When I Think of Research...

Before taking this research competency course I thought that research was this big thing looming somewhere down the road in front of me that required too much work to enjoy.  Now, at the conclusion of the course, I think I can say perhaps it can be enjoyable if you choose a topic that is interesting to you.  I would still say that research requires a lot of work, but if you pace yourself, have a plan, and stick to that plan then research can go smoothly.  I found that research is much more in-depth than I originally thought it was.  I did not realize that there were different kinds of research and so many methods of doing things.  It was a challenge to learn all the different aspects and methods but in the long run I know that it will be useful and that it was worth it.  I also learned that it is very important to have a plan before beginning and that it's okay if that plan needs to be modified as a study continues. 

Research Around The World

European Early Childhood Education Research Association (EECERA)

The EECERA is a prestigious organization in Europe.  It holds annual conferences, this year's conference entitled "Us, Them, & Me: Universal, Targeted or Individuated Early Childhood Programmes".  The association is made up of several special interest groups: Birth to Three, Equity and Respect for Diversity, Gender Balance, Leadership and Integration, Learning and Participation, Outdoor Play and Learning, Professionalism in Early Childhood Education and Care, Rethinking Play, Transitions, Young Children's Perspectives, and Working With Parents and Families.  Many of these topics are also widely debated within the United States.

The EECERA reminds me very much of our own National Education Association (NEA).  I was a little surprised at the similarities, but as I made my way around the website a little more I found myself becoming less and less surprised.  Why would children across the ocean be so different than those here?  Kids are kids!  No matter where they are on this earth they will have many of the same issues, questions, risks, perspectives, etc.  Sure there will be some bigger risks or concerns in some countries than others, but all kids are very similar.

The EECERA may be a good resource to keep in mind for future research/studies.  Although I need to pay for some issues of the journal they publish it may be worth it depending on the availability of resources and type of research.

Research That Benefits Children and Families - Uplifting Stories

Imagine that you possess the means and the knowledge to conduct research studies about any topic in the early childhood field. Imagine further that you are not restricted by the reality of the present. Imagine that your study will make a major positive contribution to the well-being of children and/or their families. What topic would you choose? What can you imagine the positive contribution(s) would be?

I would choose to study the source/cause of passive-aggressive behaviors in young children toward peers, teachers, and family members.  In a perfect world - a world free of disjointed families, needy children, abuse of any kind, hunger, negative discipline issues or lack of discipline, and free of families run by children - I think that passive-aggressive behaviors would still exist.  I've seen children act out in this manner for a variety of reasons, most of which I have just listed.  But I also noticed that there is this sense of anger and passive-aggressive behavior even in the "good" families and the "good" kids.  Maybe the family is good at hiding secrets or abuse or anything that may cause this behavior.  Maybe they don't have anything to hide at all - I really think there are families out there like this.  They deal with behaviors from their children and have no idea why it is happening.  I would do extensive research in this area so that I might help families to find peace and understanding with one another.  So that these kids could maybe lead a normal life without impulsive behaviors just happening, often out of their control.  And so that educators might better meet the needs of these children. 

My Personal Research Journey

I've chosen to research the topic of nutrition in early childhood.  I am interested in nutrition and had I not chosen to major in education my second choice was the medical field, namely nutrition sciences.  Now I have the opportunity to combine both worlds within this research competency course.

I have looked into some data and statistics that WIC has developed as well as statistics from various states across the country.  I've also done some looking into the impact of good nutrition on the early childhood years (nothing extensive).  I know the importance of teaching children at an early age to become eaters who make wise choices.

Have any of you done research on early childhood nutrition?  I'd love some links to peer-reviewed websites/articles/resources. 

Ready for Research!

...or maybe not.  :) 

It has been awhile since I've done a research project.  All courses we have been in thus far at Walden have, of course, required a little bit of research for parts of the course but we haven't had to do any major research yet.  I look forward to this refresher on research and welcome personal growth in this area.  Thank you all in advance for your input over the next few weeks!  Hopefully we can be an encouragement to one another!

They said it...

Some quotations about children and/or education that I've come to appreciate:


"No one has yet fully realized the wealth of sympathy, kindness and generosity hidden in the soul of a child. The effort of every true education should be to unlock that treasure."
-Emma Goldman

In the United States today, there is a pervasive tendency to treat children as adults, and adults as children.  The options of children are thus steadily expanded, while those of adults are progressively constricted.  The result is unruly children and childish adults.  
-Thomas Szasz

"We've bought into the idea that education is about training and "success", defined monetarily, rather than learning to think critically and to challenge.  We should not forget that the true purpose of education is to make minds, not careers.  A culture that does not rasp the vital interplay between morality and power, which mistakes management techniques for wisdom, which fails to understand that the measure of a civilization is its compassion, not its speed or ability to consume, condemns itself to death."
-Chris Hedges

A Holistic View

It is my belief that children learn many different ways.  One child may be a visual learning while the next kinesthetic.  There is no one correct way to teach just as there is no one correct way to learn.  It's tricky when looking at how schools test children so much to try and determine what they know or have learned.  I, for one, do not find it fair.  There needs to be anther way to measure knowledge that considers the whole child.  Sure, it would require a lot more work on everyone's part but it would be for the benefit of the child.

I know that in some areas there are vocational schools.  I'm not talking just a VoTech school that high school students can go to in the afternoons after doing gen ed courses at the public high school.  I'm talking about the vocational schools that children in middle-high school can choose to go to instead of regular public high school.  These can be found in other parts of the world, but there are also a few in the United States.  I think that they are great in that they meet the needs and interests of each student; these kids can choose their focus and really excel!  They don't need to waste time on things that they don't care about and probably will not do well at.  One example is in Philadelphia at the Mercy Vocational High School.  Here students can choose from the following areas of focused study: business, carpentry, computer, cosmetology, culinary, electric, and nursing.

Around the world you can see a variety in means of assessment of school-aged children.  My husband observed while in China that some school-aged assessments were mainly group effort and not based on individual assessment.  In the times that I have visited Spain I noticed that school-aged children are expected to sit and listen to lecture-style instruction and then are given formal assessments on what they have heard.  In third-world countries many children do not even attend school.  They are assessed by their community by how they perform self-care tasks or other things that are important to their particular culture.