When I Think of Research.....

As a professional in the field of education, I have always felt a connection to research and the importance that it bares on exploring and explaining why situations occur and the strategic process it takes to conduct credible experiments. But until this course, the research that I have been required to do, do nothing more but rub the surface of delving into the research approach with no expectations of becoming competent.

My ideas about the nature of doing research have heightened. This course as taken me step by step in through the research process, causing me to think critically by developing my sense of inquisition, learning essential terms according to my own perceptions, and reflecting through real life experiences and future application.

The lessons about planning, designing, and conducting research play a crucial role in my comprehension of research and building my competencies as an upcoming leader in the field of early childhood care and education. It is from the pioneers of research that we have made many great achievements from which we formulate conclusions.  But none of these great strides would have been made if it were not for the methodical investigation of phenomenon. Learning about the design process provided great insight. This design served as a “road map” in the process of research. It set a starting point and directions in lieu of reaching the final destination.

The challenge that I encountered resulted from taking my research topic and making it feasible. There are so many topics in the early childhood field that are of interest to me, so narrowing it down to one topic and the further down into three sub-topics was difficult. In my opinion, this field is multifaceted and many of the issues/trends are interconnected by the relevance to children, families, and communities. I faced my topic was too broad and the more research I conducted on the topic, the more other topics began to emerge from it. I found the research simulations and growth charts valuable in keeping me focused and on track with one specific topic.

My perception as an early childhood professional has been modified to maintain discipline and investigation as a result of this course. Conceptualizing research has added a keen sense of corroboration, awareness, and responsiveness. I will take my new found knowledge about  the research process and implement it in my professional, educational, and professional journey because it will be a consistent part of my advocacy as an educator in this field.