My Personal Research Journey
The general topic I
have started with related to the early childhood field I want to research is
the social-emotional development and needs of young children and toddlers. I chose to research this because I
work with young children and I have young children of my own. The
subtopic that I will be focusing on is the effect an absent parent figure has
on children. For example, due to job demands and/or divorce. I chose this subtopic because my own
husband, as well as several parents of my students is away from the home for
extended periods of time. I feel that by focusing on this topic it will provide
me with knowledge to help understand my children and students’ unique family
situations, give me the ability to plan
and be proactive to help meet their needs, and help families when they
encounter a family member being absent for a duration of time. I have found
through my own experiences that every child handles this differently and I want
to be able to support him/her the best I can. I have seen my now four year old
react differently every time his father leaves and my 22 month old have a
reaction for the first time several months ago.
My personal experience with this simulation process has been
enlightening. I was initially concerned that I may be the only one with limited
research experience. However, after conversing though discussion posts, I
realize that I am not the only one. I am looking forward to supporting each
other through this simulation process. Choosing my topic was not very difficult
because I have a personal and professional interest in it. The required
readings have helped explain how I will proceed through the research process.
Insights I have gained from constructing the research chart
are knowledge about new research vocabulary and understanding the different
steps in the research process. Having to summarize new research key terms
helped me clarify and understand the required reading. I enjoyed looking deeper
into the “data collection” step. I think this is a step I will find interesting.
Data collection is a time where you get to use techniques such as observe, take
surveys, and conduct interviews.
I welcome insight from my colleagues about my topic. If
anyone has personal or professional experience with children who have an absent
parent figure I would appreciate your input. I am in the process of finding relevant
resources about this. If you have any credible resources I would love to review
them. I am also willing to share my resources if they pertain to your topic.
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