Views On Research

When we began studying research, I had a very simplistic view of how to go about studying any subject of interest. I thought one could simply come up with an easy way to find an answer a question, such as through observation or tracking, and then go forward with the plan and find the answer.

It turned out, however, that there is a great deal more to consider and many other aspects to plan. For instance, there is the necessity for consents from both the children participating in the study and their parents as well as explaining to them what the is being studied, how information will be collected, and what will be expected of the participants. As a teacher, I never considered the need for consents when a research study involves observation of my students since this is something I already do as part of my job.

One also must think about ethics when planning a study, and must determine whether the results of the study outweigh any harm that might be done to the participants. For instance, if the study requires different students to be involved in different activities at the same time. The children may experience negative emotions because they were not picked for activities they preferred. So, the question arises whether or not causing the children to feel bad is worth it for the sake of research.

There is also the question of validity. Can one be certain of their results through using observation and tracking within their own classroom or is it necessary to add additional forms of data collection or to conduct the study in additional settings?

Having gone through the class, I now realize how complex true research can be and see how much deliberate planning must occur if a research project is to be successful.

Early Childhood Worldwide

I browsed the Early childhood Australia website. Many of their research topics are very similar to what we find in The United States, such as learning through play, the impact of quality programs, children's resilience, and dealing with bullying. One topic that I found particulary interesting involved the positive experiences children have when engaged in oral storytelling. Austrailian culture has a very strong storytelling tradition, and the study has found that young children are far more imaginative, creative and cognitively involved in oral sories (which are different than stories with print).

I also found an article on outdoor education very interesting. In my mind, Australia has so much to offer in the natural world - huge open spaes, extremely interesting and plentiful wildlife, a diverse ecosystem, etc. However, children living there are suffering from the same forms of nature deficit disorder as we find in The United States. Children who, literally, have kangaroos in their backyards are still lured by the electronic world. Austraila is deeply involved in research on the importance of including nature education in the lives of young children.

No matter where people live, what their religion is or their cultural beliefs, there is one thing we all have in common - our concern for and dedication to young children. Looking at Early Childhood sites from other areas of the world makes me feel a connection to te international Early Childhood community. Instead of focusing on differences, we should focus on similarities amongst us. One huge similarity is that every group of people includes children and a love for children.