I am happy to report that my trepidation at the start of
research has been relieved; not that I didn’t start off each week with it. I
have steadily gained confidence upon completion of each week’s assignments. I am
pleased that we were led through the simulation in manageable chunks, allowing time
to digest the process. I feel confident
that I can identify reliable research and would be able to conquer my own study. For areas that may still be fuzzy, I know where to go for guidance. Through
our simulation, I have experienced the making of a study from inception to
formalized outline. I have discovered the need to tweak all along the way as my
initial plans are molded into a substantive outline. Decisions on the design of
the simulation have been thoughtful and based on the knowledge I have gained
during this course.
I found the most challenge to be in conceptualizing whether my
study was to be experimental in nature or more of a straight forward cause-and-effect investigation. Once I realized through our course work, the range of flexibility
I had in how I designed the study, things began to fall into place. For example, in my limited perception, I thought that every study had to have a hypothesis.
This has been a highly
empowering process for me. Because my simulation was birthed from an interest
of mine, I found myself excited about the potential impact of study results. It
is exciting to be a part of something bigger; something that could positively
impact many children for a lifetime. It is highly motivating as a professional
in this field.
This picture depicts how I feel upon successfully finishing our research course!!!!
I made sure to read your discussion posts and blog posts each week because I found them helpful, thought-provoking, and often touching. Thank you for being an excellent classmate!
ReplyDeleteTammra,
ReplyDeleteI thoroughly enjoyed reading your discussions and blogs during this course. I, too, was relieved that the research simulation was broken down into doable chunks so that I had time to digest the material. Thank you so much for the questions you posed of me in the discussion group as well. You have a great way of summarizing material. I wish you well as you continue your pursuit of graduate work. I hope that we will have the opportunity to work together again.
Tammra,
ReplyDeleteI learned so much from this course. The terminology that I gained about research was one factor that helped. I think the most important concept that helped me build my confidence and understanding was the feedback that I received from my colleagues. It was helpful in knowing that I wasn't the only one that was feeling lost and confused in the beginning. I wish you the best in pursing your Master's degree. I think this is the 2nd class that we had together and I truly enjoy reading your posts and the feedback that you give me. Good Luck with your future classes.