Bandung, 3–5 February 2026 — The SEAMEO Centre for Early Childhood Care Education and Parenting (SEAMEO CECCEP) conducted a Capacity Strengthening Program through Research Methodology as an effort to enhance the understanding and competencies of researchers and practitioners in the fields of early childhood education and parenting.
The program featured the Director of SEAMEO CECCEP, Prof. Vina Adriany, Ph.D, the Deputy Director for Programme, Widodo Suhartoyo, M.Sc, and the Deputy Director for Administration, Suhendri, Ph.D, as resource persons. The sessions were carried out over three days, from Tuesday to Thursday. On Tuesday, 3 February 2026, the session was delivered by Prof. Vina Adriany, Ph.D. In her presentation, she emphasized that research is not merely aimed at seeking a single truth, but at understanding social realities in a more contextual manner. The post-positivist paradigm views knowledge as open to critique, shaped by context, and constructed through interaction between the researcher and the research subject. She also explained that qualitative and quantitative approaches are not contradictory, but rather complementary in generating a more comprehensive understanding, particularly in social research and early childhood education.
On Wednesday, 4 February 2026, the Capacity Strengthening Program through Research Methodology continued with two sessions. The first session was delivered by the Deputy Director for Administration of SEAMEO CECCEP, Suhendri, Ph.D, who discussed the topic “Quantitative Research Methodology: Complicated or Efficient?”. In his presentation, he explained that quantitative research requires scientific skepticism, namely an attitude of not easily accepting data or research findings without a clear process of verification. According to him, research can begin in a simple manner by identifying gaps from existing phenomena or previous studies. He emphasized that quantitative research is grounded in the philosophy of positivism and is applied to specific populations or samples using measurable research instruments and statistical analysis to test hypotheses. Quantitative research is particularly appropriate when research problems are clearly defined, involve large populations, and aim to test existing theories.
The second session was continued by Prof. Vina Adriany, who explained that research involving children must position children as subjects with voices, agency, and meaningful experiences, rather than merely as objects of research. Therefore, creative and participatory approaches such as drawing, storytelling, play-based methods, photovoice, and arts-based methods are essential to bridge the limitations of verbal expression among young children. Prof. Vina emphasized that research with children must uphold ethical principles, including informed consent, privacy protection, cultural sensitivity, and awareness of power relations between adults and children. Through participatory methods and triangulation, research is expected to capture children’s experiences in a more authentic, rich, and contextual manner, ensuring that the results are not only academically valid but also contribute to policies and practices in early childhood education that are more inclusive and child-centered.
On Thursday, 5 February 2026, a presentation session was delivered by Widodo Suhartoyo. In his presentation, he highlighted the importance of effective strategies for communicating research findings to decision-makers by emphasizing an understanding of audience characteristics, aligning research messages with policy needs, presenting information in a concise and visual manner, and formulating actionable recommendations (actionable insights). The material was delivered through the framework of The Hook, The Evidence, The Payoff, and The Call to Action, providing participants with practical reinforcement and understanding on how to communicate research findings in ways that are more relevant and impactful for decision-making processes.
After the completion of all presentation sessions, the program continued with a highly interactive discussion session, during which participants actively asked questions, shared experiences, and discussed the application of research methodologies in real-world contexts. The program was then concluded with group-based training designed as a future collaborative practice space, aimed at enabling participants to engage more participatively and interactively in designing, understanding, and applying research methods in a collaborative manner.
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