- What insights have you gained about research from taking this course?
Through taking this course I have gained knowledge on much of the research lingo. Before taking this course, I would have read a research article or heard some of these words and would not have been able to breakdown what the meaning was.
- In what ways have your ideas about the nature of doing research changed?
I now have a better understanding of how to begin and carry out the process of doing research. I did not realize how in-depth research is.
- What lessons about planning, designing, and conducting research in early childhood did you learn?
Everything I learned was new. I have never done research in this way nor did I have any idea on how to plan, design, or conduct it. One thing that was particularly new to me was how specific it was. Every detail, down to how I would select my participants and how I would keep them relevant to the population is important. I learned so much about conducting research.
- What were some of the challenges you encountered—and in what ways did you meet them?
One challenge I encountered was taking the information learned and applying it. This particular class, as it is intended to be is entirely too in-depth for one course. I felt as though I wasn’t able top delve down into what I was learning and truly understand and apply that knowledge before we were moving on to something else. I think this would have been an easier task if this course were split into two different courses. First, a course on understanding… Reading the text and taking as much from it as we can. Then a course on applying what we learned into a simulation project. I felt that we were attacking too much information for one course… and not just average information like other courses, but information that most people are completely unfamiliar with.
- What are some of the ways your perceptions of an early childhood professional have been modified as a result of this course?
To be completely honest, I’m not sure thy have changed much. I don’t think this course touched on early childhood professionals enough to change my perceptions.
toteachistotouchlives 