When I think of Research…..

When I first started this course, I believed that I was very educated on the process and all of the elements of the research process. However, there are several insights that I gained from this course. One insight was the definition and use of valuable research tools like triangulation. Prior to this course, I often confused triangulation with mixed-methods researcher. However, both of the processes and tools and clearer to me know. Another insight that was gained was the important of validity and reliability is in the research process. These two factors have the potential to turn a credible research study into one that is not credible in a blink of an eye. A third insight that was gained was the role that justice and fairness play in equity and equity statements.

There were also some lessons that I learned about planning, designing, and conducting research in the field of early childhood. One lesson that was learned was the amount of risk that children should be exposed to in order to obtain research results. Although some risks need to be taken, a child and/or caregivers should never be placed in harm for the good of research. The second lesson that was learned was how important the nature of the research study is when selecting a research design. Some research projects are better suited by quantitative methods, while others are better suited by qualitative or mixed-method research designs. A final lesson that is learned is how important planning is to the research process. Without planning, research may fail to achieve its objectives, be very time consuming, and could compromise the research results.

Because of these new insights and lessons, my view of research has changed slightly. I have always been good at and interested in all types of research. However, there was always some element of confusion during the design process. As a result of this course I feel more confident in my knowledge pertaining to research design and less confused about the research process.

There were very few challenges that were encountered throughout the course. However, I did have to spend more time than normal learning new terminologies and techniques. This “challenge” was overcome by reading the assigned readings, external readings, and participating in discussion posts with my colleagues.

Overall, I believe that my perceptions of the field of early childhood have also changed as a result of this course and the knowledge gained about the research process in the field. In some ways it is believed that I know perceive the field as being more scientific than before. I also believe that more research can be conducted in the field in order to supports its credibility. Finally, I believe that many research efforts and practices conducted in the United States are right on track. This is mostly because these efforts and practices are strikingly similar to other countries in the world.