Reflecting on Early Childhood Research

   My understanding of research prior to this course, Building Research Competency, was limited.  I realize now that the research process is much more complex than I had imagined.  One of the elements of research that stuck out to me the most is being flexible and able to adapt to various scenarios while conducting research.  Ethical considerations, design methods, and even simply figuring out the research topic and specific question are all key elements of conducting research that can be complex and require extensive knowledge and understanding.

     My ideas about the nature of research have changed because I now understand the time and resources it takes to conduct valid and reliable research.  The knowledge and comprehension that it takes to conduct research in the early childhood field requires intense preparation and reviews of previous literature on the studies that have been conducted.

   Throughout the research simulation in this course we learned about planning, designing, and conducting research.  All these elements are complex and require devotion of time and a willingness to learn. I think one of the most important parts when beginning research is to ensure that your topic is something that is interesting to the researcher and interesting to other professionals in the field.  Because research takes so much time, resources, and effort it is essential that the results are valid and reliable which requires planning, designing, and conducting research ethically and professionally.

   Early childhood research is so essential to the field and figuring out the best practices and programs.  Behavior, whether negative or positive, and their relations to family structure, teaching styles, and social interactions are just a few examples of why research in the early childhood field is important and can help to further the success of future generations.  It is complex because it involves young children who are not legally able to give consent and require more qualitative methods in order to analyze responses and find results that are beneficial to the early childhood field.

Research Around the World

This week I chose to explore the Early Childhood Development Virtual University (ECDVU) Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).  I found that some of the current international research topics are creating an international network of early childhood professionals to contribute to the field and support early childhood development.  What I came to realize is that before these networks were implemented, early childhood development was of very small importance to many African countries.  Due to network activities, there are now 20 or more African countries that have implemented a national early childhood development policy.  They have increased awareness through using technology to share ideas, methods, and build positive relationships among early childhood professionals and groups.

The Virtual University program has brought technology to the forefront as the basis for communication and allowed many opportunities for collaboration within early childhood development that would probably not be available today otherwise. It has increased social development and made many African countries aware of the importance of early childhood education and how it can benefit the future of their countries and communities.

Websites like these bring about awareness of the similar struggles that are relevant in every country and can be found in most communities.  By working together on a global level we only expand our reach to all children and promote positive programs and networks within the early childhood field.