When I Think of Research....

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!