When I Think of Research...

The first thing that comes to mind when I think of research is the power that it can have and how the information can affect the public in both negative and positive ways.  During this course I learned the importance of being an ethical researcher and what the outcomes may be if the data is not collected in an equitable manner by a ethical researcher.   The data that is collected and the report that follows can have a great impact on society therefore demanding that research be ethical.

During our course readings we read about the research that was conducted on children with Autism which, established a direct link between immunizations and Autism.  This poorly conducted research which lacked ethical standards has had a tremendous impact on children and parents.  Reports state that as many as 20% of students sitting in classrooms in California are not currently immunized.  As an educator this is alarming to me as the CDC is reporting the increase in illnesses among children such as Measles which, at one point were considered eradicated in this country.

I never realized that research could have such a powerful impact on society and the choices that people will make.  Having a better understanding of how research is collected and what makes it ethical has now deepened my knowledge.   When I read research articles I am now able to identify quality research from others that may be presented.  I am also now able to understand the differences from qualitative and quantitative research and can better interpret the findings.

This course has truly helped to obtain a better understanding of the importance of research and how so much in education is driven by research and studies that are conducted.  If we want to be advocates within the Early Childhood Education field we must first truly understand research and how to interpret it, before we can question is it valid and was it conducted in an ethical manner.

Research in Australia

The website that I chose was that of http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au.  This website is dedicated to early childhood education is Australia.  Some of the areas focused on by this organization is having an effective framework, using touch, fighting against bullying, establishing professional partnerships, having flexible early childhood practices and staying up to date about current research and being culturally competent.
They promote  inclusion of all children with disabilities and are doing their best to keep informed of current research and trends.  They are focusing on all children and how to better improve their education.  It encourages all members within the professional community to share knowledge and experience by publishing scholarly journals.  This allows for the promotion of continued education amongst the experts.  They are dedicated to informing those who work with children from birth to eight to promote early childhood education and development.  The research that is being conducted includes young children from all walks of life, but the focus is on better educating the teachers.  They are looking at cultures and  making culturally responsible decisions when conduction research.  It address racism as well as many other issues facing early childhood education as well as offering answers to such issues.  This organization strives is uniting early childhood educators and is a leader amongst its countries early childhood research.