I must admit that I was terrified about taking this course. I had pictured the homework to be reading endless research studies and pouring over statistics and charts that I did not understand. I must admit that I am pleasantly surprised at what I have learned over this 8-week journey. I now understand that research often begins with our background experiences and is centered on wanting to learn more. I have learned that when I am reading research, I do not need to get caught up in the details and process of the study, but can understand the purpose and results by reading only a few key sections. This has been a relief and now I do not feel anxious about reading scholarly articles!
Prior to beginning this course, I also had the notion that only doctorate level professionals could conduct research or would even want to. Now I understand that I have topics that I am interested in knowing more about and if my skills were refined, I, too, could conduct my own study. I now understand that not all research needs to have a wide spread reach and end up in a national journal. Even small projects are noteworthy and can make a difference.
When reflecting upon the research process, I also feel that this has been a journey. I never considered reading other articles as a starting point for my own study. I had believed that once a topic was decided upon, I was to be off on my own. It's reassuring to know that the wheel does not have to be reinvented each time a topic presents itself. I still believe that I do not have the knowledge base to truly pull off my own study and would be caught up in the details of how to select a participant pool and the legal matters of consent. I do feel that I am a person who leads more with my heart than my head, so I believe qualitative research would be my specialty.
My first challenge was to embrace the research process. This was an unknown world to me and I was intimidated by the process. I felt research was more about white lab coats and clinical settings than the actual people and processes. I found support from my classmates on the discussion board helpful to work through these feelings. It was helpful to read about the passions of each classmate. We all want what is best for children, but may have a different way of getting there.
I attend meetings in Harrisburg and listen to the "big" people in the "big" offices talk about changes that are coming down the pike. More often than not, there is a mention about data and how they LOVE data. In the past, I cringed when I heard them make these comments. I now understand why the data is important and how it drives change. I also feel that I can look at their results with a more open mind and understand their process which has reinstated my support for the field. I had become jaded for a period of time and felt our children were just numbers on a report. I do still feel that we have lost the personal touch in the process, but understand the necessity of the research and securing funding for quality improvement.
