Thinking like a researcher means having to solve problems. The first step in conducting research has been to come up with a research question that should be studied. In past “research opportunities” the research question was provided. This research experience was different because in this experience the program was predetermined, but the research question and the methods to evaluate the question were all self-selected. In the past most research was conducted in one or more sittings rather than being a dedicated long-term project. I believe that academic research is now more of a project than it is an assignment. Previously challenges for research assignments and unavailable literature meant that the assignment was faulty and should be changed for another. But now with a research project that has value in its goals; academic research does not have to stop when it faces challenges.
Parental involvement was a topic that had challenges and benefits to it. One challenge was that it was a relatively new field of research within education and sociology, that there is still so much left to learn and discover. A benefit of parental involvement as a research topic is that finding ways to increase children’s academic success is a valuable goal to be attained. Academic research that matters is inherently beneficial in that even in this case where the quantitative results were not largely generalizable for a larger population the qualitative data gathered can serve a purpose. Ultimately confirming previous literature or one’s own theories matters less when the data gathered can still serve a purpose for the sample population. Another challenge in conducting this research was finding enough sources for a literature review. I tried to apply all of the ones that were relevant to the research that would be conducted but in the future it would be better if more literature became available. Overcoming this challenge was the same for the pioneers of studying parental involvement in that one should just earnestly record their findings and try and have as accurate and generalizable findings for the benefits of future studies. Another particular challenge was the low response rate for the surveys sent to the sample population. This was not overcome as much as it was noted for its negative impacts on accuracy of findings and generalizability of the study.
Overall, my attitude towards research is much different than it was before this study. Having an important topic that can help people if valid results are found helps to motivate researching and pushing through challenges. Thinking like a researcher means to solve problems. When the Covid-19 pandemic gave obstacles in survey response thinking like a researcher lead to patience and flexibility with timelines. When certain responses were unclear or left blank, then thinking like a researcher meant deducing what was the most faithful response to what had been intended. All in all, research is about learning about problems, and thinking like a researcher is about solving problems. This study had its challenges and problems but thinking like a researcher led to finding solutions.