When I think of Research

Throughout this course I have learned a lot. As I have said before I did not know much about research before I started this course. Then there is all the ways that data can be collected. I have know idea that so much detail had to go into the research before any actual research happened. It was great taking this course because I did learn so much, besides just the research process. I learned how to read research, how to look for valid resources while doing research. I wasn’t super excited to do this class just because research scared me a little bit but, it went really well and I know so much about research now. 

When I think about doing research now I am not as scared as I was when I first started this class. I have learned a lot and knowing that there are steps to take when starting a research project, I can follow those steps and feel more comfortable doing the research. I also learned that it is not as hard as it may seem. It will be a lot of work and you want to be passionate about the research you are doing because it will also be time consuming. 

What is your research going to be about? Who are the participants of your research?  Is your research going to be qualitative, quantitative, or mixed method? Those are questions that you need to ask yourself about your research. You need to decide what will work best for your research. I also learned that it is just as important to decide what type of analysis will be good for your research as well.  When doing your research I also learned how you can make your research valid, by the help of triangulation. Those are all lessons that I have learned about research. When conducting research in early childhood you need to make sure the benefits of the research out weigh the risks. You need to consider the ethics involved in the research that you are doing. You also need to consider where your research is going to take place, how long you are going to conduct your research, and when you are going to start your research. 

The biggest challenge that I faced what breaking down my research question. I wasn’t sure how to simplify my big topic of Assessments. I also had a hard time deciding what kind of design I wanted for my research. When breaking down my topic I asked other teachers I work with, and I asked my professor. They all helped me see how to break it down to a more specific question. When thinking about the design I chose qualitative because it suited my needs better for the research I am doing. 

As a result of this course, as a professional of early childhood I will be able to look at research differently and be able to understand it more. I will now be able to conduct research that I feel with benefit my profession, and the children that I teach by the guidelines of research that I learned in this course. 

I want to thank all you for the support and guidance that you have given me these past 8 weeks. The feedback and questions that you gave, have made me reflect on my own research and consider different views. Thanks again and I wish you all the best of luck in the future.