Early Childhood Research

There are two major insights I have gained about research and hope to remember whenever I design projects. In my opinion the nature of research has changed from the researcher being in control to equal power for investigator and subjects. In regards to children subjects I hope to always remember that consent from parents is not always adequate. Children are to be considered as capable of making decisions to participate or withdraw if they want and when they want from any project (Mac Naughton, Rolfe & Siraj-Blatchford, 2010). Even when written consent is secured from responsible adults the child’s desires should always be considered and respected. Another insight for me as an investigator is to always be fair toward potential subjects and regard them as people and not objects of my curiosity (Mac Naughton, Rolfe & Siraj-Blatchford, 2010). I hope to remember to always be cognitively aware of my beliefs and understanding and not impose them on any potential subject. It is my responsibility to become informed about the cultural beliefs and traditions of potential subjects and fully respect them in the design and processes of the project. This means that there is just as much preliminary work to be done before the actual design is constructed. There are many different ways and different combinations to consider in the design process in order to best secure valid findings. From this course and all the other courses in this master’s program I have come to realize the vastness of the field of early education. There are so many aspects from which positive contributions to the field can be made. However one way that my perception of an early childhood professional has been modified as a result of this course is by gaining the understanding that early childhood professionals will always be students no matter how any degrees we earn. We share equal power, in a sense with our students and their families. We are always learning about and looking for ways to better serve the young children and their families. Even while we are teaching them we are also learning from them as well. As people, societies and this world changes we have to remain abreast of these changes, constantly reflecting and looking for ways to better serve and provide appropriate best practices for all young children Best Wishes to all as you continue in the program and your careers as early childhood professionals.

International Research for Early Education

The website for the University of Victoria School of Child and Youth is very informative. The site offers research endeavors published by students fulfilling degree requirements for their master’s program. I thought the project submitted by Charlotte Day on rural early childhood development projects that focus on learning concepts that are developmentally appropriate for the culture of the people was particularly interesting. The community is working to build a facility for the children, but locals are reluctant to use exploratory learning methods with the children in care. This poses an interesting research question for international early education research endeavors. Many intervention projects that focus on underdeveloped nations are now seeking to design early childhood programs that are appropriate to the cultures of the people they ate attempting to help. This will be especially helpful when trying to define quality and excellence in their childcare. I had the pleasure of viewing a program about an organization called “Right to Play. An organization mostly composed of Olympic athletes is seeking to improve the mental and physical health of children in war torn countries through organized sports activities. The program is based on the belief that children learn through play. They believe children need to play even in the face of life threating conditions. For more information check out their site at http://www.righttoplay.com/International/Pages/Home.aspx.