When I Think of Research...

At the beginning of my "Building Research Competencies" course, my knowledge about research was very limited. But now at the end of the course, I consider it to be something feasible because I gained  the knowledge that quality research requires skills and experience, with the ability to use it as a tool which can answer the questions one has set out to address (Mac Naughton, Rolfe & Siraj-Blatchford pp. 108. 2010).
My ideas about the nature of doing research have changed because I learned about the steps to undertake in conducting a research, as of changing a research question into a hypothesis, designing the research which consists of making decisions about how the study will be executed, the sampling, deciding which method will be used as of quantitative or qualitative research. Quantitative research approach is interested in the understanding of non- numeric data rather than the logical side of it. Qualitative research approach, is done with numeric data step by step with the drive to control every detail (Mac Naughton, Rolfe & Siraj-Blatchford pp. 13. 2010). 
Now I know that quantitative research will produce facts and figures, qualitative research will produce meanings and understandings and that it is possible to mix methods for a full outcome.
What I consider to be of a great value for me, is the ethical side of the research because it is based on the informed consent- after many cases of harm with children- which is the ethical view that all humans have the right to autonomy, the right to determine what is in their own interests, to monitor children during the study and most importantly, the right to withdraw when it is necessary (Mac Naughton, Rolfe & Siraj-Blatchford pp. 74-75. 2010).

Reference

Mac Naughton, G., Rolfe, S.A., & Siraj-Blatchford, I. (2010). Doing early childhood research: International perspectives on theory and practice (2nd ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Research Around The World

Dear Classmates,

I would like to share with you this research that I found exceptional, which is supposed to study and understand the intentionality for both the educator and the child, and therefore the intentionality of a program. This is how it is stated:

"Historical notions of the role of the educator, with direct links from intentional teaching through developmentally appropriate practice to more postmodern conceptualizations, have created tensions in curriculum tied to pre - determined outcomes. Curriculum developed by educators has the potential to inhibit powerful contributions children can make towards their own education. 

Contemporary theorising of the educator now acknowledges the child’s right for active participation. What needs to be understood is that while an intentional teacher looks for opportunities to teach, an intentional learner looks for opportunities to learn throughout the day. The goal of an intentional teacher is to seek strategies that develop intentional learning skills within children. This view on the role of the educator changes from the provider of knowledge to one that promotes the innate drives for independent learning.

An intentional curriculum involves co-participation where both the teacher and child are valued as equal partners within the teacher–learning nexus. Identifying the child as an intentional learner provides agency for children in setting their own goals with educators. Equitable outcomes for learning pathways can only be truly achieved when intentionality represents this relationship. This work argues that recognition of the child as an intentional learner may go some way to resolving misunderstandings about intentionality".

I found it a very interesting approach that will help change old school teachers in progressivist teachers  with values of progressivism which comprise questioning, challenging, openness and seeking alternate possibilities (Kohn. 2008).

References

Early Childhood Australia. http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/our-publications/australasian-journal-early-childhood/index-abstracts/ajec-vol-38-4-2013/1850-2/

Kohn, A. (2008). Progressive education: Why it's hard to beat, but also hard to find. Retrieved from http://www.alfiekohn.org/teaching/progressive.htm

Research that benefits Children and Families - Uplifting stories

Dear Colleagues,

Let me share with you a study done in 2008 by a kindergarten teacher researcher, Aaron Neimark who decided to collect data on children's invented games and looked closely at how the formation and playing of the games reinforced the children’s sense of a social peer group. Some of you already know about it because this article was one of the resources for the second course in this masters program, called Early Childhood development.

Among the unexpected results of this study, we have this statement from Aaron:

" First, I learned that the ways that children used objects in the yard was an important element in the peer culture of some of the play groups. In many instances, the children used the objects in “goofy” ways—creative and imaginative ways rather than the objects’ typical or expected uses. My findings about a locally constructed “goofy culture” became essential to my study of peer culture in the yard. Second, for some children it seemed to be more difficult to find ways to enter peer group play activities in the yard than in the classroom. Outdoor play can send ambiguous messages to children about what they are expected to do (Perry 2001). There are not always clear areas outdoors that define for children what or how they may play, unlike the art area, block area, or dress-up corner, which are usually found indoors. This is partly why many children in the preschool created such interesting and inventive games".

He then said this:

"I came to view this aspect of peer culture—children excluding others from their play—as crucial in deepening the social connections of the children engaged in that play.

As a conclusion he stated this:

"Do our imposed solutions when facilitating social interactions really foster peer competence in children? Allowing children more space to develop their own authentic ways to interact can be more effective in strengthening collaborative play and building their social competence with peers. Teachers should use children’s peer culture to teach social skills more effectively and to help create a more harmonious balance between school culture and peer culture".

In my view, this study revolutionizes the way teachers and caregivers behave regarding children's play in the playground. For example, it tells them that they should not intervene when children argue.

Reference

http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/vop/Voices_NeimarkGoofy.pdf

Critical Consumers of Research—Standards and Guidelines

Dear Colleagues,

As many of you already know, my country Rwanda is preparing its early childhood program. I would like to participate in it by researching on how emerging economies have used education to achieve their goals. If you come across resources on this subject, please send or direct them to me. I will be grateful.

If I take Singapore as an example, and considering that development always goes side by side with education, I was amazed by their clear vision of education and how the Desired Outcomes of Education are translated into a set of developmental outcomes for each key stage of Singapore’s education system. For example, after preschool, children should:

• know what is right and what is wrong • be willing to share and take turns with others • be able to relate to others • be curious and able to explore • be able to listen and speak with understanding • be comfortable and happy with themselves • have developed physical co-ordination, healthy habits, participate in and enjoy a variety of arts experiences • love their families, friends, teachers and school.I really found this interesting.

Hello

Course 5: Building Research Competencies

Dear Colleagues,
I am glad to have you as classmates in this journey aiming children's well- being.
Marlene.