When I think of Research.....

• If someone were to ask me what I thought of research at the beginning of this course, I would say that research was synonymous with grueling work! I feel there are so many different resources available, and not all credible, that one can truly become lost and derailed trying to plow through and pick out the exact information they need. This course had taught me that there is an easier more reliable way to research that doesn’t require hours and hours of reading irrelevant information such as scanning a scholarly article for the abstract, discussions, and conclusion sections (Lepuschitz, 2011).
• My ideas concerning the nature of doing research has changed because I have a new respect and better understanding of it with regards to the intricacies of the research process from choosing a topic to developing subtopics that are more refined and focused to help narrow down exactly what I want to research. It allowed me to not feel as overwhelmed and frustrated during the process.
• I learned that there are many different research design practices and approached including qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods, as well as various triangulation methods to explore. Once my research topic had been chosen, planning, designing and conducting research became somewhat easier to accomplish.
• One of the biggest challenges I encountered was the terminology in some of the course readings.  Because I was unfamiliar with the terms, I found t difficult to comprehend what I was read and apply it to my research topics.  By reading other sources and examples, I was able to gain a better understanding.
• My perceptions of an early childhood professional has not been modified as a result of this course, but I have a greater respect for those who choose research because although it can be overwhelming and frustrating, it is very necessary to gain knowledge and insight to address some of the issues we face in our society and with our children.

I would like to say Thank you not only to my colleagues but to Dr. Todd as well.

This group has always been very supportive and encouraging and I look forward to seeing many of you in the subsequent classes!! Good Luck!

References

Lepuschitz, J.K. (2011). A practical guide to reading research articles. Laureate Education    Inc., Baltimore, MD.

Lepuschitz, J.K. (2011). Quantitative designs: An overview. Laureate Education Inc., Baltimore, MD.

Mac Naughton, G., Rolfe, S.A., & Siraj-Blatchford, I. (2010). Doing early childhood research: International perspectives on theory and practice (2nd ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.