Week 8: When I think of Research....

I have gained some valuable insights about research while studying this course. Starting off in research was an intimidating experience for me. I once thought of research as simply locating information on any topic. It's not that simple! However, conducting good research involves planning, accessing and using available (reliable) resources, detecting biases and using mixed methods approaches to increase the validity of a research study. I now view research as an effective tool that is used to understand, explain and make sense of life experiences. I've learned some important things about planning, designing, and conducting research in early childhood. I've learned that all research designs don't use the same data collection methods. Following the Code of Ethics in research is a huge responsibility of the researcher. Some weeks were easier than others. I faced several challenges in this course. The biggest challenge for me was being specific enough when stating my hypothesis. Another challenge for me was that this was the 1st major research study that I conducted. I was able to overcome these challenges by accepting any feedback provided by my professor. The textbook served as an essential guide to doing a successful research study. I also appreciate the support and encouragement from my lovely colleagues. I don't know where I'd be without them! Although this is my 1st research course, my perceptions of being an early childhood professional have changed. Research is such a huge part of the early childhood field. As a result of conducting studies, EC Professionals are able to gain new understandings and make life-changing decisions that will make early childhood programs and learning more successful. I hope to be a more critical consumer of early childhood research!