When I Think of Research....

Before taking this course on building research competence, the thought of conducting a research project or even reading the analysis of a study terrified me. Even when I have read case study before, at the end I always asked myself, "Now, what did I just read?" After taking this course, I can see that I am a little more comfortable with reading and conducting research/case studies. Through out this course I have learned a great deal of information from the proper way to read a case study, to how to design one. I now have a greater understanding of what it takes to conduct research that is valid and beneficial to the ECE field. I also understand the purpose of research. It can help answer questions through observation, experiments, data collection, and interviews. The thought of research doesn't scare me as much now as it did before. 

When it comes to planning a research project in early childhood, it is important to think about the issues that are faced in the field and consider how a research project can make a change. You should also consider your interest and the interest of others. When designing a research project, one must understand that it takes times. Good design will ensure that your research provides you with data that enable you to achieve what you set out to achieve--whether it is to describe, understand or explain what interest you (Naughton, 2010). Your design is your plan that will address specific questions and their expected outcomes. In conducting research one must first gain permission from participants. I think one of the major things that has been stress and just making sure the data collected supports your topic and is accurate and valid.

My biggest challenge throughout this process was just making sure I comprehend the information I read. At time I was lost but I think by rereading the text and putting the information in my own words. I was able to better understand it. My perception of an early childhood professional is still the same. I still see us as important members of society, that work hard to provide better learning experience for the children. 

Before I end my blog, I would like to thank my colleagues for all their input and thoughts. THANK YOU!

Reference:

Naughton, G. M., Rolfe, S. A., & Siraj-Blatchford, I. (2010). Doing early childhood research.

Open University Press.

Research Around the World

The international web site I chose to view is Early Childhood Australia. This organisation advocates for children ranging from birth to the age of 8 by helping to ensure quality, social justices, and in equity in all issues related to  the education of children. Early Childhood Australia is the peak early childhood advocacy organisation, acting in the interest of young children, their families and those in the early childhood field (Early Childhood Australia, 2012).

Early Childhood Australia is seen as the equivalent to the U.S based NAEYC. It provides information on their Code of Ethics, position statements, early childhood news, and other EC information. In viewing the website, I noticed that a lot of the international topics relate to issues that children, families and EC professionals in the U.S. These topics include:

• Quality improvement
• Secure transitions
• Partnerships
• Respecting diversity
• Learning and teaching through play
• Building confident learners
• Bullying
• Supportive relationships
• Health, and many other topics.

It was interesting to see some of the articles written on the Early Childhood Australia newsletter. In my search I found an article takes a look at how educators plan for adventurous or risky play. It talks about how children have limited outside time because parents and educators  fear for their safety due to the increase in violence that has occurred. 

               The nightly news creates an atmosphere of fear about the outside worlds, as we view images                of violence that reinforces a perceptions that it's not safe to be outside. So we protect our                    children even more, and in doing so we remove them from the natural environment and                      move indoors. In our desire to 'keep children safe' we create play environments that a                         devoid of adventure and  interest (National Quality Standard Professional Learning                             Program, 2013).

To me this article caught my attention because it was interesting to see how play is viewed in the Australian community. Though this may not be the view of all that live in Australia, it was shocking to read that parents fear for their child's safety when they simple do something that many take for granted.

What I also found interesting about this web site for this organization was that there was a section devoted to school readiness and children's transitions. In this section it provides parents, caregivers, and educators with resources that will assist them in  helping children make the transition from child care to preschool and preschool to school. This section would be very useful especially with school beginning this Wednesday in the area I live. For most of the kids attending my Pre-K class have never been away from their parents, especially not for majority of the day. From my experience, those children have a hard time separating from those parents. This section of the web site would be helpful in giving ideas on how to make that transition smooth for the child, parent, and teacher.


Resources

Early Childhood Austrialia (2013) http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/

National Quality Standard Professional Learning Program. (2013). Talking about Practice: Adventurous 

                play- Developing a culture of risky play. Retrieved

              from http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/nqsplp/wp-

              content/uploads/2013/07/NQS_PLP_E-Newsletter_No58.pdf

Research that Benefits Children and Families-Uplifting Stories

If I had the means and knowledge to conduct a research studies about any topic in the early childhood field I would focus on childhood obesity and how it affects children health and development. I think this topic is one that should be addressed especially with the growing number of children in the world that battle this issue.I would address how lack of exercise and improper  dieting can have life long affects on children emotionally and developmentally. Overweight children, as compared to children with a healthy weight, are more likely to develop many health problems such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure, which are associated with heart disease in adults (Marcus, n.d.). According to an article posted on CNN's website, studies have variously found that obese students -- and especially girls -- tend to have lower test scores than their slimmer peers, are more likely to be held back a grade, and are less likely to go on to college. 

A study on this issue would be very beneficial to children and their families. It would highlight the effect obesity has on children and how not changing the daily routines can affect a child throughout their life. It would give parents suggestions on how to help insure that children have a healthy development through proper diet and exercise. I believe it would motivate parents to make a change and help decease the number of children who suffer with obesity.

References

Gardner, A. (2011). Does obesity affect school performance?. CNN Health. Retrieved from 

           http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/14/health/obesity-affect-school-performance

Marcus, L. & Baron, A. (n.d.). Childhood Obesity: The Effects on Physical and Mental Health. The Child 

           Study Center. Retrieved from http://www.aboutourkids.org/articles

          /childhood_obesity_effects_physical_mental_health

Reseach Journal Entry #1

For the simulation and this course, I decided to focus on the topic; the importance of play in early childhood development. This topic has become a recent interest because of the information I have learned in previous classes and my experience working in a prekindergarten program located in a day care setting. Throughout my journey in the EC field, I have been taught many different views on the role of play during early learning. In college, play was never a focal point of my learning. The information I was taught never showed the importance of play and focused more on teaching standards and how to incorporate them to each subject area. Even during my student teaching, the time children spent playing was limited to a few minutes outside and the time spent in gym, which was about 20 minutes, two days a week. Play was hardly incorporated into the daily routine of the children. It wasn’t until I began taking classes at Walden that I began to learn the importance of play in a classroom. I also began to learn more through my training and work done at my current job. My job stresses the importance of play in the classroom and pushes us to incorporate more activities in which children play an active role in their learning through exploration and just being wide-eyed curious children. The classes I have taken thus far have showed me that children can learn a lot through play but what I wonder is how it helps in their development.

 

 

The simulation process has been very eye opening thus far. I have learned a lot about finding resources that are credible. Though the process seems like it takes a lot of work and at first glance can be a little overwhelming, I think once I get into the groove of things I will be okay. The research chart has been a great tool in understanding new terminology and breaking down my topic in a way that makes the research process a little more understandable. Even the information on how to read research papers has been very helpful. Without it I probably would have tried to read an entire research paper and then began to freak out when I didn’t understand what I read. I have learned a lot so far and look forward to learning morning.

 

Before I end this week’s blog, I would like to ask my colleagues to share any resources they may have on my topic and I would gladly do the same in return. Thanks.

 

Ashley

Reflection

 

Throughout EDUC 6162:Issues and Trends in Early Childhood I have gained great insight from the international professionals and websites. Learning abut the international early childhood field has been beneficial to me professionally and personally. In learning about the international early childhood field I have a deeper understanding of how children are affected by changing demographics, poverty, the influences of economics, neuroscience, and politics, and equity and excellence in care and education of children, families, and EC professionals. I have also gained insight on ways I can help the children here in my area that face these same issues. The work that the international organizations do is inspiring and motivating. They make me want to do more and continue learning about these issues that children face. I am also motivated to continue learning about the different organizations like the Global Fund for Children and the Children's Defense fund, just to name a few. My goal is to continue educating myself on international issues and trends and one day get in contact with an international EC professional.

Getting to Know Your International Contacts—Part 3

For this weeks blog I decided to listen to the audio podcast of Delfina Mitchell. Mrs. Mitchell is the Director of the Liberty Children's home located on the outskirts of Belize City. This programs has been open since 2005 and is for children between birth and 5 years old. The children at this care center have been abandoned, abused, or orphaned. Many have disabilities, special need or are HIV positive. The focus of the Liberty Children's home and Liberty Foundation is to provide care and education to those children in need. They strive to provide high quality services of the children in Belize. They provide children with much more than just shelter and food, they provide them with an environment where children are respected, nurtured and treated as individuals. By helping children regain their self-esteem, the Liberty Children's home help children develop trust in adults and to form healthy relationships. 

In the podcast Delfina Mitchell talks about a 9 year old boy named Joseph that has recently joined the Liberty Children's home. Joseph was living in a bad situation in which he was abused and had witnessed his sister being abused and because of that he had shut down and did not speak for over a year. When he arrived at the children's home he was accompanied by his 6 brothers and sisters. Joseph was home schooled on the children's home grounds but eventually he was enrolled in school in another part of town. He struggle in school and after one week he was kicked out of school and sent home because he had a problem understanding. Mrs. Mitchell tells a story about when her and Joseph went horse back riding and he began to tell her about the abuse and neglect that he had encountered. For Mrs. Mitchell, some of it was hard to understand because it seemed as if he had regressed in his age and she had difficult understanding some of his words. Though he talked that day while riding horse, Joseph began not speaking again. As time passed he began to speak a little each week that had passed. The staff at Liberty Children's home began to provide Joseph a few hours a day of schooling and allowed him time in the garden because he enjoyed being outside. With the combination of slowly introducing him to the school environment and providing him medication, Joseph began to open up more and more. The kids would stop to listen to him when he spoke because they were shocked that he was talking. When Joseph spoke everybody wanted to listen.

The work that the Liberty Children's home does helps provide children with a safe haven. An environment where they can regain their childhood and innocents. It helps them heal from the traumatic situations in which they come from. It helps build their confidence in themselves and in others.

UNESCO's Early Childhood Care and Education 

For the second part of my blog assignment, I explored the UNESCO's Early Childhood Care and Education website. This organization works to improve education around the world believing that it is key in social and economic development. "The Organization aims to help build a sustainable world with just societies that value knowledge, promote peace, celebrate diversity and defend human rights, achieved by providing Education for All." 

I found it great that when it comes to access and equality that countries have committed to expanding and improving comprehensive early childhood care and education especially for children who are vulnerable and disadvantaged. Governments in the United Nations are being urged to expand equitable access to quality early childhood services focusing on the importance of creating policies that favor the poor. The UNESCO also promotes high quality childcare for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. By providing these children with high quality services, it promotes motivation, confidence, good cognitive and linguistic development and school readiness. 

Resources

http://www.libertyfoundation.org.uk

http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/strengthening-education-systems/early-childhood/

http://www.worldforumfoundation.org/world-forum-radio/

Sharing Web Resources

This week I did a little more exploring of the Global Fund for Children website. Since this is an organization that partners with others in order to change the lives of children, I was curious to know what partners/supports they had. In my search I found that the Global Fund for Children partners with a variety of corporations and foundations that devote time, expertise, and financial support. These partnerships help deepen the impact and expand the organizations reach in order to improve the live of vulnerable children around the world. 

 As I have stated in a previous blog, one major partner of this organization is the Nike Foundation. This organization along with six others form the Grassroots Girls Initiative and help fund organizations that equip adolescent girls with resources, tools, and options they need to create better lives for their families, community and themselves.With support from the Credit Suisse EMEA Foundation the Global Fund for Children has been able to fund educational opportunity and vocational training for children and youth in Eastern Europe, Eurasia, and the Middle East. Johnson & Johnson contributes by working with children who have been infected with or affected by HIV/AIDS and children who are at risk of abuse or gender-based inequality. Another organization that plays a vital role in the work done by the Global Fund for Children is the ELMA foundation. This foundation supports community-based organizations that are creating opportunities for children in Africa to be healthy and educated.Those are just a few of the foundations and organizations that have partnered with the Global Fund for children to help improve the lives of children in need around the world.

I have not received a e-newsletter for this organization but the website has tons of new stories and videos. One of the stories/blogs that caught my interest was a blog written by a girl named Precious K. She is a youth participant at Media Concern Initiative in Lagos, Nigeria. In her blog she talks about her experience in Adobe Youth Voices (AYV), which is program within the Global Fund for children that empowers youth to share their voices and express their understanding of the world by employing various technologies. They are able to use digital art, video, and animation to express their understanding and voice their views. In her blog, Precious says that her experience with AYV has given her real knowledge and many advantages the can help others come together to create change in her community and the world through the use of multimedia tools. Through the program she learns about teamwork and is able to create personal projects. Adobe makes it easy to convey and idea or pass along information. The knowledge that she has gained from this program will help her with your future and the present.

""Stop Bullying" by Sanggar Anak Akar (Indonesia | 2010-2011)"

The work that the Global Fund for Children does is inspiring. With the help and support from corporations they have been able to change the lives of children all around the world. I think the idea of the Adobe Youth Voice is great. It allow children to voice their concerns and helps them understand the world they live in. It also teaches them skills that they can use later in life. They learn how to be team players and are able to speak out on their own knowledge and views. It gives them a voice and I think that is great.

"Tanadgoma – Library and Cultural Center for People
with Disabilities (Georgia | 2011-2012)"

""Stop Trafficking" by Sanggar Anak Akar (Indonesia | 2010-2011)"

Resources: 

Global Fund for Children-https://www.globalfundforchildren.org

Adobe Youth Voices: http://voices.globalfundforchildren.org