4/21/12

When I think of research...

Whew, eight weeks and I made it!  This course has by far been the most challenging for me but it has also been extremely insightful.  I began this course with a slight feeling of dread as I wondered how I was going to make it and now I feel like an insider.  I have a better understanding of both quantitative and qualitative research designs including the major differences.  The articles in week 1 were very informative in learning to read research and understanding the importance of research.  I love learning about the field of early childhood and through this course I am better equipped to understand the research that helps shape the field.

The biggest challenge I faced in this course was overcoming my own fear. Right from the start the first assignment was very difficult for me because I fretted over whether or not I was understanding the assignment.  Reading the posts of other students I realized that we were all a little apprehensive but everyone was encouraging and I received great feedback.  Once I relaxed and just focused on the work I can happily say that I am able to walk away with a new confidence.  With that said I honestly feel as though at some point in my career I could see myself getting involved in a research project.

The lessons that I enjoyed most involved creating the understanding research charts.  Working through each section gave me the opportunity to delve further into the chapters and understand the information.  As a researcher there are several factors to consider when conducting researching and even in choosing a topic. One such factor is that of ethics and justifiable risk which can be very tricky when working with children as research subjects.  Another factor that I found especially interesting and one that i had not considered before was that of equality vs equity.  When you consider the factors of ethics, choosing a topic, determining which research design to utilize and even working through the who, what, when, where and how it is amazing how much actual time is put into a research project.  

As I write this and review all the work that I've done I want to say thank you to my fellow students who have went through this journey with me. We were all a bit nervous but we made it and just reading the discussions from week 1 to week 8 it's obvious that we have conquered the research beast!

2 comments:

  1. This course was the most challenging for me too!!! I'm glad we made it and I loved reading your blog/discussion posts. Keep up the good work and I know you will be successful!! Good luck in the future!!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi LaTresa,

    I love that--conquering "the research beast"! Well said! It has been a truly enlightening eight weeks. I think we have all delved a little deeper into the EC field and our newfound understandings will enrich our capabilities as EC professionals, no matter what professional hat we wear! Congratulations and best of luck in future classes. Thank you for your insights and encouragement. I hope to see you again!

    ReplyDelete