Action research on education in Ayurveda

One of great challenges faced by the Ayurveda sector today is education [1e6]. Action research can be used as a tool to bring out practical solutions to combat the problems faced by Ayurveda in teaching and training. Action research in education is interventions made in teaching methods and analysis of whether these methods are making any difference in the students' learning. Today, quantification of the differences observed is easier due to the availability of a variety of measurements to assess classroom performance and student's understanding. The documentation of teaching methods in Ayurveda is as important as clinical documentation. Certain teachers develop outstanding teaching skills in Ayurveda in spite of its completely different epistemology from that of the basic sciences which is the background of most undergraduates. Some ways of teaching which are successful than conventional ways need to be documented. Quoting from the literature, “Action Research is an activity referring to systematic, intentional inquiry by teachers for the purpose of improving their own practice” [11e13] and “Action research studies lead to concrete decisions that improve teaching and learning in particular educational contexts” [7,8]. Action Research involves the following basic 5 steps: