This has been such an amazing course. I have gained so much
insight about how to conduct proper research. I learned that it takes time to
create a research question, as well as to create a design that will truly
capture your research studies’ essence. My ideas about the nature of doing
research has changed for the better because I now can fully appreciate and
understand what researchers go through when they are conducting research, and
what they are trying to convey in the outcomes in order to shed light on a
particular issue or trend in early childhood education that others can benefit
from.
The lessons I learned about planning, designing, and
conducting research in early childhood education is that you have to take your
time in creating a sound research question, and that may take some trial and
error. I have also learned that it is good to look at other case studies of
previous research so that you can correlate your findings with the findings of
other researchers in the field. This helps with the authenticity and validity
of the research study/design. I also learned different ways to conduct research
with different types of design approaches, like qualitative and quantitative,
quasi-experimental designs and non-experimental designs. I never knew that there
were this many, and that depending on what you are trying to research; there is
one or a mixed method approach that can be used to gain better perspectives and
outcomes.
Learning about equity
and ethics also is something I will take with me because it helped me to be
more aware of how and with whom I am conducting research on. It also made me
more aware of cultural differences, and how to approach different subjects with
different cultures and to be sensitive to their cultural beliefs. The main
challenge that I encountered was creating my research question. I struggled
with this for weeks, and finally, I was able to craft a decent research
question. I was able to overcome this obstacle by trial and error, researching
other case studies, and gaining feedback from my fellow colleagues, as well as
Dr. Ferrari.
My perceptions of an early childhood professional have been
modified as a result of this course by allowing me to see that I am a
researcher. I never thought of myself as a researcher until this course. Early
childhood educators are always researching ways to better understand the issues
and trends in the field, as well as gain a better understanding of education
and ways to teach not only children, but families as well. I have more respect
for my self and fellow educators. I was very grateful of Dr. Ferrari for
pushing me to strive to be better, and to create a better research questions. I
thank all of my colleagues for sharing their wisdom and insights, and I wish
everyone luck on their continued academic journeys!
