Learning Community-An International Journal of Educational and Social Development
Year : 2010, Volume : 1, Issue : 1
First page : ( 58) Last page : ( 62)
Print ISSN : 0976-3201. Online ISSN : 2231-458X.

Culminating Professional Ethics to Reduce ZPD Gaps in Teacher Education

Padhan Ananda¹, Singh Shireesh Pal²

¹School of Education, Lovely Professional University, Punjab Email: anandapadhan@yahoo.com

²Sri Guru Ram Rai(P.G.)College, Dehradun.

Received:  18  February,  2010; Accepted:  10  May,  2010.

Abstract

Teacher education system holds the key responsibility in the making of professionally qualified and competent teachers. An effective teacher must have a positive attitude towards teaching as a profession, and commitment and dedication towards teaching as a function. A profession is a specialized occupation that involves specific orientation and training. Considering the distinct characteristics of a profession, teaching is widely hailed as a profession. The moral implications in teaching profession seek close relationship of teacher preparation in theory to its practice in job set up. However this relationship does not get close to its maximum expected level for various reasons thus exercising a gap. In one context it is revealed as the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) gap. According to Vygotsky ZPD reflects the gap between two levels of achievement of a learner the actual and the potential, which could be reduced by teacher guidance or by peer group interaction. ZPD concept has further been applied in studies reflecting the gap between the theory and practice in academic programs, and between the objectives set and achieved in agencies. The study identifies ZPD gaps of varying degrees in post-graduate teacher education program and identified a significant difference in actual level and potential level of learning of teacher educators in Colleges of Education. It is felt that the sense of professional ethics in educators can play a distinct role in reducing this gap.

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Keywords

Professional Ethics, Zone of Proximal Development, Social Constructivism.

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