When I Think of Research

Prior to taking this course I did not have a clue concerning research.  I learned how to look at research articles and make a determination concerning the credibility of the article.  I have obtained an insight into the research process, and how researchers gather information.  I believe the greatest asset for my program is that I understand how to: obtain consent from a child and interview, observe, and collect information.

When I entered this course I had the naive belief that all research was done in a just equitable way.  I quickly discovered the truth about research, information gathered ,is done based on the biases of the researchers.

Planning, designing, and conducting research in early childhood is done ethically.  Planning a good research question and refining it . Investigating the subject and settling on a research design that will suit the research project.  Set up interviews and observations to assist in gathering supportive documentation. 

Early childhood ethics I saw as a challenge.  Child must be treated as the teacher, and the interviewer, and or the observer must consider themselves as the student or learner.  Children cannot be used as objects to complete some ones , but as a vital assistant to help the research achieve goals of equity.

I have gained an enormous amount of respect for the quality early childhood professionals.  There is a great amount of sorting through; truths, injustices, innuendo, and lies to establish the information that we need to help our children.  We just cannot take some ones point of view and run with it.  Early childhood professionals must be researchers to sort out the right research. 

Research Around the World

Some of the current international research topics are:

            Safe Water

            Immunization

            Sanitation

            Nutrition; adequate diet, proper feeding, monitoring growth rates 

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

Informal child minders (IMs) are uneducated women ages 30 to 50 who travel from the north to the south (urban centers) of Ghana. They are equivalent to American day workers. They survive by traveling to urban centers, and are paid by the day to carry loads for the housewives and businessmen in the marketplace, earning a menial living.  They are also paid to watch the street children (SC), ages 2 to 8, who are the children of the IMs. Other IMs care for these children and are paid by the IMs working parents. The IMs that have children between ages 2 to 8 are called street children SC, they are called SC because they are left in the street under trees while their mothers work.  There are IMs that watch and feed these children for a fee from the IMs of these children. Children under the age 2 must be placed on the backs of their mothers’ as they lift and work.

 What other noteworthy information did you find on this website? 

The services that are offered to the children and families such as; education, health, and nutrition.

According to the Bernard van Leer Foundation (1994a), the best solution to problems of children, families and the community is the integrated model which gives parents just one door to approach for services - when they knock on this door, they find a broad range of programs, services and activities on offer.

 This to me is noteworthy because these children and families no longer have to go to several places or agencies to receive the necessary assistance.  One agency can facilitate their basic needs.  For these children and families these services are essential for the survival of the people in this area of Ghanna.