UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

Action research is conducted by practitioners, such as teachers, who investigate their own practice in order to improve it. It involves identifying a problem, planning an intervention, collecting data and reflecting on the outcomes. The focus is local and practical rather than on building generalizable theory. Thus, when a teacher studies their own classroom to solve an immediate problem, they are engaging in action research.

Option A:
Basic research aims at generating new theoretical knowledge without immediate concern for solving local practical problems. It is often carried out by professional researchers rather than classroom teachers. Consequently, it does not correspond to the classroom-based, problem-focused inquiry described in the stem.

Option B:
Action research is cyclical and participatory, allowing teachers to adjust their strategies based on evidence from their own settings. The emphasis is on improving practice and student outcomes in a specific context. Because the stem stresses systematic study of one’s own classroom for improvement, this option correctly identifies the type of research.

Option C:
Historical research examines past events and developments using documents, records and other sources. It does not involve intervening in current classroom situations to solve immediate problems. Therefore, it is unrelated to the scenario described in the question.

Option D:
Ex post facto research investigates relationships between variables after the events have already occurred, without manipulation by the researcher. While it can be used in education, it is not inherently tied to teachers’ ongoing efforts to change their own practice. Hence, it is not the best term for the process in the stem.

Action research is a form of practitioner research carried out by teachers in their own settings. It involves identifying a problem, planning an intervention, implementing it, collecting data and reflecting on the outcomes. The primary motive is to improve local practice and empower teachers as researchers. The description in the question closely matches this cycle.

Option A:
This option refers to laboratory research, which usually focuses on controlled experiments often removed from natural classroom settings. The goal is to test theories rather than immediately solve practical teaching issues.

Option B:
This option correctly labels the process as action research. It recognizes that the teacher combines action and systematic inquiry to generate context-specific knowledge. Unlike large-scale experimental research, action research is small-scale, collaborative and directly linked to classroom improvement.

Option C:
This option describes summative evaluation of programmes, which assesses overall effectiveness after implementation. It is often conducted by external evaluators and may not involve cycles of intervention and reflection by classroom teachers.

Option D:
This option concerns analysis of educational policies at a system level. While important, it is different from the classroom-based problem-solving orientation described in the question.