Program Rationale
It has always been my goal to obtain a faculty position in early childhood education. My research interests focuses on improving the academic achievement of young children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, especially in literacy and reading. Ultimately, it is my goal to set up a preschool or an early childhood center in my home country. As an educator, I have had the opportunity of working with children from diverse cultural backgrounds and who had special needs. It is important to have the skills and knowledge needed to support students who have special needs. This is why my secondary emphasis is in special education. I hope to conduct research that focuses on improving the academic achievement of young children whose first language is not English but who have disabilities as well.
It is important to take EDUC 800 (Ways of Knowing) because this class provides insight into different perspectives on how individuals come to acquire knowledge. Not all individuals learn in the same way. By taking this course I was able to understand how individuals learn and be able to apply this knowledge as I proceed in my graduate program. This is important to me because I am from a different cultural background and I grew up in a society that put emphasis on students acquiring knowledge just by listening and accepting what the experts had to say and not having any idea of my own. It is interesting to note that I had to adjust to the system of education here in the United States of America after transitioning to this country because students are encouraged to ask questions and discovery learning is emphasized. Being able to contribute ideas and to critically think about concepts learned was a new way of knowing for me and this course did draw my attention to this fact and helped me improve upon my own learning process.
My area of specialization is Early Childhood Education. By taking ECED 801, Current Research and Trends in Early Childhood Education, which focuses on the issues that influences the education of young children from diverse backgrounds, I will be able to not just meet the requirements for my program, but this course draws on knowledge of current research in the field of early childhood education and this provides a foundational framework that relates to my goals. ECED 804 (Family Research and Practice in Early Childhood Education) deals with family research and practice in early childhood education. This is a required course for my program. Families play a very vital and important role in the education of young children. As a practitioner, and a researcher, it is important to take into consideration the contribution that families make and tap on their cultural experiences as well as their perspectives on the knowledge they have acquired in working with their children.
I think it is important to take EDRD 832 (Research Methodologies and Trends in Literacy) because it focuses on developing an understanding and appreciation of current research methodologies that encompass current trends and issues in the field of literacy and this is crucial since I am interested in conducting research that focuses on literacy and reading of young children. ECED 702 focuses on early writing, cognition, language, and literacy for diverse young learners. In addition to these two courses, EDRD 830 (Theory, Research and Practice in Literacy: Birth through Middle School) also focuses on theory, research and practice in literacy: Birth through middle school. By taking ECED 702, EDRD 830, and EDRD 832, I will be able to meet the requirements for my program in early childhood education. I am interested in conducting research that focuses on improving the academic performance of young children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. By taking these courses, I will not only meet the requirements for my program, but also focus on literacy for children from diverse backgrounds and this really provides a foundation in terms of my research interests because I will be able to apply some of the concepts learned in theses courses when it comes to conducting research for my dissertation.
One of my goals is to train preschool teachers and early childhood educators in developing countries by providing these professionals with professional development opportunities. ECED 803 is a required course in early childhood education program and focuses on teacher preparation and professional development. By taking this course, I will be able to meet the requirements for my program and I will be able to apply some of the strategies and concepts learned in this course after I complete my program. EDSE 845 Personal Preparation in special education is a course that focuses on the skills, knowledge and techniques that can be applied when instructing students at the college level. EDSE 745 is a grant writing course. It is important to get funding in order to conduct research. This course will provide me with the skills and knowledge needed to write grants and will also give me the opportunity to actually write a grant which will be beneficial in the future.
EDRS 824 is a mixed research course that focuses on integrating qualitative and quantitative approaches. The reason for taking this course is that I might conduct research in the future and apply both qualitative and quantitative method. EDUC 994 (Advanced Internship) is a required course for my program. The reason for taking this course is that I will get the opportunity to do some internship related to my area of specialization. This will give me the practical experience needed to apply what I have learned in my program. By taking EDUC 897 (Independent Study), I will be able to read more and gather pertinent information that has to do with my research topic for my dissertation. I hope to review literature that focuses on utilizing the Response to Intervention Model in teaching reading to students. By reviewing literature pertinent to my topic of interest, I will be able to synthesize research that has already been conducted and use this information when writing my dissertation. EDRS 821 focuses on advanced study of applications of quantitative methods in educational research. The reason for taking this course is that it will reinforce and build upon concepts and skills acquired in EDRS 811.
EDRS 810 (Problems and Methods in Educational Research), EDRS 811 (Quantitative Methods in Educational Research) and EDRS 812 (Qualitative Methods in Educational Research) are required courses. As a doctoral student, it is important that I take these research courses because I will be able to apply the methods learned in these classes in conducting research in the future. It is my goal to obtain a faculty position in early childhood education and as a faculty member I will be expected to conduct research related to my field of specialization and therefore these courses will prepare to conduct research in the future. EDRS 841 focuses on intervention research in special education. This course will give me the opportunity to analyze research methodology specifically related to special education as well as to analyze data and to formulate future research questions. I am interested in doing research that utilizes the response to intervention approach. Even though this course focuses on research specific to special education, by taking this course, the methods learned in other research classes will be reinforced. EDSE 842 focuses on application of research methodology in special education. This course provides a review of some of the methods learned in qualitative and quantitative research classes and focuses on the application of research methods such as experimental and quasi- experimental research as well as some qualitative research methods. The purpose of taking all these research courses is to provide me with the skills, knowledge, techniques and methods that will be applicable when conducting future research.
Overall, this program of study will provide me with the skills and knowledge in the field of early childhood education and also provide me with a foundation in research that will be beneficial to me upon completion of my program since I intend to conduct research as a faculty member upon completion of my program.
It has always been my goal to obtain a faculty position in early childhood education. My research interests focuses on improving the academic achievement of young children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, especially in literacy and reading. Ultimately, it is my goal to set up a preschool or an early childhood center in my home country. As an educator, I have had the opportunity of working with children from diverse cultural backgrounds and who had special needs. It is important to have the skills and knowledge needed to support students who have special needs. This is why my secondary emphasis is in special education. I hope to conduct research that focuses on improving the academic achievement of young children whose first language is not English but who have disabilities as well.
It is important to take EDUC 800 (Ways of Knowing) because this class provides insight into different perspectives on how individuals come to acquire knowledge. Not all individuals learn in the same way. By taking this course I was able to understand how individuals learn and be able to apply this knowledge as I proceed in my graduate program. This is important to me because I am from a different cultural background and I grew up in a society that put emphasis on students acquiring knowledge just by listening and accepting what the experts had to say and not having any idea of my own. It is interesting to note that I had to adjust to the system of education here in the United States of America after transitioning to this country because students are encouraged to ask questions and discovery learning is emphasized. Being able to contribute ideas and to critically think about concepts learned was a new way of knowing for me and this course did draw my attention to this fact and helped me improve upon my own learning process.
My area of specialization is Early Childhood Education. By taking ECED 801, Current Research and Trends in Early Childhood Education, which focuses on the issues that influences the education of young children from diverse backgrounds, I will be able to not just meet the requirements for my program, but this course draws on knowledge of current research in the field of early childhood education and this provides a foundational framework that relates to my goals. ECED 804 (Family Research and Practice in Early Childhood Education) deals with family research and practice in early childhood education. This is a required course for my program. Families play a very vital and important role in the education of young children. As a practitioner, and a researcher, it is important to take into consideration the contribution that families make and tap on their cultural experiences as well as their perspectives on the knowledge they have acquired in working with their children.
I think it is important to take EDRD 832 (Research Methodologies and Trends in Literacy) because it focuses on developing an understanding and appreciation of current research methodologies that encompass current trends and issues in the field of literacy and this is crucial since I am interested in conducting research that focuses on literacy and reading of young children. ECED 702 focuses on early writing, cognition, language, and literacy for diverse young learners. In addition to these two courses, EDRD 830 (Theory, Research and Practice in Literacy: Birth through Middle School) also focuses on theory, research and practice in literacy: Birth through middle school. By taking ECED 702, EDRD 830, and EDRD 832, I will be able to meet the requirements for my program in early childhood education. I am interested in conducting research that focuses on improving the academic performance of young children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. By taking these courses, I will not only meet the requirements for my program, but also focus on literacy for children from diverse backgrounds and this really provides a foundation in terms of my research interests because I will be able to apply some of the concepts learned in theses courses when it comes to conducting research for my dissertation.
One of my goals is to train preschool teachers and early childhood educators in developing countries by providing these professionals with professional development opportunities. ECED 803 is a required course in early childhood education program and focuses on teacher preparation and professional development. By taking this course, I will be able to meet the requirements for my program and I will be able to apply some of the strategies and concepts learned in this course after I complete my program. EDSE 845 Personal Preparation in special education is a course that focuses on the skills, knowledge and techniques that can be applied when instructing students at the college level. EDSE 745 is a grant writing course. It is important to get funding in order to conduct research. This course will provide me with the skills and knowledge needed to write grants and will also give me the opportunity to actually write a grant which will be beneficial in the future.
EDRS 824 is a mixed research course that focuses on integrating qualitative and quantitative approaches. The reason for taking this course is that I might conduct research in the future and apply both qualitative and quantitative method. EDUC 994 (Advanced Internship) is a required course for my program. The reason for taking this course is that I will get the opportunity to do some internship related to my area of specialization. This will give me the practical experience needed to apply what I have learned in my program. By taking EDUC 897 (Independent Study), I will be able to read more and gather pertinent information that has to do with my research topic for my dissertation. I hope to review literature that focuses on utilizing the Response to Intervention Model in teaching reading to students. By reviewing literature pertinent to my topic of interest, I will be able to synthesize research that has already been conducted and use this information when writing my dissertation. EDRS 821 focuses on advanced study of applications of quantitative methods in educational research. The reason for taking this course is that it will reinforce and build upon concepts and skills acquired in EDRS 811.
EDRS 810 (Problems and Methods in Educational Research), EDRS 811 (Quantitative Methods in Educational Research) and EDRS 812 (Qualitative Methods in Educational Research) are required courses. As a doctoral student, it is important that I take these research courses because I will be able to apply the methods learned in these classes in conducting research in the future. It is my goal to obtain a faculty position in early childhood education and as a faculty member I will be expected to conduct research related to my field of specialization and therefore these courses will prepare to conduct research in the future. EDRS 841 focuses on intervention research in special education. This course will give me the opportunity to analyze research methodology specifically related to special education as well as to analyze data and to formulate future research questions. I am interested in doing research that utilizes the response to intervention approach. Even though this course focuses on research specific to special education, by taking this course, the methods learned in other research classes will be reinforced. EDSE 842 focuses on application of research methodology in special education. This course provides a review of some of the methods learned in qualitative and quantitative research classes and focuses on the application of research methods such as experimental and quasi- experimental research as well as some qualitative research methods. The purpose of taking all these research courses is to provide me with the skills, knowledge, techniques and methods that will be applicable when conducting future research.
Overall, this program of study will provide me with the skills and knowledge in the field of early childhood education and also provide me with a foundation in research that will be beneficial to me upon completion of my program since I intend to conduct research as a faculty member upon completion of my program.