Trends in Educational Action Research

Trends in Educational Action Research

EDU 671: Fundamentals of Educational Research

In an average family daycare, children can be divers in age and range from infants to elementary age. The many mixed ages creates a level of diversity and challenges that most average same age classrooms do not have.

Areas of Focus

Most educators face diversity in the classroom where children are involved. Today’s classrooms are diverse (IRIS, n.d.). A classroom where all children are close in range and academic skills, you will often find different languages, cultures, socioeconomics and ethnicities are represented. These students also displays an extensive range of physical and academic skills (IRIS, n.d.).

On top of the usual diversity in the classroom, family daycare providers face added challenges frequently. This challenge occurs when caring for a variety of children in different age groups. Early Childhood provider’s goal is to meet the need of each individual child; while thinking of the needs of the group as a whole (NCAC, 2006). Taking care of a diverse group with the added challenge of providing the necessary activities for a mixed age group can be challenging for the caregiver. The different developmental levels in children must be taken under consideration and how it can affect the changing aspects of the group (NCAC, 2006).

Explanation of Problem

A mixed age group can provide challenges in areas of operations: These include offering experiences and activities, environment set up, establishing sessions, reinforcing and maintaining positive relationships (Community, 2004). It is a constant challenge for me when dealing with this on a daily basis working with infants through high schoolers. I hope to find the proper resources and solutions that I can utilize in everyday situations in the daycare setting to battle the challenges that comes with mixed age group children.

I would consider using action research for this particular problem to see if this problem is common and if so, is there an existing solution. I am sure there are many educators that have years of experience that may have experienced the same issue and found a solution that worked for them and it could possibly work for me.

Population

The population will consist of ten children between the ages of 12 months to age 12. Their abilities will range from above average to developmentally delay.

Research Questions