When I Think of Research....

When I Think of Research

1)     Insights – My insights from this course primarily involve research design.  Now, I know more about variables, mixed-method approaches, validity, and ethics.  The course readings helped me understand what it takes to design investigations which yield transparent, self-reflexive, and equitable outcomes to support social change.

2)     Research Ideas – My ides of research have changed primarily in the area of quantitative and qualitative approaches.  I have a science background, so I always considered research to be quantitative.  Now, I understand the importance of triangulation and adding qualitative aspects to one’s research.  Triangulation adds validity and richer outcomes.  Adding qualitative approaches to research design also allows participant involvement and a more even distribution of power.

3)     Lessons – I learned the importance of bringing my ontological and epistemological views to the foreground of my research design.  How I approach a research study will become evident in my theoretical framework, so I should be transparent from the start regarding my views.

4)     Challenges – My greatest challenge is actually in the data collection plan.  I am not sure if OSS data can be pulled from the district database by teacher.  I need to see the OSS impact of the treatment group versus the control group of teachers; therefore, OSS data must be pulled by teacher.  I also think it is unlikely the district will allow me to add subcategories to “other” in their database.  I am afraid this category will be overused which will hinder my efforts to analyze OSS by specific violation.  I may have to give teachers a paper form to overcome this problem.

5)     Perceptions – My perception of an early childhood professional was one who had deep expertise in the developmental stages of childhood.  I had not considered that EC professionals would be concerned with global issues that plague children all over the world, but it makes perfect sense.  I also had not considered the importance of research design to the EC professional.

International Research Topics

I explored a site for Early Childhood Development Virtual University (ECDVU) Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA)  http://www.ecdvu.org/ssa/major_reports.php this week.  A few of the international research topics on this site were integration of indigenous story telling in Early Childhood Development in Sub-Saharan Africa and building capacity in early childhood development and in community leadership.  

ECDVU students are researching indigenous storytelling in Uganda and its relation to early childhood development.  Students are analyzing the story themes and discovering these stories have purpose and function.  Myths, legends, tales, and fables help mold character, shape morality, and promote socialization of children.  These stories should be integrated into healthy early childhood development in Sub-Saharan African communities where storytelling is a tradition.

ECDVU values capacity building within communities, because they recognize this skill is essential for sustainability, especially when services in a community end or loose funding.  The ECDVU site highlights initiatives in Tanzania.

One surprising fact is that the ECDVU approach is very similar to Walden University.  ECDVU has a generative curriculum which is learner-focused, ecologically focused (interactive), co-constructive (relies on school curriculum and experience), multicultural, cohort driven and historical (explore evolution of theories).

Overall, when I reviewed ECDVU student research, the general theme was families, vulnerable children, and communities.  Before I started this Early Childhood Studies program at Walden University, I had not taken the time to consider the holistic nature of early childhood development.  I love what I am discovering!