Before beginning this course, I was a bit apprehensive because I did not feel that I knew much bout the topic and I knew I had never had much of an interest in research methods and competencies. Throughout the course however, I realized the importance of research methods in early childhood education and was able to gain a lot of invaluable information regarding research methods and plans that can help construct the structure of the classrooms, and create effective policy and curriculum based on research and not personal experience alone.
I appreciate the fact that I was able to work and converse with other educators and researchers. It allowed me to see different perspectives and receive different input in how research processes could and should be completed. I also quickly realized the importance of research competencies within the field of ECE.
As far as lessons learned about planning, designing, and conducting research in ECE, I would say that I learned how that once a researcher has a topic to study,participants must be chosen and a research plan must be designed. A research questions and hypothesis must be constructed. Methods of collecting data must be chosen by the researcher. Following code of ethics during the research process is a must. Assuring that the study will show validity is a must.
Some of the challenges I encountered when planing for my own research process is making sure that I will be able to show validity at the end of the study and that I implemented appropriate research methods, guidelines, participants and ethics into the research study. I also had a hard time remembering all the key terms and using them during y research design process. I feel that I met those challenges by properly planning and meticulously planning out every detail of the study, and assuring that my research question will definitely be answered on the methods I've chosen.
As an ECE professional, I feel that the way that perceive other ECE professionals have not changed much as a result of the course. I do know ECE professionals work very hard to make sure our children succeed. This course allowed me to see a different side of what ECE research professionals do and I was able to see what processes and challenges they go through in order to plan for student achievement and success.
