DEFINITION:
studious inquiry or examination; especially : investigation or experimentation aimed at the discovery and interpretation of facts, revision of accepted theories or laws in the light of new facts, or practical application of such new or revised theories or laws.
FUNCTIONS OF RESEARCH:
1. It obtains the scientist knowledge about all educational problems. It also helps in obtaining specific knowledge about the subjects involved in the study.
2. In action research, the researchers are teachers, curriculum workers, principals, supervisors or others whose main task is to help, provide good learning experiences for pupils.
3. In it, a person tries to enable him to realise his purposes more effectively. For example: A teacher conducts his teaching more effectively. An administrator, in the education department performs his action to improve his administrative behaviour.
4. Action research is a procedure which tries to keep problem solving in close contact with reality at every stage.
5. In educational system it conduits for the progress of the technique of teaching.
6. It strengthens and emphasizes the work of the teacher.
7. It has a great utility of creating new interest and new confidence in the ability of the individual teacher.
8. Action research provides practical utility. For class-room teacher, he applies his own observations into his class-room practices to make the observed problems solved. Minor problems in the classroom can be solved by applying the teachers' intelligence.
9. Action research brings changes in the teachers. It makes them co-operative and active in facing the situation easily. It also happens to bring about changes in the behaviour, attitude and teaching performance.
10. Planning is the primary criteria in educational research as well action research. To go through the problems much in sight is needed. For solving all these problems the teacher goes on reading references, literatures and also research