The biggest insight that I gained from taking this course is that I can really be a researcher! Thinking back to the inception of this class, I was very scared of just the thought of research, let alone actually understanding it piece by piece.
My ideas are now more positive because, like anything else, I have learned about the different aspects of putting together a research simulation and feel more positive and confident as a potential researcher myself. It's all about need, value, support, validity and ethics. I learned that if I take my time and take the appropriate steps, I can actually help the field of early childhood. It's a great feeling.
I now know that conducting research is not only about my beliefs, but about the people being researched and its effect on them. I now understand about risks ad extraneous variables that must be taken into consideration before anything else.
One challenge that I had during this course was remembering the new vocabulary and terminology that I read about, especially the differences between research style like quantitative vs. qualitative. It was easiest to understand when I compared them side by side, in chart form, and when I finally understood that one is to understand "how" something works and the other is to understand "why".
Lastly, I would like to express my greater appreciation for all early childhood researchers because I see how much work goes into designing, developing and interpreting a good research study and I commend them all for their contributions to the field that I love so much!
It's been a great learning experience over all and I look forward to what is to come...
Good Luck everyone!!
Jeannette
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Research Around the World
I looked into the Australian equivalent to NAEYC at http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org which opens up a world of information about early childhood education in Australia. You can click on several links that take you to many newsletters, articles, journals and much, much more.
I learned through this website that Australia has created and begun to implement new standards in education. "The new national standards will ensure all children have access to good quality learning experiences early on in life", but they are just beginning stages of their implementation and assessment. I think this is a great thing because we know from our own standard implementation that we have a guide to follow to make sure that children are developing correctly and that they are ready for what is to come. This was a new insight for me because I've always assumed that like the United States, Australia would have already had a set of national standards in place. Just goes to show you that research goes a long way. I also learned that Australia has a series of books called "The Everyday Learning Series" that people can subscribe to that gives them a choice of many hardcover or online books for $14.95 that include topics such as sensory learning, meaningful conversations with children, helping children grow, bullying, making most of your environment, responding to emotional needs and many others. These books are a wonderful tool or parents and educators alike. I am a parent educator in my school and I was very happy to have come across this resource because I am going to ordering some of these books to help put together presentations for our parents in the upcoming school year. CHECK IT OUT! The link even gives you chapter descriptions and samples . You will love it.!
I learned through this website that Australia has created and begun to implement new standards in education. "The new national standards will ensure all children have access to good quality learning experiences early on in life", but they are just beginning stages of their implementation and assessment. I think this is a great thing because we know from our own standard implementation that we have a guide to follow to make sure that children are developing correctly and that they are ready for what is to come. This was a new insight for me because I've always assumed that like the United States, Australia would have already had a set of national standards in place. Just goes to show you that research goes a long way. I also learned that Australia has a series of books called "The Everyday Learning Series" that people can subscribe to that gives them a choice of many hardcover or online books for $14.95 that include topics such as sensory learning, meaningful conversations with children, helping children grow, bullying, making most of your environment, responding to emotional needs and many others. These books are a wonderful tool or parents and educators alike. I am a parent educator in my school and I was very happy to have come across this resource because I am going to ordering some of these books to help put together presentations for our parents in the upcoming school year. CHECK IT OUT! The link even gives you chapter descriptions and samples . You will love it.!
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Research that Benefits Children and Families - Uplifting Stories
As a teacher in a low-income, urban district in New Jersey, I have seen the huge success that Early Intervention Services have had on my students academic success. These services have been made possible because of the research that has been done on low income families such as in the study by Campbell, F. A. and Ramey, C. T. (1994), Effects of Early Intervention on Intellectual and Academic Achievement: A Follow-up Study of Children from Low-Income Families. Child Development, 65: 684–698. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.1994.tb00777.x.
Without research like this, these programs would not be running and low income families who do not have the means of others wouldn't be as successful in our classrooms as they actually are. This year, for example, I had a three year old who received early intervention services for six months before he came to my class and he went from not speaking at all, to a vocabulary of over 100 words. By the end of the school year, he was almost right where he needed to be and his family and I couldn't be happier to see his progress. That's what research is all about, the success of others!
Without research like this, these programs would not be running and low income families who do not have the means of others wouldn't be as successful in our classrooms as they actually are. This year, for example, I had a three year old who received early intervention services for six months before he came to my class and he went from not speaking at all, to a vocabulary of over 100 words. By the end of the school year, he was almost right where he needed to be and his family and I couldn't be happier to see his progress. That's what research is all about, the success of others!
Friday, July 12, 2013
My Personal Research Journey
Hello everyone!
The topic I have chosen for my research simulation is "What effect does learning through play in early childhood have on self-regulation in higher grades." I chose it because where I teach, we use the Tools of the Mind curriculum which is based on Vygotsy's approach of teaching through play and although there is much negative talk about our curriculum not teaching enough academic material, I find that my students leave very self-regulated and know how to share, play, take turns and really have a love of school. I wonder if those children still feel and act the same way (less behavioral problems, etc.) when they move up in elementary school.
Creating the research chart this week was a challenge for me, especially figuring out the differences between Qualitative and Quantative research approaches. I find it a bit confusing and overwhelming, but I was lucky enough to have a friend who just finished his dissertation help explain it to me in the simplest of terms.... apples and oranges! And, thankfully it makes better sense to me now.
I look forward to reading everyone else's topics! Good luck to you all!
The topic I have chosen for my research simulation is "What effect does learning through play in early childhood have on self-regulation in higher grades." I chose it because where I teach, we use the Tools of the Mind curriculum which is based on Vygotsy's approach of teaching through play and although there is much negative talk about our curriculum not teaching enough academic material, I find that my students leave very self-regulated and know how to share, play, take turns and really have a love of school. I wonder if those children still feel and act the same way (less behavioral problems, etc.) when they move up in elementary school.
Creating the research chart this week was a challenge for me, especially figuring out the differences between Qualitative and Quantative research approaches. I find it a bit confusing and overwhelming, but I was lucky enough to have a friend who just finished his dissertation help explain it to me in the simplest of terms.... apples and oranges! And, thankfully it makes better sense to me now.
I look forward to reading everyone else's topics! Good luck to you all!
Saturday, June 29, 2013
FINAL BLOG ASSIGNMENT- Issues and Trends
As this class comes to an end, I think about the collaborative community that we've built here and all that I have gained from this experience. I think the consequences of this learning community, especially about the international early childhood field has been 1) greater awareness of the unknown 2) expanded vision of early childhood as a whole and 3) passion for learning more about the education of children around the world. This experience has not only made me grow as an educator but has opened my eyes to things I never, ever thought of.
My goal in the near future with respect to international awareness is to learn more about Cuba and their early childhood education practices. That is my country or origin and I hope to visit very soon so it would be great to learn and then go see for myself. I'm really looking forward to it!
My goal in the near future with respect to international awareness is to learn more about Cuba and their early childhood education practices. That is my country or origin and I hope to visit very soon so it would be great to learn and then go see for myself. I'm really looking forward to it!
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Getting to Know Your International Contacts - Part 3
Okay, so since I haven't received a response from CUBA or PERU although I have really been trying since they are my ethnic countries, I chose option 2....:(
Here's what I learned this week:
1) As per the Global Monitoring Report in UNESCO, there are four important skills for a child to learn: 1) Critical thinking about themselves 2) Learning about other children's culture 3) Skills to be good citizens and 4) Life skills and core values.
2) A quality education helps reduce poverty and enables children to become empowered and gain social cohesion and peace and human development and most importantly, children have a right to learn from birth....."Children's Rights are Human Rights". --UNESCO, 2013.
3) "International Day of the Girl Child" is a program to raise awareness and build stronger action for girls' UNESCO is committing to getting the estimated 32 million girls who should be in primary school to gain access to education. It's a global effort!!! How great is that???
References:
(http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/strengthening-education-systems/early-childhood/
Here's what I learned this week:
1) As per the Global Monitoring Report in UNESCO, there are four important skills for a child to learn: 1) Critical thinking about themselves 2) Learning about other children's culture 3) Skills to be good citizens and 4) Life skills and core values.
2) A quality education helps reduce poverty and enables children to become empowered and gain social cohesion and peace and human development and most importantly, children have a right to learn from birth....."Children's Rights are Human Rights". --UNESCO, 2013.
3) "International Day of the Girl Child" is a program to raise awareness and build stronger action for girls' UNESCO is committing to getting the estimated 32 million girls who should be in primary school to gain access to education. It's a global effort!!! How great is that???
References:
(http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/strengthening-education-systems/early-childhood/
Friday, June 14, 2013
Sharing Web Resources NAEYC
This week, I decided to go ahead and join NAEYC as a member to receive all it's membership privileges, and boy did I learn something! If you become a member for only $40 as a student, or $66 as an educator, you gain a world of resources at your fingertips. You can join discussion groups with other online members, share resources and join interest forums. In addition, you receive Young Children and/or Teaching Young Children in your home bi monthly. Also, you have members only access to current issues of these magazines and even Tesoros y Colores which is the Spanish version of Teaching Young Children in digital format. With the click the mouse, you also get access to years worth of these magazines with tons of reference articles. These articles are not only good for students conducting research and teachers looking to education themselves further, but they are terrific to print out for parents. Lastly, a great benefit to being a member of NAEYC is that they are even offering 10% off tuition for new Walden University students!!!!!!
Although the newsletter didn't directly relate to this weeks topic of discussion; Awareness, Accessibility and Responsiveness, it did have archived articles under previous issues of Young Children that related. If you are interested in accessing these articles, you must first become a member and then logon and read "Early Childhood Education: Diverse Approaches for a Diverse Nation", July, 2010, Volume 65 or "Supporting Dual Language Learners and their families", March, 2013, Volume 68. Both these articles related to responsiveness in early childhood.
As for equity and excellence in early care and education, I think the website's family link provides an excellent resource for parents. They have a link for parents to search around their location for accredited programs and also include their standards for accreditation. It gives parents a way to look for quality programs, read articles about their child's development and has an area for them to sign up for family newsletters to keep them on top of all the current developments in early childhood education around their area. Not to mention the links on the family site that has discussion forums, blogs, family activities, music and much, much more. This is an excellent resource for everyone. I am surely going to put it on my classroom newsletter under Favorite Websites.
Mainly this week I am happy to announce that I am a member of NAEYC and that the benefits that come along with the membership are going to be an excellent asset to my Master's Degree research, as well as a resource that I will be sharing with my co-workers, students and families. I hope that everyone takes a minute to check out www.naeyc.org and becomes a member if they aren't already so they can gain the same benefits!!!
Although the newsletter didn't directly relate to this weeks topic of discussion; Awareness, Accessibility and Responsiveness, it did have archived articles under previous issues of Young Children that related. If you are interested in accessing these articles, you must first become a member and then logon and read "Early Childhood Education: Diverse Approaches for a Diverse Nation", July, 2010, Volume 65 or "Supporting Dual Language Learners and their families", March, 2013, Volume 68. Both these articles related to responsiveness in early childhood.
As for equity and excellence in early care and education, I think the website's family link provides an excellent resource for parents. They have a link for parents to search around their location for accredited programs and also include their standards for accreditation. It gives parents a way to look for quality programs, read articles about their child's development and has an area for them to sign up for family newsletters to keep them on top of all the current developments in early childhood education around their area. Not to mention the links on the family site that has discussion forums, blogs, family activities, music and much, much more. This is an excellent resource for everyone. I am surely going to put it on my classroom newsletter under Favorite Websites.
Mainly this week I am happy to announce that I am a member of NAEYC and that the benefits that come along with the membership are going to be an excellent asset to my Master's Degree research, as well as a resource that I will be sharing with my co-workers, students and families. I hope that everyone takes a minute to check out www.naeyc.org and becomes a member if they aren't already so they can gain the same benefits!!!
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