b.ed assignment

1. Assignment 1 (Fall 2021) Critical Thinking and Reflective Practices (EDU 406)
Q.1
How action research is different from applied research? Also explain, why it is conducted
and how it helps instructors in solving the issues of the classroom?
Applied Research
Applied research is a category of research technique that seeks to solve a specific issue or
provide innovative solutions to issues affecting an individual, group or society. It is often
referred to as a scientific technique of inquiry or contractual research because it involves the
practical application of scientific techniques to everyday issues.
When conducting applied research, the investigator takes extra care to identify an issue, develop
a research assumption and goes ahead to test these assumptions via experimentation. In many
cases, this research method employs empirical techniques in order to solve practical issues.
Applied research is sometimes considered to be a non-systematic inquiry because of its direct
method in seeking a solution to an issue. It is typically a follow up research technique that further
investigates the findings of pure or basic research in order to validate these findings and apply
them to create innovative solutions.
Categories of Applied Research
There are 3 categories of applied research. These are evaluation research, research and
development, and action research.
 Evaluation Research
Evaluation research is a category of applied research that analyses existing information about a
research subject to arrive at objective research outcomes or reach informed decisions. This
category of applied research is mostly applied in business contexts, for example, an organization
may adopt evaluation research to determine how to cut down overhead costs.

2.  Research and Development
Research and development is a category of applied research that is focused on emerging new
products and services based on the needs of target markets. It focuses on gathering information
about marketing needs and finding ways to improve on an existing product or create new
products that gratify the identified needs.
 Action Research
Action research is a category of applied research that is set on providing practical solutions to
specific business issues by pointing the business in the right orders. Typically, action research is
a process of reflective inquiry that is limited to specific contexts and situational in nature.
Action Research is a technique of systematic enquiry that instructors undertake as investigators
of their own practice. The start of the process is usually an issue or situation that, as a instructor,
one want to change. One will be supported in turning this 'interesting issue' into a 'researchable
question' and then developing actions to try out. One will draw on the findings of other
investigators to help develop actions and interpret the concerns.
As an action investigator, or instructor investigator, one will generate research. Enquiring into
own practice will inexorably lead one to question the assumptions and values that are often
overlooked during the course of normal school life. Assuming the habit of inquiry can become an
ongoing commitment to learning and developing as a practitioner. As a instructor investigator
one assume the responsibility for being the agent and source of change.
Why instructors conduct Action research?
To improve and develop teaching, research into classrooms is needed. As instructors, we need to
know what is actually happening in our classrooms, what learners are thinking, why learners are
reacting in the ways they do, what aspects of the classroom we should focus on to develop our
teaching most effectively, how we should change in these aspects, and what the effects of such a
change are. It is important to note that more than half of the items in this list concern describing
and understanding the existing classroom situation rather than evaluating the implementation of a

3. new method. If we do not truly understand our classroom situations first, our choices of new
methods to implement are likely to be based on personal fancy and whimsy rather than on what
is most likely to have beneficial effects in the situation.
Given this need for instructors to understand their own classroom situations, it comes as
something of a surprise to realize that most research into classrooms is still conducted by
investigators from outside the classroom situation. A quick trawl through a few recent journals
shows that university investigators are the authors of nearly all of the articles, including those
that investigate school classrooms. (I should be a little careful here as I work at a university but
am advocating action research at all educational levels). The issue with classroom research being
conducted by outside investigators is that classrooms are very complicated specific contexts
replete with their own routines and expectations which are very difficult for outside observers to
understand. Classroom research into surface behaviours, such as the number of questions a
instructor asks in a lesson, can be effectively conducted by outside investigators, but getting a
real understanding of the underlying meaning s and purposes of these behaviours can only be
done by insiders. Since most learners are not in a position to be able to conduct research, this
means that the instructor is the person who should be doing most research into classrooms.
How Action research used as a solution to the issues in Classrooms
All of these issues may make instructors think twice before getting involved in research.
However, these issues apply to research in general rather than action research. In focusing on
action research, we need to shift our perceptions of the nature and purposes of research, and this
shift in our perceptions reduces the importance that can be given to the issues discussed above.
Action research, as we have seen, aims to develop the teaching situation and the instructor
investigator rather than generate new knowledge. As such, reliability and generalisability are not
really issues in action research. Action research aims to generate findings that are useful within a
specific context rather than findings applicable across many different situations. Similarly, the
basis for judging validity in action research is different from that used in research in general. In
general research, validity is measured by the extent to which the research actually investigates
what it is supposed to investigate, and because of this, research technique and data analysis
procedures are crucial. In action research, on the other hand, validity can be measured by the

4. extent to which the research produces findings which are useful in developing the classroom
situation. This shift in perceptions concerning the nature and purposes of research means that
action research, which may not be publishable when judged by the criteria of research in general,
is publishable as action research. However, the number of publications focusing on action
research is limited meaning that publish ability is actually still low.
Publishing an article, however, should not be a instructor's top priority when deciding to conduct
action research. More important is the likely effect that conducting the action research will have
on the classroom situation and the instructor investigator.
Action research for development
In conducting action research, instructors can become emancipated in that they become in
control of the whole process of research and investigation of their own teaching, rather than
being the tool of an outside investigator. Instructors, then, can become more autonomous,
responsible and answerable through action research and so decisions concerning change can be
taken by instructors themselves. One outcome of this is that action research is likely to be
relevant and immediately useful in understanding and developing the specific classroom context
in which it was conducted, and so of benefit to learners. Another outcome is that the research
becomes both an input into and a stimulus for instructor reflection (indeed, instructor reflection
is one of the key tools in conducting action research), and reflection is a necessary component of
personal and professional development. Conducting action research, then, is one key way for us
to develop ourselves as instructors.
As instructors, it is our duty to develop both our teaching and ourselves. Action research can help
us to fulfil these responsibilities. Because of this, conducting action research should not be seen
as something extra that keen instructors can do which goes beyond their usual teaching
responsibilities. Instead, conducting action research should be seen as an integral part of our
responsibilities as professionals dedicated to developing our teaching and ourselves.
Q.2 Why “Reflecting In and On Practice” is considered the popular method for a
instructor as reflective practitioner? Also explain, how a instructor develops professional

5. knowledge and expertise (move from novice to an expert) by applying the Schon model of
reflection?
'Reflection in action' and 'reflection on action'
This reflection method is the work by Schön. He distinguishes between reflection on action and
reflection in action.
Reflection in action is reflection during the ‘doing’ stage (that is, reflecting on the incident
while it can still benefit the learning). This is carried out during the lesson rather than reflecting
on how one would do things differently in the future. This is an extremely efficient technique of
reflection as it allows one to react and change an event at the time it happens. For example, in the
classroom one may be teaching a topic which one can see the learners are not understanding.
Reflection in action allows understanding why this has happened and how to respond to
overcome this situation.
Reflection in action allows to deal with surprising incidents that may happen in a learning
environment. It allows one to be responsible and resourceful, drawing on own knowledge and
allowing one to apply it to new experiences. It also allows for personalized learning as, rather
than using pre conceived ideas about what one should do in a particular situation, one decide
what works best at that time for that unique experience and learner.
Reflection on action, on the other hand, involves reflecting on how practice can be developed
after the lesson has been taught. Schön recognises the importance of reflecting back ‘in order to
discover how our knowing in action may have contributed to an unexpected Reflection on action
means one reflect after the event on how own knowledge of previous teaching may have directed
one to the experience one had.
Reflection on action should encourage ideas on what one need to change for the future. One
carry out reflection on action outside the classroom, where one consider the situation again. This

6. requires deeper thought, for example, as to why the learners did not understand the topic. It
encourages one to consider causes and options, which should be informed by a wider network of
understanding from research.
How can a instructor develop professional knowledge and expertise by applying the Schon
model of reflection?
John Dewey was among the first to write about Reflective Practice with his exploration of
experience, interaction and reflection. Later Schön, followed theories of Dewey. He defines
reflective practice as the practice by which professionals become aware of their implicit
knowledge base and learn from their experience. He sets the issue in the first part of the book in
chapters 1&2 in which he questions the limitation of technical rationality that seems to ignore the
importance of issue setting in issue solving activity, which leads to a crisis of confidence in
professional knowledge.
As a reflective practitioner one will continuously review the learning process to make sure all
learners make maximum progress.
Reflective activities to develop one’s practice can include the following.
Self-questioning
Self-questioning can help to understand the effect and efficiency of teaching.
Experimentation with new ideas
Trying out new techniques or methods in the classroom can create new learning opportunities.
These changes can be as simple as varying a small activity or as exciting as changing whole
method or plan.

7. Discussing with other colleagues
Drawing on support from colleagues will allow cementing understanding and getting involved
with others’ ideas and best practice.
Discussing with learners
Drawing on learner feedback will make sure own reflections are focused on learners. By
reflecting with learners, allow them to play an active part in their learning and gain insight into
what needs to improve to support learner development.
Observations and response
Being observed by colleagues will allow one to gain others’ perspectives into own practice and
provide response and ideas on how to improve.