Teacher conducted action research – UGC NET Question

Action research is carried out by practitioners such as teachers to solve immediate problems and improve their own practice. It typically involves cycles of planning, acting, observing and reflecting within a specific context, like a particular class. The results are context-bound but highly relevant for local decision-making. Therefore, teacher-led inquiry aimed at improving instruction in a specific classroom is best described as action research.

Option A:
Basic research is conducted primarily to develop theory and expand general knowledge, often without direct concern for immediate practical problems in a single classroom. It is usually more abstract and less context-specific than the situation described.

Option B:
Action research empowers teachers to systematically try new strategies, collect evidence about their effectiveness and adjust their practice accordingly. It integrates reflection with empirical data collection, making it suitable for addressing classroom difficulties. Because the stem highlights improvement of instructional practices by a teacher, this option is correct.

Option C:
Historical research focuses on events and developments in the past using documents and archival sources. It does not primarily aim to improve current teaching practice in a specific classroom setting.

Option D:
Descriptive research seeks to portray the characteristics of a population or phenomenon as it currently exists but may not necessarily involve cycles of intervention and reflection by the practitioner. Thus, it does not fully match the form of inquiry mentioned.