Reflection on action teaching practice – UGC NET Question

Reflection-on-action, a term associated with Donald Schön, refers to the process of thoughtfully reviewing one’s professional practice after it has occurred. Teachers analyse what happened in their classrooms, why it happened and how it could be improved. This reflective analysis leads to better planning and informed changes in future teaching. Consequently, the process described in the stem is called reflection-on-action.

Option A:
Indoctrination involves imposing a set of beliefs on learners without encouraging critical examination or alternative perspectives. It is about influencing students’ thinking, not about teachers analysing their own practice. Therefore, it does not match the self-analytic process described in the question.

Option B:
Reflection-on-action occurs when teachers look back at their lessons, identify successes and difficulties and consider alternative strategies. This systematic thinking about past action helps build professional expertise. Since the stem refers to analysing teaching experiences to improve future practice, this option correctly labels the process.

Option C:
Conditioning refers to behaviourist processes in which responses are shaped by reinforcement or association. It concerns how learners acquire behaviours rather than how teachers evaluate their own actions. As such, it is unrelated to the reflective process mentioned.

Option D:
Rote rehearsal means repeating information to keep it in short-term memory or to memorise it. It is a cognitive strategy for learners, not a professional development strategy for teachers. Hence, it does not fit the description in the stem.