More Help And Advice Please.

[beth1]

I know this is more a Foundation Degree issue but I feel that has this area is more for members only it is more approipated.

 

So in terms of work I have been empolyed, unemployed, employed (but treated awful) now I need a placement to complete my studies but working on supply at the same time. I feel that this acdeimic year has gone pear shaped, apart from going back into guiding again after 18 years.

 

Spoke to my old placement teacher today who said I could have a placement if I needed one but now shes leaving I can't go there. I cant seem to get hold of the placement officer for my early years to arrange a placement (which could take weeks).

 

Now I don't know what to do next, I have about (including this week)11 weeks left to complete my disseration therefore need to get the data for it as soon as possible. I am thinking the quickest way is to write to a local primary school or 2 to ask to complete my disseration.

 

Please can someone help me in terms of whats best to say to gain a placement school for a few weeks, I need at least 6 -10 observations to be carried out and an interview the practitioner/teacher to their views in reading just so I can get this dssertation done?

 

TIA

[Guest]

Might seem a bit odd - but are there any guiders in your area that are teachers.

 

I know we always had quite a few (maybe ask your division commissioner) as she will probably know what everyone does.

 

I find its often who you know - and guiders are great for looking after each other. They always know someone who can

 

Good luck

[Guest]

What would be involved for the setting beth and what kind of setting are you needing?

[beth1]

What would be involved for the setting beth and what kind of setting are you needing?

 

I never even thought of adding that information.

 

Background, I am in the process of slightly changing my plans has it was based in a speicfic preschool mainly for children 2 - 3.11 years olds and not just genralised. I am also waiting to see my research tutor next Friday to help me change the disseration proposal. It has been suggested that a nursery class/reception class/foundation stage unit would be more suititable.

 

My orginal plan was to improve reading time with the children in the setting I was in. This was being done by watching the practitoner reading at different times of day a couple of time and a short interview with the practitioner on their views in reading. Has you can tell that I have very little understanding of triangulation methods and was only told about it the week before I had to hand in the dissertation proposal. I do have a good but but didn't realised that triangulation was ment to go in a disseration proposal too.

 

Hence waiting to see my research tutor to adapt this plan to a new setting. At this time, it would be better for me to find a new voluntary setting for a few weeks so I can complete this new plan to gain the data. College are happy with me being there 1 day per week for until I complete college, I still need to work on supply but otherwise I am not sure if a short 'block' time period would be better in order to get the necessary data?

 

 

 

Tess - I have guiders who work in a varitey of jobs not just schools. Brown Owl works in a school but thinks that there are too many students in there at the moment. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

 

Beth

Edited March 14, 2009 by beth1

[Guest]

I'm still not clear what you would require if you were to come to our setting

[beth1]

I'm still not clear what you would require if you were to come to our setting

 

Errrmmmmm you and me both until I see my tutor on Friday has my current proposal needs sorting out. I think my research is far too broad and I need help narrowing it down and clear triangulation. Errr second thoughts maybe an email to them may help me has the feedback sheet given is unclear.

 

 

Beth

[HappyMaz]

Errrmmmmm you and me both until I see my tutor on Friday has my current proposal needs sorting out.

Well once you have that clear then you can begin to approach settings who might be willing to help you.

 

This sounds like an awful lot of pressure to me though - are you otherwise up to date with your studies? I wonder whether it might be worth considering deferring or requesting an extension to allow you to build up a good relationship with the placement before starting your research.

 

Good luck Beth

 

Maz

[Gezabel]

Hi Beth

I agree with Maz that it sounds like an awful lot of pressure. Perhaps if you could give us some details of your dissertation requirements we could help with your proposal?

 

I think there are two issues, one to be clear about what you are proposing to do in terms of research and to find a placement where you will be able to carry it out.

 

If it were me I would concentrate on the proposal first. Once this is done you will have a clear idea of what you need to do and can then contact settings explaining clearly why you would like a placement. Maz raises a valid point about building up a relationship with the setting first - to go into any setting and start carrying out research is not easy for anyone involved especially you.

 

As for including triangulation in your proposal, my understanding is that this would come under your proposals to analayse your research findings. You need a minimum of three methods to be able to triangulate data, you already have two (observing practitioner and interviewing them) perhaps you could add some views of children/parents. Then when you analyse your findings hopefully you will find some similarities and that gives you your triangulation which effectively strenthens your research as you have used more than one approach.

 

If your original plan was to 'improve reading time' in the setting you were in I guess this is not possible if you are no longer there.

 

Later this year I will be doing my final research proposal for my BA (Hons) and I have a choice of four topics I wonder if you have a 'list to choose from' or whether you have free rein and chose reading because it is of particular interest to you and because you felt it needing improving in your last setting?

 

I agree with Maz (again!) that deferral or an extension may be an option. Is this 'all' you have left to do for you foundation degree?

 

If I understand you correctly you are seeing your tutor next Friday to discuss your proposal and with a total of 11 weeks time is not really on your side. Is is possible to see her any earlier?

 

At the moment if you found a placement tomorrow you wouldn't be able to tell them about your proposed research in detail - if I was letting someone into my preschool for such purposes I would want to know exactly what they needed to do. Of course there is the question of ethics and permissions from your research participants.

 

I think once you are clear about your proposal things will seem clearer and you will be able to move forward with finding an appropriate, supportive placement.

 

I wish you every possible success with it all and I am sure I am not alone in offering my support in any way I can.

Just remember you are nearly there and you can do it

[beth1]

Right here goes, this is a little long sorry but gives you a general overview of what fun I have had with this module.

 

We have had 2 different tutors for this module first tutor sent most students down eather doing a replication i.e. conservation of number or reading. For the reading they suggested that we did a couple of observations based around one book. I went down this track. Then they left college. The proposal was a errrrmm more like a brief of what we are planning on reasearching (I think Maz would agree, has see saw what I did). I never had mine marked.

 

Then a few weeks ago (start of semester 2) we started with new tutors and extentions to hand in the prospoal after half term and the whole disseration in June 09. I missed the first week back due to illness but got the things a week or two later from that lecture. Now the way we had to do the propsoal was slightly different format but basicly take the old one and make it 'new'. Literally the week before we had to hand it in the words Triangulation was mention and to look in books. Ok so I did that but oboviously I have totally missunderstood what it ment therefore messing up my methogology.

 

A couple of weeks ago we got a feedback sheet about the research proposals. Now most people have only done 2 types of triangulation and not 3. This was sufficent for reading giving us suggestions of what should be done next before commencing the research. Then Friday we got feedback of our own research proposals. Mine was set around the setting I worked in but have now left, plus my lack of understanding in terms of methodolgy has left me confused. Now this is where it get complicated. My understanding of triangulation was to carry out just 2 observations at different times of days with one book and interview the practitoner gaining their views on shared reading with children. This is not the case, although the proposal has been marked and passed.

 

So I now need to find out what sort of things need changing, I cannot see them until Friday at the earilest I am going to email them once I have made these changes to make sure that they are fine. I am now thinking that I should observe a practitoner and a small group of children reading a range of stories thinking 3/4 books to choose from, interview the practitioner to their views on shared reading (still need to find suitable book to help me with this bit, haven't found anything in the college libary thats 'in stock') and maybe then to triangulate the data carry out child 'interviews' as suggested.

 

I don't think I can get an extention has there aready has been given one, nor do I want to defer this year, has I am about to apply for the top up course starting in September. I know a couple of people that had issues last year (yes this sort of thing has happend 2 years running) and had until last December to complete it.

 

Beth

[Gezabel]

HI Beth

 

Just wondering if this book may be of any use to you?

 

 

Doing your early years research project by Guy Robert Holmes

 

Here is a ling to the site where you can preview it

 

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=hyN90Jb...search#PPA40,M1

 

Hopefully things will be a little clearer when you know 'where you are going' with your research and then fingers crossed for you getting a placement in a setting.

 

I guess there is no harm in writing to local settings now - you could give them the gist of why you need a placement and can fill them in with the nitty gritty of your research details when you go to see them.

 

Good luck

[beth1]

Yes I have this book which I used to do my proposal with. Now I am trying to find books to help me with my interview questions section, college libary is not very good at having lots of books in stock. Also had a slight change of plan, now thinking of observations on shared reading, practitoiner inteview, and then to triangulate my data with previous theorists - Austin and Baker 2 different methods of shared reading.

 

Beth

 

HI Beth

 

Just wondering if this book may be of any use to you?

 

 

Doing your early years research project by Guy Robert Holmes

 

Here is a ling to the site where you can preview it

 

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=hyN90Jb...search#PPA40,M1

 

Hopefully things will be a little clearer when you know 'where you are going' with your research and then fingers crossed for you getting a placement in a setting.

 

I guess there is no harm in writing to local settings now - you could give them the gist of why you need a placement and can fill them in with the nitty gritty of your research details when you go to see them.

 

Good luck

[HappyMaz]

Also had a slight change of plan, now thinking of observations on shared reading, practitoiner inteview, and then to triangulate my data with previous theorists - Austin and Baker 2 different methods of shared reading.

I may be misunderstanding what you mean Beth, but I don't think you can use the work of other researchers to triangulate your data. You need to consider what other theorists say in your literature review because that sets the scene for your own research, and then once you've completed your research, you'll need to say whether your data agrees or disagrees with the literature.

 

Would it be helpful for us here if you were to tell us what your research question is? You say you are looking at improving reading time but as you also said, this is a very wide subject. You could look at practitioner confidence, children's recall of the story (wasn't this part of your original proposal?), use of props etc. I am also not sure whether you mean reading as in children who are already readers, or reading stories to children. Does shared reading mean children reading the same book at the same time as the teacher/practitioner?

 

However, I must say Beth that if you are thinking of doing research on reading which involves observation, then you will need a good relationship with whichever practitioner you are observing. Most of us feel uncomfortable being observed, no matter how confident or experienced we are - you only have to look at the posts on here from teachers who are about to be observed to understand how stressful people find it. I'm not sure how you will be able to build this relationship with someone new - unless you have a friend who works in early years whose setting would be prepared to allow you in to observe her story sessions.

 

As far as your interview questions are concerned, you need to think about what you want to know and then go from there. The text books will help you decide how to measure your data (such as whether to use yes/no questions, likert scales etc). But first and foremost, you need to know what you want to find out. This in turn will depend on what your research question is.

 

Its a shame you can't speak to anyone before Friday - can you get email support before then?

 

Maz

[beth1]

Its a shame you can't speak to anyone before Friday - can you get email support before then?

 

Maz

 

 

I have tried emailing for support, not really got an answer from them just to see them on Friday.

 

Now just sooo tempted to walk out a few weeks before I am due to complete this course. I have 2 other assignments to complete by then (one has not been handed out yet).

 

 

Beth

[Gezabel]

I have tried emailing for support, not really got an answer from them just to see them on Friday.

 

Now just sooo tempted to walk out a few weeks before I am due to complete this course. I have 2 other assignments to complete by then (one has not been handed out yet).

 

 

Beth

 

Sorry to hear you don't seem to be getting much support from college Beth

 

I can understand the temptation to walk away but it would be such a shame after all the work you have put in so far.

 

If there are 2 assignments to complete would it be an idea to start getting on with the one you have details of? Maybe this is an idea until you can sort out more in relation to your research when you see your tutor on Friday.

Once you have your research sorted out you will be focusing on trying to find a placement and carrying out the research so if it were me I would try and get an assignment out of the way whilst waiting?

 

Good luck

[beth1]

Thanks, thats my plan of action to just get the assignment out of the way then its less pressure at the end of it.

 

 

Beth

[Guest]

Hello Beth,

 

Sorry to hear of your situation. As this situation has happened two years running and you are one of many, how do others feel? Although our situation was slightly different when I was at Uni, our whole group got together to complain to our course leader about the inconsistency of marking by one of our new tutors (as well as being given very little support too), we were able to have our assignments remarked. If you do have a personal tutor, have you mentioned this to them? I really do think you have cause for making a complaint to your Uni. What about requesting a meeting with the course leader or failing that the person who is responsible for the faculty/department? Leaving you with little time to complete a dissretation and then not being available between weekly meetings is not fair at all. It really is in their interests to support you to enable you to complete the course you signed up to - have you a student/uni agreement you could wave at them?

 

As Geraldine says, if you can't get support until Friday, focus on the assignment you have been given so far. Aim to complete as much of that as you can and then focus on your dissertation.

 

Good luck

Edited March 16, 2009 by Guest

[Gezabel]

HI Beth

Just realised it's Friday!

Hope it all goes well at college today and you can see a way forward with your research

Fingers crossed that your tutors give you the support you need and things will all seem a bit clearer

Edited March 20, 2009 by Geraldine

[beth1]

Thanks Geraldine, wondered where this topic went to.

 

Anyway I had my tutorial. They have thought about whats do able in the time left. We had a chat about creativity in the early years, then suggested that I go and look futher into this path, 'as I seem to have an interest in this area'. So now instead of observations on reading, now they would like me to write 50 questions for a 3 page questionaire and an interview situation on creativity. Then to go back with these questions then do the next step.

 

So its going to be very busy time in the next few weeks.

 

 

Beth

[HappyMaz]

So now instead of observations on reading, now they would like me to write 50 questions for a 3 page questionaire and an interview situation on creativity. Then to go back with these questions then do the next step.

Who will fill in the questionnaires and who will you interview Beth? Will you need to be in a setting to do this research or can you do it without working in a setting?

 

Also, 50 questions sounds a lot for three pages!

[Gezabel]

Crikey Beth it's all change isn't it!

 

Do you have a date for your dissertation to be handed in and do you know the requirements for your other assignment? (the one you said you had not been given details for)

 

You certainly have a lot of work to do in a short period of time and I wish you every success with it.

'Creativity' is a fairly large area but I wonder why they stipulate how many questions you must have and I don't know that I could get 50 good, relevant questions on three pages

 

Hope the tutorial helped and you have a clearer idea of where you are going with it all

[beth1]

Who will fill in the questionnaires and who will you interview Beth? Will you need to be in a setting to do this research or can you do it without working in a setting?

 

Also, 50 questions sounds a lot for three pages!

 

No setting hence the change of plan. Ment to be asking people on my course for interviews and questionairees!

 

 

Beth

[beth1]

Thats it I quit!

 

I am sooo overwelmed by what needs doing for the disseration that I think I will quit college (havent told anyone anything yet). Whats the point I may have well have not gone back in September 08! Plus I still have 2 assigment to complete on top the disseration all by May/June.

 

 

Beth

Edited March 24, 2009 by beth1

[Gezabel]

HI Beth

Sorry to hear you are going to quit

May I make a suggestion?

When you say 2 assignments and a dissertation by May/June that equals 'Arghhhhhhhh ! thoughts'

It all seems so overwhelming you feel unable to complete it and the answer is to quit.

 

Have you thought of taking it a step at a time? take one assignment and just focus on that and then move on to the next one.

 

If you are not working at the moment I guess you have a fair amount of time available for study perhaps making yourself some sort of study timetable might be an idea?

 

I just hope that for your sake you are making an informed decision as opposed to a spur of the moment one.

If you are sure it is the right thing for you to quit now then I wish you the very best of luck in whatever you decide to do

 

I have to say though Beth, from what I have read on here it doesn't seem that the college have been very supportive, is it not worth talking things through with them??

Edited March 24, 2009 by Geraldine

[beth1]

Thanks Geraldine

 

I can do one of the 2500 word assigment my plan is to spend tomorrow and Thursday working on it.

 

The second 2500 word assigment still havent had the handbook.

 

Its mainly this disseration, I had it all planned out and ready to go after finally settling on what I need to do to complete it. But I had no setting to complete it. So now that meant looking at something from practitioners view points i.e. the 50 questions. Its this thats overwelming me, I just dont know where to start or even how to narrow it down. I really feel like I cant complete this in the time avialable.

 

Oh I have learning disabilities which sometimes without support makes college work hard to complete.

 

 

Beth

[Gezabel]

Perhaps it doesn't all look so daunting after all Beth?

 

For now I would concentrate on getting the assignment out of the way.

 

If you are not getting the help and support you feel you need from the college I think they need to know!

How can you possibly even consider the second assignment when you have no idea what it is about?

 

If it were me I would temporarily 'forget' about the dissertation, The way I see it is this:

you have 3 things in total to do and the dissertation is the biggest and the most time consuming. If you get the assignments out of the way then you can focus fully on the dissertation as it will be 'the only' thing you have left to do,

 

It's a little difficult to really offer support via a forum ( even one as good as this ) have you any college friends that could help? Is there a library at college, or can you go into college on a 'non college day' and work there and hopefully find someone to support you?

 

I just think it would be a shame to give up when you have worked soooo hard for so long. I really wish you the very best of luck and have every faith in you

[beth1]

Well update.

 

Having struggled for a few weeks, I decided to visit the opticitons just incase I needed new glasses. Well guess what, yep I need new glasses for reading I have a prisim in my lenses to 'stablise' the written print on paper. I need to go back to hospital via the doctors (went last Friday) BUT that is 2 MONTHS away i.e. after I have finished college!

 

I am still struggling after a month of completing the first assigment, only 1/2 way through it. So I sent an email last week (sent last Friday) to college, of course I get the out of office reply. They went back yesterday but I have had no reply! grrrrrr. I just feel like giving up and taking the level 4 certificate, not in a good mood at the moment has there is no way I can complete all 3 assigments on deadline time aghhhh.

 

BTW I read back this thread a few weeks ago and realised I needed to visit the opticitions, so one good thing came out of this thread after all!

 

 

Beth

[beth1]

Another wee update.

 

Got a reply back, ermmm looks like I shall fail this year then! Doesn't look hopefully that they will allow mitigating curumstances has I am struggling to collect sufficent evidence.

 

This has really put me off studying for a degree in the future now, maybe I am not ment to have a BA (hons) degree!

 

 

Beth