When I Think of research...

Initially, when I thought of research, the whole idea of it frightened me.  This class was actually giving me anxiety problems.  However, I now feel much more confident with my knowledge of what research entails and being able to understand research when I read it or should I conduct it myself.


I've learned that research doesn't have to be scary.  I really thought it was quite smart how the steps involved were broken down for us and then in the end, we were able to fit the pieces of the puzzle together to see research as a whole.


I've learned a lot about research in terms of the planning and the timeline of the research.  I hadn't thought before about the time involved in something as simple as conducting an interview.  My attention was also brought to the fact that validity in research is paramount.  Without validity, the study can be a waste.  


There were a few bumps in the road when learning about research for me.  At times, I didn't always understand the text. At first, I would become frustrated, but then i learned to just re-read it again (and sometimes 3 times) until I understood. Next, I also had to learn to be very concise in my statements, especially in my hypothesis.  I learned that this needs to be very narrowed.


In total, I have much more respect for the all of the early childhood professionals that have done research.  I have had to read over many research articles since I started my courses with Walden University.  However, I can say I have a new appreciation and understanding for all the work and preparation that went behind all of the research that in turn we use to make us better educators.