Insight Into Research-Week 8

The field of Early Childhood research is new to me. The code of ethics and ethical considerations that must be in place do not vary all that much from different fields of study, but there are slight differences. For example, one of the biggest considerations is gaining informed consent from parents but also assent from child participants. Prior to this class I was unaware that there is a difference. I believe designing a study and focusing on how it will be carried out makes the process more realistic. This process has allowed me to think realistically and with a level of compassion towards potential participants, as opposed to thinking abstractly about a study and participants. This process has allowed me to personalize a study and become committed to following through with the study. The biggest challenge for me was getting my research question to a specific and consice thesis that could be tested. I knew what I wanted to test, but eliminating external factors and insignificant factors was a challenge for me. Defining one word, going from social -emotional development to the word anxiety took weeks for me, but when it finally came to me I knew it was the one testable variable I wanted to use. As I began to see the work of my colleauges throughout the course and the research studies they were designing as well, I began to realize how large the early childhood field is. The amount of research and different avenues are immense. This truly is a field that is expanding and I am excited that we all get to be a part in the process.

International Research

In the journal article, Incorporating Indigenous Stories of Basotho in an ECCD Programme at Leseli Community Centre, the use of Indigenous stories in early childhood education programs is studied to determine the positive effects the stories may have on the development of young people. It is stated that these stories assist in language development as well as social and moral skills that are specific to the Basotho belief system. As traditional means of passing on culture have been replaced due to modern demands of living young children were lacking the transmission of these social norms, so they were incorporated into early childhood education programs (Ntsonyane, 2004).
This website was a wealth of knowledge broken down by thesis' of graduate students pertaining to issues from the African country they are from. I can see this as a way to learn more about the neighboring communities and to compare and contrast issues and trends that one another may be experiencing. It would be interesting to do something similar in the United States broken down by state issues and trends. I also found it interesting that both in the United States and in Lesotho we are trying to incorporate culture into our early childhood programs. While in Lesotho they are trying to preserve their culture we are trying to be diverse and accept all cultures.



Ntsonyane, P. (2004). Incorporating indigenous stories of Basotho in an ECCD programme at Leseli community centre. Retrieved from http://www.ecdvu.org/ssa/major_reports.php