After completing the course "Building Research Competency", I have determined there are many facets to the field of research.  Even for professionals who do not plan to conduct research, there is a vast array of information that must be learned in order to understand research.

I have always been a bit intimidated by research.  I took an Ecology course in college and that was my first real taste of research studies.  We had to analyze a few studies, and then create our own study, including writing each component of the research report.  I became familiar with the abstract, methods, and conclusion sections, and also learned how to create charts and record data.  It was all a bit overwhelming and to be honest, I was glad when it was all over!  I didn't think I would need to utilize any of the information after the course.  To my surprise, this course was actually an in depth study of what I had experienced.  And, I was grateful for my prior knowledge in the area of research, although it was only the tip of the iceberg so to speak.

What I have learned in this course is that research is a complex project.  There are many things to consider before even beginning with just a simple research question.  I learned that as soon as you spark an interest in something, the best thing to do is to search for research studies that have been done in the past and compile as much information as possible.  This will help guide you through formulating some questions.  Once you have the questions in mind, the design of the study can begin.  Several factors, such as who will conduct the research, who the participants can be, where the research will be done, the type of study that will be conducted (ie. qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods, etc.), and how the conclusion of the study may contribute to the field, are very important.  Aside from that, clearly articulating information and proving the validity of the experiment are important, especially for replication.

I definitely see the field of early childhood education vital to the research field.  As I said before, I did not feel I would ever conduct research beyond college.  I wanted to run a preschool.  However, any contribution I can offer my colleagues based on my findings will benefit the profession and I fully intend on doing so when I have the opportunity.  I am thankful for the knowledge and understanding this class has provided me with, as well as the enlightenment.

Early Childhood Australia - A voice for young children

http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/

Today's society provides us with the opportunity to learn more about the world than ever before. The internet is our key to endless possibilities.  Without ever stepping foot outside of our home we can see the world!  Not only can we explore and embrace cultural diversity, we can band together and share our knowledge in order to enhance our quality of life.  Education is a field every culture is equally concerned about; especially the early childhood profession.  It seems to have become increasingly prominent all over the world, and educators and researchers are sharing their findings.  I am excited to expand my mind and explore the work of early childhood professionals in Australia this week.  This is what I found when on the website for Early Childhood Australia.

What are some of the current international research topics?

This website offers a page dedicated to "Resource Themes".  Currently, there are clickable options under the following categories:  Being Belonging and Becoming, School Readiness and Children's Transitions, Sustainability Global Warming and Climate Changes, Baby and Toddler Sleeping and Childhood Health and Obesity.  Once you click on a link there are several research articles, books and credible quotes available on each topic.  The sources are listed, as well as additional links to help you find the sources.  There is a place on the homepage which lists current news and popular items.  Some of the recent popular items include the early years learning framework, and learning and teaching through play.  Several media releases are also on the homepage including ECPs responses to current issues, such as national standards and budget initiatives.

What surprising facts/insights/new ideas about early childhood did you gain from exploring this international early childhood website?

In all honesty, I was shocked to see one of the resource themes was global warming and climate change.  I agree this is a very important issue we all must face and act on, I was just surprised to see this organization had information pertaining to the early childhood field.  I began the topic through the clickable links.  I found this organization is promoting what they call, "transformative education" that values, encourages and supports young children to be problem-seekers, problem-solvers, and action-takers in their own environments.  This involves including education about nature in the early childhood curriculum and encouraging children to play outside and become deeply engaged in the natural world.  There are several bullet points listed about what childhood professionals can do from modeling green housekeeping within their centers, to becoming advocates for neighborhood outdoor play areas for children.  I was very happy to read this and plan on implementing some of the suggestions offered by the organization.

What other noteworthy information did you find on this website?

There is a section called "Supporting Best Practices".  This is broken down by categories and then several subcategories.  Each subcategory leads you to a brief explanation and then includes a country afterward.  I was a bit confused so I clicked on the final subcategory.  What this meant is that the organization found a credible educational resource on each topic and many of them are from organizations located around the globe.  I thought this was a really cool feature.  Although I was researching an Australian organization I was able to learn from organizations all over the world.  The website is really an extremely organized portal to pertinent information in the early childhood field.  

I am so impressed by this website and plan to utilize it from this day forward.  Often I find myself overwhelmed when doing searches online and cannot seem to find credible sources.  This website will help me so much.