What I learned in EDU 6163

I will be quite honest in saying this class was particularly frustrating as well as a true learning experience.  I learned a lot about research and the importance of qualitative and quantitative research and mixing the two methods up to make a stronger case.  I also learned that depending on how you conduct your research, determines the validity of your topic.  These last eight weeks have really put perspective in conducting a real research topic, and one I will be quite honest in stating I am glad I understand.  However, I never knew the work that actually went into selecting a group of participants and getting consent etc… I believe not only working with children but doing research with children is one of the hardest jobs an early childhood professional can conduct.  The ethics and liability alone are overwhelming in the fact that certain criteria’s must be met when working with children.  I still believe that professionals in early childhood are true callers because we change the world one child at a time. 

Early Childhood Australia

I chose the NAEYC version of Australia to further my international studies and well I really like the website.  It was set up very similar to the American website and the issues that affect us also effect children and professionals half way across the world.  Some of the current international research topics I found interesting were using assessments as a stepping stone, and learning and teaching through play.  Here were other topics, but all were very similar to those we see in everyday research in America and other parts of the world.

The surprising insight I gained from Australia’s early childhood magazine was a reform that started in January 2012 and that is the ratio of infants would go down to 1:4.  It did not state the specific of the old ratio but I found it quite interesting that they are just now reforming to a lower ratio to implement higher quality care.  This was amazing to me I thought with their progressive era that ratios of this nature would have already been in place. 

At last the other area I thought was interesting was an article on providing middle and low income families with more government support in paying for child care.  Already in place is the government assistance that each family that pays $7500 per year in child care gets it back at the end of the year.  But now the government is going to supply more assistance to families of the low and middle class to make sure their children in high quality programs.

It always amazes me that simple things such as ratio were not a huge factor in international worlds but making sure all families have proper care and the resources to pay it are.  In America we focus n high quality care but only let the privilege who can afford it attend or the poverty stricken to say that we are closing the achievement gap.   Either way we are leaving out the majority the middle class.  I really did enjoy the articles on what effects earl y childhood in Australia.