Research Around the World

The website that I chose to review further is http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/.

What are some of the current international research topics?

I found that many of the research topics in Australia are very similar to the research topics that we are studying in the United States. For example, The Research in Practice Series that is available through the website provides practical, easy-to-read resource, offering effective new approaches for those challenging issues which arise in the care and education of young children (http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/, n.d.).  Some examples in the research series are partnerships and working together with families, learning and teaching through play, and learning with computers.  Each of these topics are areas in which we have studied through our courses at Walden

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

I found that Australia possesses a code of conduct that offers early childhood educators a framework of guidelines and educational responsibilities.  This is similar to the U.S. based NAEYC. 

What other noteworthy information did you find on this website?

The website had various resources for parents and professionals in the early childhood field.  It contained resources links, book recommendations, free journals and publications, as well as scholarly articles pertaining to recent issues and trends affecting the early childhood field.

Reference

http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/, n.d.

Research that Benefits Children and Families

Research can often times create positive outcomes for both children and families. A code of conduct must be followed and parental consent must be obtained.  Conducting research in children is important due to the critical time of their lives and being able to conclude on important health issues. 

Take for example research that was conducted on a close friend, Ms. Valezquez’s, son.  At age 3, he weighed 85 pounds.  An increase in childhood obesity has become a significant public health issue. With the concern of his overweight status affecting his self-esteem, as well as having a negative consequence on his cognitive and social development, his doctor recommended the family take preventative steps to begin with.  Some of these steps included an increase in physical activity and a very strict diet.  In a conversation with my friend, she stated that her son underwent a magnitude of tests and experiments in order to eliminate a variety of health concerns that could be contributing to his rapid weight gain.  Ms. Valezquez stated that the modifications that they were required to make at home in regards to diet and activity was difficult but she knew it needed to be done for her son’s health.  She also stated that all medical concerns were eliminated through a series of tests conducted over a period of several months (Valezquez, personal communication, 2012).

 

In this case of research, I strongly feel that whatever tests and experiments that the family needed to subject their child too was worth the risks due to his health.  At times, the tests and experiments were painful to watch, but the end outcome was desirable.  Based on many factors the child had an increased risk of childhood obesity.  The recommendations provided by the doctor and the strict regiments the family endured made a positive change in the child’s life.  I believe that this is an example of how children and/or families can be positively affected by research. 

My Personal Research Journey

The research topic that I have chosen for simulation is the benefits that attending preschool has on future academic performance through childhood.  I chose this topic because I believe that attending a quality early childhood programs sets children up for future success.  Children who attend early childhood programs are provided with the exposure to multiple educational concepts to help prepare them academically and to have continued academic success through the remainder of their educational experiences.  

The simulation process was very interesting.  It took time to locate articles in which I felt were purposeful for my simulation.  There were several articles to choose from and I read over many to narrow down my search.

The research chart has helped in knowing key words and guiding me through the assigned chapter reading.  Reading through the discussion posts and responding to my peers helped clarify many valuable points in locating quality sources in order to conduct research.

I would love to hear insights that anyone has in regards to conducting quality research.  Especially quality resources that you have found through the last couple of weeks that may help me moving forward with my research simulation.

I mention the NAEYC website in my discussion post, but I would like to direct peers again to the website due to all the valuable articles I have found.  The website is:  www.naeyc.org

 

Another website I visit frequently is NIEER, at http://www.nieer.org/ .  NIEER, which stands for National Institute for Early Education Research, conducts and communicates research to support high-quality, effective early childhood education for all young children.