. The site states that participants are elected by committees that fight for child well-being and broader social development within the country. Some of the topics discussed were, vulnerable children, projecting quality and needs for children in Kenya, and influence of different models of pre-school programs that may affect children of different soci-economic status.The name of the first project I read over was Development of a Model Framework for Orphans and Vulnerable Children in their Early Years in Ghana. The second is Parents’ and Other Caregivers’ Perception of Early Childhood Development Needs and Quality: A Study of the PLAN-Assisted Programs in Bawjiase.  Early childhood development programs are designed to support the developmental needs of young children. Assessments provide a basis for determining program effectiveness and the extent to which children’s optimal development is enhanced. The study focuses on how quality ECD programs are an important element in assessing program effectiveness and is directly related to what children need to develop. Lastly, I schemed through Assessing the Influence of Different Early Childhood Development Models On Pre-School Children’s School Readiness in Kenya. This comparative study explored the influence of different pre-school models on school readiness among pre-school children from different urban socio-economic statuses.  I learned how the African countries work together in groups in order to continuously fulfill the task of improving childhood development.


References


Early Childhood Development Virtual University (ECDVU) Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA): Developed and maintained by the University of Victoria, Canada, this virtual university is the international gateway for early childhood research worldwide.http://www.ecdvu.org/ssa/index.php
http://www.ecdvu.org/ssa/major_reports.php