Critical Thinking and Reflective Practices (EDU406)s

Assignment 1 (Fall 2021)

Total Marks: 20
Topics: 01 - 36
1. How action research is different from applied research? Also explain, why it is
conducted and how it helps teachers in solving the problems of the classroom?

The purpose of applied research is to come up with practical solutions to a particular problem or

situation. When it comes to doing research, it is all about identifying and solving difficulties in

the field of study or research subject under consideration. The applied research design is often

used in combination with pure or basic research in order to validate and apply the findings of a

prior study.

Action research in schools refers to a broad range of evaluative, investigative, and analytical

research approaches that are used to identify issues or weaknesses in schools, whether they are

organizational, academic, or instructional in nature, and to assist educators in developing

practical solutions to these issues and weaknesses as quickly and effectively as possible.

Additionally, action research may be utilized to learn more about and improve educational

programs and practices that are not inherently flawed. The use of an iterative learning process

that may be repeated over and over again in order to reach ever-increasing levels of achievement

may be beneficial to schools, teachers, and programs alike.

Due to the fact that the process is often preset and repeats itself over time, you may conceive of

action research as a continuous cycle of action or inquiry. An example of how this works that is

simple to grasp is as follows:

 The issue to be researched has to be identified

 Gather information about the situation.

  Make sense of the information you have gathered by organizing and analyzing it

 Create a strategy to deal with the issue

 Put the strategy into action.

 Evaluate the outcomes of your activities.

 Discover a new issue

 Repeat the same steps.

Action research is at the polar opposite end of the spectrum from traditional

research studies, such as those conducted by universities and published in peer-reviewed

scholarly journals. Rather than being carried out by independent, impartial observers from

outside organizations, action research is typically carried out by educators working in the district

or school being studied—the participants. The nature of action research methods is less formal,

prescriptive, and theory-driven than traditional research methods. Instead of producing

independently validated and reproducible findings that others outside of the study context can

use to guide their future actions or inform the design of their academic programs, action research

methods are less formal, prescriptive, and theory-driven. While action research is intended to

address practical problems in a specific school or classroom, it is not intended to produce

independently validated and reproducible findings that others outside of the study context can

use to guide their future actions or inform the design of their academic programs. Action

research is typically focused on a specific problem (such as high rates of student absenteeism) or

answering a specific question (such as why are so many of our ninth graders failing math), but it

can also make significant contributions to the larger body of knowledge and understanding in the

field of education, particularly within a relatively closed system such as a school district or

network of connected organizations.

2. Why “Reflecting In and On Practice” is considered the popular approach for a

teacher as reflective practitioner? Also explain, how a teacher develops professional

knowledge and expertise (move from novice to an expert) by applying the Schon

model of reflection?

It is necessary for teachers to reflect on their own practice and learn from it in order to

provide a better service to their pupils. Brookfield summarizes the advantages of reflective

practice for teachers in the following manner:

 The ability to justify and explain their acts to others and use them as a guide for

future actions is a major benefit of using this tool.

 It gives educators the flexibility to adapt to changing conditions.

 In this way, instructors are able to become more self-aware of the assumptions and

ideas that underlie their approach to teaching and learning.

 A favorable learning environment may be created with the aid of this tool.

 It gives educators the opportunity to actively build a toolkit of useful and context-

specific teaching methods.

 Teaching in the perspective of the larger institutional, social, and political setting is

made easier when instructors are able to see how a variety of circumstances affect

student learning.

Schon's understanding of what it meant to be an artist was centered on the concept of

reflection-in-action. With this, he drew a contrast between the technical rationality of

positivist philosophers and his own. According to Schon, technical reasoning was insufficient

to overcome the teachers' concern about the balance between rigor and relevancy. In Schon's
opinion, educators are expected to do more than just follow preset procedures. Teachers who

can rely on their practical experience as well as their academic knowledge are essential for

students who are improvising and thinking on their feet. Teachers employ their intuition and

creativity to great advantage in their classrooms. Teachers may use reflection-in-action and

reflection-on-action to examine, adjust, and expand their knowledge in the classroom.s