EDUC 6163 wk. 8

• What insights have you gained about research from taking this course?
• In what ways have your ideas about the nature of doing research changed?

This course showed me that research is complex. Not that I did not already know that, but there are so many avenues of research. Quantitative vs. qualitative, different forms of triangulation, and mixed method approach all show the vast array of ideas that research encompasses. To narrow down your research and create a meaningful and valid study can be quite difficult.
 

• What lessons about planning, designing, and conducting research in early childhood did you learn?

This course showed me that the more perspectives the better! I think the idea of triangulation (various forms) really hit home with me. 

• What were some of the challenges you encountered—and in what ways did you meet them?

The biggest challenges I faced throughout this course is modifying and creating a well written research question.  It can be very difficult to narrow ones research idea down to one simple but encompassing question.

• What are some of the ways your perceptions of an early childhood professional have been modified as a result of this course?

I cannot say that my perception of an early childhood professional has changed, but it has been affirmed that we do not have easy tasks.  We are all conducting mini-research studies within our own classroom, sometimes more often then what we realize. It is important to remember that what we are researching and trying to figure out within our own classroom is real and important and we cannot forget to look and reach out for help or information from others.

EDUC 6163 wk 5- Research Around the World

This week I chose to look at the European Early Childhood Association.

One topic the EECERA formed a Special Interest Group about is balancing the ECE workplace in terms of gender. The SIG is looking at how gender roles play a part of adult-child-relations.  There have been government funded programs trying to get more males into the ECE profession. The SIG supports males in the workplace and realize there is a need for more of a differentiated view.

There were many SIG formed to discuss and research other ECE topics. Many of the topics I feel are similar to what we in the United States would be discussing and researching as well.  The topic about balancing gender in the ECE world is the one topic that interested me the most.

When looking throughout the website I found that there were a lot of "member only" items. I was not able to access their journal since I was not a member. There was also a lot of "who's who" within the organization, which I did not really care about. It seemed that the EECERA is a members only group and not a family or practitioners group. There were no sections related to family or practitioners.  It was disappointing to see that this large association is only geared toward members.