Saturday, June 23, 2012

When I Think of Research..........


Research has been an area that gives me a feeling of utter confusion.  This class was no different at the beginning because in the past when I have read research articles and tried to interpret what was studied and the terminology, I admit, I was lost! This class has helped me to understand research and the designs by filling out our charts each week and having the opportunity to reflect on the assigned chapters.

I feel I have a better understanding of the types of research designs and the pros and cons of each one. I also learned that it was important to keep your data and information organized and confidential.

I think the most challenging part of this class was our own research simulation. Finding a research question and narrowing it down to a specific topic was a test each week. It was not easy to do but with the readings each week and the explanations in our book, it was more understandable.


 There are many topics and areas of early childhood education that could be researched and studied. I have learned how to carefully read research articles and to check if the research is valid, biased, or if equity is questionable.

I have enjoyed getting to know everyone through our discussions and blog posts. Good luck and hope to see some of you again in the next class!

Saturday, June 2, 2012

Research Around the World

I chose to research Early Childhood Australia. This website provided several links to various areas that deal specifically with early childhood issues, concerns, and information.
I clicked on Early Childhood News archives and read about the budget implications for young children and families in Australia. The government is investing $55.7 million dollars into a program called HIPPY (Home Interaction Program for Parent and Youngsters). This program is much like Head Start in the United States as it focuses on children and families to help them become active in their child's life and gaining the assistance they need to do this by providing activities and materials. Another $225 million dollars is being given to families who are out of work and need assistance with child care.

I also checked out several other links that included Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, Every Child magazine, Every day Learning series, and and Research in Practice. Some of the links you need to subscribe to but some provided articles about current topics in Australia. I found an interesting article about play-based learning at this link http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/every_child_magazine/every_child_index/why_play-based_learning.html.

This website could be compared to the NAEYC link as there are many of the same links. I found that Australia is on a mission to take care of all of its children as well.


Reference
Early Childhood Australia. Retrieved June 2, 2012 from http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/.