What term refers to classroom-based research conducted by teachers to address their own local teaching questions?

• A. Action research
• B. Case study
• C. Ethnography
• D. Experimental study

Answer: (A)

In action research, teachers engage in classroom-based inquiry to solve their own teaching questions by repeating a cycle of planning, acting, observing, and reflecting. This approach is practical and directly tied to improving how things work in the teacher’s own classroom, often focusing on concrete problems like student engagement, classroom routines, or instructional strategies. The goal is to generate actionable insights that can be tested, adjusted, and repeated to foster real improvement in teaching and learning.

This differs from a case study, which is an in-depth look at a particular person or case rather than a cycle of practical changes in one’s own teaching. Ethnography involves immersive study of cultures and social groups over time, not focused on immediate classroom improvement. An experimental study uses controlled manipulation and often random assignment to test causal effects, typically in more formal research settings rather than the day-to-day classroom environment.