In my research experience studying educational quality in K-12 schools and its impact on health, I have learned many important skills and tricks that will aid me in my future career. I have learned to use websites or programs to check my research papers or posters to ensure that my data is available to people of all abilities and or levels of education. I can now understand how my data visualization must be equitable to all people to ensure that my research findings can be available to everyone.
I have been challenged in my role as a research assistant through new tasks that I had never completed in my previous research roles. One example of this would be the completion of a literature review independently. I was expected to complete a large-scale literature review and import the database articles into a program called Covidence. This was a difficult task at first, considering I did not know how to find the necessary articles and use the Covidence program.
My social identity shapes my understanding of our research on educational quality and health because my identity of being a first generation college student coming from a low-income family motivates me to understand the niche pathway of educational inequities and resources. My strong interest in understanding how school quality in regards to student resources and opportunities is ultimately driven by my personal experiences as a young student coming from a less fortunate situation.
Overall my research experience has provided me with a large amount of insight into the world of research as a career. I have learned a lot about my mentor and truly appreciate their help with my work and career aspirations. I look forward to continuing the project to better understand the full-text review process and creation of a manuscript.