A Reflection on Research

It came as a shock to me to receive the outline of Week 7 and realize this could actually be the beginning of a research project. During the process I had more questions than answers and most of the assignments were sent in a bit of a haze. Now to think this novice could have set the foundation for a workable project is a bit of a surprising discovery  - a happy one but none the less a surprise.

I remain with questions of how to set up a team, who could oversee it and keep it accountable and on track. I believe I got a taste of how exhilarating it  could be over coffee with my master's in research holding good friend. She called me to critical thinking and put ideas into researchable chunks. i feel a little like this is what grown-ups do and way out of my league. However, I guess it is people like us who do these things.

The fact that research is a long, involved and introspective process has been impressed on me during the past weeks. However, taking each aspect bit by bit and securing each position on the journey by retrospection and accountability a final product is attainable. With this in mind, the subject must be important enough to be worth the time and effort to complete. It seems to me also that it would be possible to lose your way in the maze of doing it right and maintaining validity and respect for the subject.

I have become aware of the importance of making the research credible. In the start of planning the questions must be ones that make a difference and that can be asked and answered honestly and fully. I learned that here are predetermined ways to validate the research. I have been made mindful of the problem of the researcher being set apart from reality as a power figure.

I resonate with the idea of the researcher coming to the situation as a learner and that the date received is a gift from his population. Akin to this idea is that of the researcher and his population finding or constructing the reality together.

I am not certain this could be considered a challenge, but thinking about the difference between equity and equality made my brain hurt! My colleague said that she and her fellow Masters' students spent an entire week bringing these terms to task. This reminds of another idea that has become clearer to me and that is critical thinking. Being good enough is not enough in early childhood research. Each researcher must be held accountable to ask the right question, that the method will bring out that answer and that the interpretation remains true to the information received.

 I have gained a deeper respect for the responsibility we have as early childhood educators. To do our job well we need to be aware of our biases. This has come out in previous courses but here we have been encouraged to be critical of our thinking and approaches to what we do. The word reflexive has resonated with me. Putting assumptions away we check what we believe and do in the best interest of the child remembering that the child is a their own social agent and must be respected as such.

I started this course with something like dread, feeling absolutely unable to understand or complete the project. But here I am and here you are. Thank you for sharing your journey  this blog and the different stages of the discussions. Thanks for your help.

And Happy Holidays! Wishing you all the goodness that this season has to offer.

Merry Christmas!