BP#8:

Often when working with the population that I serve, underserved, under-represented, I subconsciously define or label people according to their situation. Quiet literally, the beginning of my TD speech is "This program is one for students that come from underserved, under-represented and marginalized populations" Why is it ever okay to identify a group that way and why did I never notice how harmful that could be before? Why would any students ever willingly say "Yup, thats me!" Its madness. On that same accord, students tend to think that they have to prove why they are "disadvantaged" enough to be part of the program. In their essays they feel that they have to express all their trauma to be considered.

We've become a society that will label populations by their pain, conduct interviews, gain insight, ask them to explain things that may be traumatic and private, create data and then never go back to actually fixing the problem. Often, we just spread the data, but then what? Who goes back to check on these families? I appreciated this reading because not only did it make me sit and think about things that I have done but also point me in a better direction through desire-based framework. I will use this to recruit and review applications with a different mentality. 

BP #7:

I loved reading this article, it made me think about the work I do through a different lens. So often we tend to go through the motions of routine, regulations and policies in youth work that we forget whats really important. That some of the most important moments aren't ones that would be reflected in traditional data. What stood out to me was the section of grading a teacher, and it made me angry. Often times we are bound to what we can do based off of departments, chairs and have our hands tied. There is only so much a teacher can do yet will get rated on it as if thats what they wanted in the first place. I think about how I am reviewed based on what I bring to the table and how our academic year turned out. Many times outside factors aren't taken into account and we are made to internalize it like we are to blame and not the system.

Working in admissions- specifically admissions that is for a special program theres a lo that is done that can't be measured. Often I find myself frustrated with the numbers and the data of my work because I don't think it accurately represents my students. They are so much more than their grades, there test scores, what their college essays say. Because of this, I tend to look at students for who they are and try to get more information out of them about who they really are. Thats what I want to know, not that they got a B in a math class that the teacher may not have taught well. I try to get to know them during recruitment season, what are their goals, their dreams, how can I support them in reaching them? What do you want to do after graduation? How can we get there? Can I connect you to academic or emotional resources at the University so that you're being supported while you're there? Thats what really matters, not the grades they received at 15 years old.

BP #9

 My project will be rooted in my experience as a first generation person in this country and as a mother. I will be researching what its like to raise a bilingual person in a country where English is most commonly spoken. What challenges do folks run into? I know for me its that all the toys, books, games, shows, lullabies that are common are all in English. My daughter is only spoken to in Spanish, in an attempt to help keep the native language alive. What does data show about that? Are there complications that can arise? Is this better for them in terms of grasping the native language because they will learn english any way? 

I'm taking this opportunity to learn and explore this area. I would like to observe bilingual families and their interactions. Do children tend to favor one language? Do they constantly flip between the two? Do emotions make one language come out to convey expression? Is there a power dynamic when one speaks a language that the other doesn't? Does it switch? 

In the end, I would like to put all of my data and present it and create children's book that can be read to children all over. Incorporating multiple languages so that all kids feel seen, heard, and connected. I'd like this book to encourage parents to teach their kids multiple languages and to keep native tongues, dialects and writings alive for generations to come.

BP #6: Reflection

 With so many directions that you can take a capstone project its hard to navigate what you want to focus on. We've seen so many examples of different projects from years passed and I wonder what their process was like. How did they come up with their topic, what steps did they take, where did they begin? Im starting to feel a bit more comfortable in my project and topic, but it feels like a monster of a project to begin. Sometimes its hard for me to make the bigger picture small, all I see is the huge end result and the steps to get there gets murky. 

This class is a huge help in the process, taking an entire semester to start thinking about our projects and planning steps to make it easier for us in the spring. In my elective class, issues in bilingual education, I'm learning a lot about the bilingual education system in the U.S. I've been able to learn more about this topic and will use a lot of my findings to help my organize my thoughts for my capstone given that it is very similar information. 

One of my classmates gave me the idea of presenting my project in a creative way to showcase the population that I will be focusing on and I'm excited to see how it will be executed. Stay tuned! 

BP # 5: Qualitative vs Quantitative

Do some research about the differences between QUALITATIVE and QUANTITATIVE research.  You can google to find websites, use Google Scholar to find academic articles, or even use ChatGPT or another AI to help you create a chart, visual, or other means to compare and contrast.  What can you learn in an hour or two?

    When discussing research methods, qualitative and quantitative approaches are often presented together, yet they serve distinctly different purposes. Qualitative research centers on understanding experiences, perspectives, and the meaning behind human behavior, while quantitative research focuses on measurable data and objective outcomes. Examining both approaches side by side allows us to see how each contributes to a fuller, more balanced understanding of the topics we study, especially when exploring complex social, educational, or community-based issues.

    Qualitative research is in simpler terms, the opposite of quantitative research. Instead of crunching numbers and running controlled experiments, qualitative research is all about understanding people—their experiences, stories, and the meaning behind what they do. You can’t measure these things with math, and honestly, that’s the whole point. Rather than looking for exact answers or cute little statistics, qualitative research lets you explore. You dig into things like photos, journal entries, videos, conversations. Real moments from real people. It’s less “let’s test this in a lab” and more “let’s listen, observe, and make sense of the world as it actually feels.

    Quantitative research comes at questions from a totally different angle. Instead of digging into the “how” and “why” like qualitative research does, quantitative research is all about the numbers. It gives you clear, measurable answers; things you can chart, calculate, and explain with data.While qualitative researchers might sit with people in their homes or out in the community, quantitative research usually happens in a more controlled setting. The focus isn’t on personal stories or context; it’s on getting objective information. Think of it like figuring out the best time to schedule a medical procedure, not based on vibes or experiences, but on hard data.

    Both qualitative and quantitative studies rely on strong quality standards, but the way each type of research approaches a topic looks very different. Quantitative studies usually follow a more structured design, testing relationships between variables and often drawing from larger, randomly selected samples. Qualitative studies, on the other hand, tend to work with smaller, more focused groups; sometimes convenience samples, and use flexible, open-ended designs that allow researchers to explore experiences, perspectives, and deeper meaning.

Examples of Qualitative Research Questions:

• How do patients experience the process of recovering from surgery?

• Why do some employees feel more motivated in remote work environments?

• What cultural factors shape dietary habits among teenagers?

Examples of Quantitative Research Questions:

• What is the average recovery time for patients after surgery?

• How does remote work impact employee productivity levels?

• What percentage of teenagers follow recommended dietary guidelines?

Where do I begin?

When thinking about my research project I feel like I'm all over the place. Based on all of the capstone project ideas that I've seen I've come to the conclusion that I can take this quite literally anywhere. This project can be about anything and I can choose to take it many different directions. I've noticed that many students have taken creative approaches to their project and added their own personal touches.

I feel like my stress is coming from deciding on a topic. Theres so many things that interest me- I can take the route I've taken in the past year of this program and tie everything back to my current job in higher education. But- I've come to the realization that I'm not sure how much I feel like I could really go in depth with that and enjoy it or if its just something Im comfortable with and have prior knowledge and a connection with it. OR I can do something completely different and base my capstone project on something that I am passionate about.

Ideally- I'd love to choose a topic that I would like to take something from. Going in completely blind- well not completely blind- but being able to actually learn. I would like to challenge myself here. All this to say I have no idea where I'm starting, unlike my peers, this has only made me more stressed and not eased my anxiety at all. I think I'm too indecisive for this...

With that said, I think that I would like to talk about the experience of being first generation in the United States, I could go the academic route and maybe talk about how it affects education or I can research it on a more personal/emotional way of moving to a new country. Though I was born here, many of my family members were not so I could interview them and see how moving to the US at various ages can affect development or how it can make you feel isolated, not knowing how to define your identity. 

Thats all for now, stay tuned to see what I pick! 

Research Pizza

When reading Clemon's article "Journey to Praxis: Supporting Youth Activism" I learned a lot not only about her research but her approach to research. Below I have created a "Research Pizza" as a way to analyze her approach. 

Research pizza 

Crust (arguably the best part of the pizza): Type of Research

* Clemons used a Qualitative study, as the "crust" of the pizza, this sets the tone for the type of research that you will be reviewing 

Sauce: Ideology 

* Critical Theory 

Toppings: Tools 

* Interviews with 9 youth workers 

* Analysis

* Observations

* Sampling

Utensils, How is it served?: Analysis 

*  Tables, cross analysis, data 

Box: How is it delivered? 

* Peer reviewed research article