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.
Michelle,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your insights throughout the course! I wish you luck throughout the rest of your courses in this program
FAMILY CULTURE
ReplyDeleteFor this assignment I was asked to think about what 3 items that I would decide to take if I had to leave the country and go elsewhere to live. The first item that I would take is a photo album of my family and children. This is something that I hold very dear as the memories over the years is what keeps me striving for the future. The next item that I would bring would be a small blanket in which my son gave me and I take it everywhere I go when I travel. It brings me comfort as I know that it was given with love. The last thing that I would bring would be a family cross that has a charm of Mary that is attached to it. This cross has been in my family for many many years as my great grand mother actually brought it to America with her when she came here from Germany. As I type this I begin to wonder if in fact choosing a few precious items to bring was a choice that she was forced to make when she made the decision to come here. If so then in fact bringing the cross with her is also something that she chose to do.
Once I arrived there if I was told that I could only keep one item it would have to be my cross. This is the deepest materialistic piece of culture that I own and I would not be able to part with it. Although, I would miss my photographs tremendously I would have the memories of my past in my head and would find comfort in this. My blanket would be missed, but I would find comfort in family members that were with me. As long as I have my cross I have hope for the future and a vision of greater things to come.
Leaving all that I know would be extremely difficult as I have lived in the same area of Florida all of my life and have never had to make decisions about what to keep and what must go. This truly opened my eyes to decisions that families are forced to make everyday all while trying to preserve their family culture the best that they can. This assignment also made me think a little deeper about how this affects families and culture and the desperation that they must feel at times. It also made me think a little about my own culture and decisions that my family was forced to make when they chose to come to America.