Upon entering this course, my perception of research was very limited to the field and career that I was coming from in science. In science, I was very limited to specific topics covering trace metal research which was limiting in itself. I was also used to using the library at my job which made material that was not valid not an option. I guess I was very spoiled in that way.
What I immediately found out entering the field of early education and performing research on topics that related to early childhood is that I was faced with unreliable and unvalidated sites such as wikipedia.com. I was totally shocked to find out that anyone could alter that website at any time! Really?! The only research sites that I had encountered in my previous career addressed studies that took place over years, method developments, charts, graphs, and other mathematical analysis that showed reproducibility among results. This was very different to me. What I have gained is a perspective on what research is valid and had the opportunity to research international childhood sites along with organizations such as the Children's Defense Fund and the NAEYC. These sites were so informational and gave true life stories of how advocates and educators strived to make a difference in the lives of children. I also realized how many fields were interelated and that with research with children and families that your initial goal or question, once researched, could not only bring forth answers but more questions. I now have more of an appreciation of triangulation in all of it's forms and an appreciation for those researchers who make the attempt to recognize and are willing to collaborate with others for the benefit of children and families.
My ideas on the nature of doing research has changed in the respect that I know now not to believe everything I read and the internet can be a scary place in so many respects. What I did find though is that any idea that you might want to research, you can usually find information and in many cases for and against what your original hypothesis is. I found that when I was researching ADD and ADHD that many articles discussed the benefits of children taking medicine to relieve symptoms while another article was completely against the medication. I am a lot more careful now about where I retrieve information from for research and am a lot less likely to search online versus using a reputable database such as the university library.
In planning & designing research, I learned that it was much easier to design a study in my head than it was once I started researching it. There is so much information out there that it makes it extremely easy to lose focus a waiver from the given path. And the actual conducting the research study can be a lot more challenging than I had expected. In some cases, finding participants for studies can be a challenge as well as conforming to the standards of ethics that are required in research as well as considering ethics and culture and being careful not to offend individuals in the process.
Challenges that I encountered was trying to find research that fit into the time frame that I was searching for. In my simulation, I was the relationship between more stingent curriculum and the amount of children diagnosed with ADHD in the last ten years. I chose this time frame because I could easily find statistics on the increase in the number of children diagnosed with ADHD in comparable to 2000 but emerging common core standards and more stringent curriculum is a process that seems to be transpiring at different rates and different locations. This has so far been a challenge to me but I would like to explore the topic further.
My perceptions of the early childhood professional have been modified further in the respect that I realize that working in early childhood means a lot more than educating by implementing curriuculum and designing lesson plans. It means taking the extra time to understand family dynamics, culture, diversity, as well as concerns, disabilities, and resources they may need. I used to think that when I was leaving a career in scientific research that I was going to an easier career but what I have found is that in early childhood we have mutiple positions, requirements, and hats to fit every occasion; an educator, a caregiver, a friend, an informant and on some levels even a nurse. And I couldn't be happier! See you next class!
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Monday, February 18, 2013
Research Around the World
Upon researching the Early Childhood Australia website, the first current international research topic that I found interesting was a news article titled "Sky show 3 Q asks " can we make children smarter?"(earlychildhoodaustralia.org)
To discuss some insight on this question, Pam Cahir, the CEO of Early Childhood Australia spoke to 3Q about the biggest improvements to early childhood education in 25 years. More babies and toddlers are in childcare than ever before, at the age when their brains are laying down the pathways vital for later learning, intelligence and social capacity. (earlychildhoodaustrailia.org) Pam Cahir also discusses with 3Q how new national reforms are ensuring childcare centers provide a nuturing environment that will have a long term beneficial effect on our future society for years to come.
Reference
May 2012-News coverage: Sky show 3Q ask "can we make our children smarter?' featuring Pam Cahir, CEO, ECA Retrieved from http://www.earlychildhoodaustrailia.org.au/early_childhood_news.html
The second international research topic was in a media release from February of 2010 titled " Fair, inclusive, quality education every child's right; Early Childhood peak bodies welcome increased support for children with a disability." (earlychildhoodaustrailia.org)
Increased support for children with a disability to access early childhood education and care services will see huge long term benefits for their development according the Early Childhood Austrailia (ECA) and Early Childhood Intervention Austrailia (ECIA). (earlychildhoodaustrailia.org) Ceo Samantha Page said that children with a disability have the same rights as all children and additional rights because of the disability. (earlychildhoodaustrailia.org) Where there are barriers to children accessing early education and care services, we should be doing everything possible to overcome them. (earlychildhoodaustrailia.org) ECIA National President, Ms Denise Luscombe addresses that all children have the capacity to succeed, when they are properly supported. She goes on further to say " Children with disabilities, like all children, will make good progress when early childhood educators and support professionals have high expectations and they are fully included."(earlychildhoodaustrailia.org) Services and support professionals must be given the necessary resources to fully include children with a disability and to achieve high quality outcomes for children. Extra funding announced by the Federal Government will be a great help towards insuring the needs of children with a disability in early childhood education and care services would be met." (earlychildhoodaustrailia.org)
Reference
February-Media Release-Fair, inclusive, quality education every child's right; Early Childhood peak bodies welcome increased support for children with a disability Retrieved from http://www.earlychildhoodaustrailia.org.au/early_childhood_news.html
Under the Early Childhood Australia website I found an interesting section called Research themes and under this I found the topic of global warming and climate change it addressed the need for children to know and understand climate change. Tracy Young from Swinburne University of Technology addresses the questions " Why do young children need to know about climate change? and "Are we sure this is happening? (earlychildhoodaustralia.org) It may be confronting to dent the scientific informtaion about global warming, but the evidence is now overwhelming. Recent reports from the United Nations intergovernmental panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 2007) prove that vast quantities of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, created by human activities, are warming the planet. as the former United Nations secretary-General Kofi Annan has said the question is not whether climate change is happening but whether, in the face of this emergency, we ourselves can change fast enough. (earlychildhoodaustralia.org) Climate change will directly affect the lives of young children both now and in the future. It would be irresponsible for us not to share this information with children, to give them opportunity to learn how their actions impact on the health of the planet. This knowledge enables children to learn how to be part of the climate change solution and teaches them they can make a difference. (earlychildhoodaustralia.org)
Reference
http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/resource_themes/sustainability_global_warming_and_climate_change.html
Other noteworthy information that I found on this site was resources for children and families dealing with brushfires posted on January 2013
Many families, Early Childhood Education and Care(ECEC) services and communities around Australia have been affected by the recent bushfires. Early Childhood Australia offers the following resources to assist families, children, and communites through this difficult time. (earlychildhoodaustralia.org)
Tasmanian government bushfire recovery page
Including General Health and Financial Assistance Information:
www.dpac.tas.gov.au/news_and_features/bushfire_recovery(http://www.dpac.tas.gov.au/news_and_features/bushfire_recovery)
Disaster resources
From the Australian Child & Adolescent Trauma, Loss & Grief Network:
www.earlytraumagrief.anu.edu.au/disasters(http://www.earlytraumagrief.anu.edu.au/disasters)
Bushfires and children
Bushfires can be a cause of major trauma to children as well as adults. Research shows children who have been directly affected by bushfires can experience emotional distress for a long time after the bushfire has happened . This can be related to the experience of having to leave their homes, fears about their parents' safety and fears about the future as well as actual experience of the fire.
Reference
http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/pdf/papers/Bushfires2003.pdf
To discuss some insight on this question, Pam Cahir, the CEO of Early Childhood Australia spoke to 3Q about the biggest improvements to early childhood education in 25 years. More babies and toddlers are in childcare than ever before, at the age when their brains are laying down the pathways vital for later learning, intelligence and social capacity. (earlychildhoodaustrailia.org) Pam Cahir also discusses with 3Q how new national reforms are ensuring childcare centers provide a nuturing environment that will have a long term beneficial effect on our future society for years to come.
Reference
May 2012-News coverage: Sky show 3Q ask "can we make our children smarter?' featuring Pam Cahir, CEO, ECA Retrieved from http://www.earlychildhoodaustrailia.org.au/early_childhood_news.html
The second international research topic was in a media release from February of 2010 titled " Fair, inclusive, quality education every child's right; Early Childhood peak bodies welcome increased support for children with a disability." (earlychildhoodaustrailia.org)
Increased support for children with a disability to access early childhood education and care services will see huge long term benefits for their development according the Early Childhood Austrailia (ECA) and Early Childhood Intervention Austrailia (ECIA). (earlychildhoodaustrailia.org) Ceo Samantha Page said that children with a disability have the same rights as all children and additional rights because of the disability. (earlychildhoodaustrailia.org) Where there are barriers to children accessing early education and care services, we should be doing everything possible to overcome them. (earlychildhoodaustrailia.org) ECIA National President, Ms Denise Luscombe addresses that all children have the capacity to succeed, when they are properly supported. She goes on further to say " Children with disabilities, like all children, will make good progress when early childhood educators and support professionals have high expectations and they are fully included."(earlychildhoodaustrailia.org) Services and support professionals must be given the necessary resources to fully include children with a disability and to achieve high quality outcomes for children. Extra funding announced by the Federal Government will be a great help towards insuring the needs of children with a disability in early childhood education and care services would be met." (earlychildhoodaustrailia.org)
Reference
February-Media Release-Fair, inclusive, quality education every child's right; Early Childhood peak bodies welcome increased support for children with a disability Retrieved from http://www.earlychildhoodaustrailia.org.au/early_childhood_news.html
Under the Early Childhood Australia website I found an interesting section called Research themes and under this I found the topic of global warming and climate change it addressed the need for children to know and understand climate change. Tracy Young from Swinburne University of Technology addresses the questions " Why do young children need to know about climate change? and "Are we sure this is happening? (earlychildhoodaustralia.org) It may be confronting to dent the scientific informtaion about global warming, but the evidence is now overwhelming. Recent reports from the United Nations intergovernmental panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 2007) prove that vast quantities of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, created by human activities, are warming the planet. as the former United Nations secretary-General Kofi Annan has said the question is not whether climate change is happening but whether, in the face of this emergency, we ourselves can change fast enough. (earlychildhoodaustralia.org) Climate change will directly affect the lives of young children both now and in the future. It would be irresponsible for us not to share this information with children, to give them opportunity to learn how their actions impact on the health of the planet. This knowledge enables children to learn how to be part of the climate change solution and teaches them they can make a difference. (earlychildhoodaustralia.org)
Reference
http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/resource_themes/sustainability_global_warming_and_climate_change.html
Other noteworthy information that I found on this site was resources for children and families dealing with brushfires posted on January 2013
Many families, Early Childhood Education and Care(ECEC) services and communities around Australia have been affected by the recent bushfires. Early Childhood Australia offers the following resources to assist families, children, and communites through this difficult time. (earlychildhoodaustralia.org)
Tasmanian government bushfire recovery page
Including General Health and Financial Assistance Information:
www.dpac.tas.gov.au/news_and_features/bushfire_recovery(http://www.dpac.tas.gov.au/news_and_features/bushfire_recovery)
Disaster resources
From the Australian Child & Adolescent Trauma, Loss & Grief Network:
www.earlytraumagrief.anu.edu.au/disasters(http://www.earlytraumagrief.anu.edu.au/disasters)
Bushfires and children
Bushfires can be a cause of major trauma to children as well as adults. Research shows children who have been directly affected by bushfires can experience emotional distress for a long time after the bushfire has happened . This can be related to the experience of having to leave their homes, fears about their parents' safety and fears about the future as well as actual experience of the fire.
Reference
http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/pdf/papers/Bushfires2003.pdf
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