WEEK 8 Reflection 6163

I learned a lot from this course.  Prior to this course, I read research studies frequently about issues related to my son's medical issues.  However, I was always unsure what actually to believe from the information.  The terminology that I learned from this course will be very helpful in deciphering the important information. 

My research simulation was about whether parent knowledge about the laws regarding the transition from early intervention services to preschool impacts a parent's choice on available programs for their child.  I can tell you that I truly believe that it does.  My youngest son just "aged-out" of First Steps services and I have several friends whose children are in the process of "aging-out" of services.  If I did not have a background in special education, I think that I would have been lost.  This has made me realize that my role as a future developmental therapist for First Steps can also be an advocate for parents to learn about their parent rights.  It is so important to know the laws. 

I did find the course to be very challenging.  The terminology was hard and I was often confused on the variables of the studies.

Thank you all so very much for your input during this course.  I look forward to "seeing" many of you in our next courses!  Best wishes to you all!!! 

International Research Week 5 EDUC 6163

Early Childhood Development Virtual University (ECDVU) Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA): Developed and maintained by the University of Victoria, Canada, this virtual university is the international gateway for early childhood research worldwide. Through the link below, you can access ECDVU’s Sub-Saharan Africa portal. The second link takes you to a list of current early childhood research conducted by students in Sub-Saharan Africa.

What are some of the current international research topics?

The topics included: Pilot Study of the Adaptation of an Established Measure to Assess the Quality of Child Services in a Selected Orphanage in Zambia (http:www.ecdvu.org); Building Community Leadership for Quality Sustainability in Madrasa Preschools: The Case of Madrasa Preschools Post Graduation Support;  Assessment of the Caring Practices in Two Motherless Babies’ Homes in Abia State, Nigeria and the Development and Delivery of a Nutrition Training Program to the Staff of These Homes to Improve Nutrition of Children in Their Care; The Status of Coordination and Supervision of Early Childhood Education in Ghana; A Community-driven Rural Early Childhood Development (ECD) Project, with Emphasis on Culturally and Developmentally Appropriate Exploratory Learning Concepts; Utilizing Indigenous Stories in the Promotion of Early Childhood Development Programs in Uganda; Integrating Indigenous Knowledge in ECD Training and Services; Involving Fathers in Early Childhood Care and Development; Assessing the Influence of Different Early Childhood Development Models on Pre-School Children’s School Readiness in Kenya; Strengthening the Capacity of Grandparents in Providing Care to Children Less than 8 Years Old Affected by HIV/AIDS.

Many of the topics were similar in nature to topics that we see in the United States, such as quality of child services, school readiness, involving fathers, single parent homes, and cultural diversity.  However, there were several topics that were somewhat different.  These topics consisted of a study about grandparents providing care for young children affected by HIV/AIDS and studies about indigenous populations.   

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

I was interested to learn about Diversity research being conducted.  Some of our close family friends just returned from a mission trip in Africa.  They stated that they worked with children in an orphanage whose parents had died of HIV/AIDS.  The volunteers took supplies and educational supplies over to the children.  Some of these supplies included books and other resources that had been donated by various organizations.  While this is wonderful, I am sure that few (if any) of the supplies were translated or readable for the children. 

What other noteworthy information did you find on this website?

This website was about improving the quality of life for children and their families in Africa.  The program seeks to accomplish this through working, on a sustained basis, with ECD leaders from across the continent. The Early Childhood Development Virtual University (ECDVU) is an internationally recognized program operating within the School of Child and Youth Care at the University of Victoria. It was interesting that this program is virtual in nature and research is done by people around the world.  This research impacts the lives of many children and families living in Africa. 

References

http://www.ecdvu.org/ssa/index.php
http://www.ecdvu.org/ssa/major_reports.php