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.

Research Around the World

This week, I visited http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/.


What are some of the current international research topics?
 For this Australian website,I reviewed their research through practice section.  Their research topics seem to mirror many in the U.S.  their topics included bullying, aggression and young children, children as communicators and young children as active learners just to name a few.


What surprising facts/insights/new ideas about early childhood did you gain from exploring this international early childhood website?
From this website, I learned about the portfolio journey that one researcher suggests will help the early childhood learning journey.  It is suggested that both teachers and children journal about their teaching/learning experience.  It is suggested that this allows both parties to reflect on their understanding and teaching experiences.  Another insight that I've had is that really, even after crossing oceans, issues with children that need to be researched are very similar, especially in Australia.  Our cultures are very much educationally alike.


What other noteworthy information did you find on this website?
This website also contained very valuable information on best support practices with infant sleep.  this caught my eye because I had a child with colic and this child did not sleep through the night until she was 3.  there is information on establishing routines when feeding and being able to tolerate crying in order to self-soothe.  I feel that the more routine you can establish in this are early on, the happier your baby and you will be.  No sleep for baby equals no sleep for mom and that does not produce positive results...trust me!  I really feel this could be helpful to many parents.

Research That Benefits Children and Families-Option1

This week I have found a research article that shows research benefiting children.  This article actually ties into my topic of the benefits of play on children.  This article is entitled, Bully-Proofing Playgrounds During School Recess, by Stephen Leff and J. Munro, PhD.  This article intrigues me because it is yet another link to making play successful and a learning opportunity.  if a child is being bullied, then negative connotations are then associated with play.


The authors' study took place in a large,K-4, urban, Philadelphia elementary school.  The authors describe the "low-level" aggression that takes place on the playground at this school.  Examples of low-level aggression include teasing, hitting, pushing or threatening.  Often, this can be worse in inner-city schools as they can be under-staffed on the playgrounds and usually have less equipment for all of the children to play on.  The authors noted that many schools have no plan in play that promotes positive social-skills on the playground. The authors suggest that schools devise a plan to empower those in charge of recess to be able to handle situations that arise in a positive manner and working with communities and schools to better construct, design and equip children's playgrounds.


How can this be done?  the authors took their research on what makes successful play and met with school staff and administrators and community stake-holders to devise an intervention plan for implementation on the playground. they took concerns of the children and their families to help devise this plan to meet the needs of the children at that particular school.


The plan they devised included coming up with more activities that children could play cooperatively and with not so much aggression.  they also wanted to promote better relationships between children of different ethnic backgrounds on the playground. Playground monitors were also given training on how to handle playground situations and how to structure activities that would promote positive play.  Students were informed of the changes that would be taking place at recess and they were also informed of the expectations that they would be held to at recess.


The results were a success.  The researchers came back to the school the following year.  They observed 32 different recess periods.They found that having structured activities helped with positive socialization and less aggression among students.  Also, with adults monitoring the activities and being an active presence during play, rather than standing on the sidelines, children of different ethnic backgrounds played more cooperatively together.


This article is definite proof of how researchers were able to make a positive impact on children through their research.  It also shows that research can be beneficial without being intrusive or hurtful to the children it used in the research.


References:


Leff, S. and Munro, J (2011).  retrieved on May 19, 2012 from  http://www.education.com/reference/article/promoting-social-skills-prevent-bullying/?page=3

My Personal Research Jopurney

I have to admit that just the title of this course intimidated me.  However, over the past 2 weeks, I feel that I am starting to feel more comfortable with the research process. At first I expected to be utterly overwhelmed, but it seems as though the process is being broken down in steps for us, and made much easier to digest!  I have really learned a lot already about the different terminology associated with research.  I didn't realize that a research topic could be researched from so many points-of-view or aspects (paradigms)


For my topic, I have chosen how play contributes to cognitive development.  All too often it seems as though playtime is slowly being taken from classrooms.  I feel as though if more policy-makers and the public in general could see that there is a positive link between the two, then maybe a change in favor of play could take place.  Too many people see play as a frivolous activity instead of the important role in really plays in a child's life.


I can't say that at this point I have a great deal of advise to pass on.  The Walden Library has been very helpful to far as has Google Scholar in case anyone needed more resources.  Any insights you could give on the research process would be extremely helpful to me!!!

Reflecting on International Early Childhood Education Awareness

Throughout this course, we have been learning about poverty, equity, and quality in the early childhood education system. However, we have also been exposed to the issue of early childhood education globally. Here are three insights I have gained about this issue globally:


Poverty is a major issue among other countries. Whereas we would like to see even more programs for impoverished children in the United States, other countries have even less access or, no programs at all. 

To continually better our programs, it is important that we partner with other countries. By doing so, we can gain ideas and new ways of thinking to strengthen our programs and theirs. As in our schools here, we need to be constant collaborators.

I learned quite a bit from The Harlem Children's Zone website. Although it is not international, it is from an area that faces its own unique challenges that are quite different from the area that i live and teach in. They have pulled together to form their own educational community that provides structure and a safe place for their children to be on a 7-day a week basis.

The major goal I see for international awareness is to be a constant advocate for children not only in the United States, but globally. Children are children, no matter where they are from and our desire to see all children learn to grow and develop in a healthy, quality environment should not stop at our boarders.

Getting to Know Your International Contacts—Part 3 (Alternative Assignment)

For this week, since I have still received no word from my contacts, I am doing the alternative assignment of reviewing the UNESCO’s “Early Childhood Care and Education” website.  After taking some time to thoroughly explore this site, I have gained some new insights;

• Did you know about "Global Action Week"?  Global Action Week takes place this year from April 22nd-28th, 2012.  It is a week set aside for raising awareness for the need for early childhood education for ALL children-"especially the most vulnerable and disadvantaged". This is an event that is taking place all around the world to raise awareness for this issue.
• This site stresses the quality of early childhood education is about the "holistic" development of the child.  It is not all about just getting them ready for kindergarten, but developing the child as a whole.
• In many countries, poorer children are given "alternatives" to early childhood education rather than the "mainstream" classes that others, who can afford to pay, are taking part in.  I did not realize that rather than assistance, they were given alternatives.
• They stress the importance of countries keeping an open dialogue in terms of education to help better and assist each other in developing and implementing better early childhood programs.

References: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/strengthening-education-systems/early-childhood/

Sharing Resources-Week 6

I have been studying The Harlem Children's Zone website.  To explore further, I chose the link to The Promise Academy Charter Schools  (http://www.hcz.org/programs/promise-academy-charter-schools).  These charter schools were formed with The Harlem Children's Zone to provide a more positive and well-rounded school experience for the children in Harlem.  It is staffed with caring teachers, holds high expectations for the students and most importantly, provided a safe environment. They don't just stick to a normal school schedule.  They offer classes after school hours to provide a place for the children to stay safe and use their energy in the best way possible.  They have also opened a clinic in the academy to offer students a place to receive free medical, dental and mental-health services.  What I found so interesting is that they have created a culture of learning and trust in this school to the point that many of the students spend over 10 hours a day there.  They have truly created a place for these children to grow and feel secure.


Unfortunately, going along with what we have been learning this week, there is a degree of inequity.  As the Harlem Children's Zone would like to help all children, especially in early childhood education, they cannot provide this resource for free for everyone.  To remedy this, they hold a lottery.  This is the best way they have found to handle who can attend the charter school.  It is so unfortunate to see such a quality program that is tailored to bettering the lives of these students and still, only a few are able to take part.


They do however also run a pre-kindergarten program named The Harlem Gems.  What is so awesome about this program is that it is an all-day program with a 4:1 adult to child ratio.  They teach English, Spanisha nd French and service 200 children at a time (HCZ.org, 2012).






References:


Harlem Children's Zone (2012).  Retrieved from: http://www.hcz.org/programs/early-childhood

The Promise Academy Charter Schools (2012).  Retrieved from: http://www.hcz.org/programs/promise-academy-charter-schools