code of professioanal conduct

Code of professional conduct

Explicit rules stated under the wide banner of professional conduct in education are aimed at promoting effective and efficient dissipation of knowledge relevant for a comprehensive reformation of an individual aimed at not only aiding in individual change but for societal changes which the individual is part of. Effective education system encompasses a variety of practices which when put together produce a holistic approach in education. Due to these varieties of approaches, evaluation also requires application of varied approaches that enhance development and maintenance of competence necessary in one’s life while in this profession. Some of these approaches include ability to analyze, reflect on, solve problems, effective decision making and use of personal experiences among others.

The contemporary teaching require vast skills and knowledge that will ultimately enable the  student to be liberated from the chains of ordinary thinking which have hitherto been outdated by the technological advancement. This ensures that they are equipped with the required knowledge that will equip them to advance and adapt to the ever changing environment. It also contributes immensely to solving changes and challenges emanating from such advancement.

 Reflective practice is a learning process taught to professionals from a variety of disciplines by practitioners, with the aim of enhancing abilities to communicate and making informed/balanced decisions. The practice has historically been applied mostly in the educational field. (Boud et.al 1985).when the instructors utilize reflective practices then they can be able to efficiently plan for their actions and effectively monitor their steps to ensure that it is beneficial to the students. The act of reflection is an avenue that can be utilized to promote the development of autonomous, qualified and self-directed professionals. Engaging in reflective practice is associated with quality of care, stimulating professional as well as personal growth. To a greater extent, it closes the gap between theoretical knowledge and practice.

Sylwester (1997, p. 17) agrees that the best teachers know that students learn more readily when they are emotionally involved in learning ". . . because emotion drives attention, which drives learning and memory. It's biologically impossible to learn anything when you're not paying attention." A side effect of professional development, then, is the raising of instructor morale in order to affect student learning in a positive way. "Nothing can make teachers feel better than learning to help students succeed who would have failed!" (Joyce and Showers, 1995, p. 58). Instructors’ excitement also can also infect students thereby further raising student reactions and, hopefully, outcomes. Just as it is stipulated in the professional conduct of education of Florida, a teacher’s primary concern will always be for the interest of the student and their development.

Use of one’s experience is also very crucial in evaluation. This greatly assists in developing and maintaining a high level of professional competency across a practice lifetime. Critical reflection on experience and practices enables one to identify learning needs (Schon 1983; Boud et.al 1985).experience also enables one to understand their beliefs, attitudes and value in the backdrop of those of the professional values and culture. This greatly assists them to detatch whatever they may perceive as truth and the reality. Bias and prejudices are minimized in the process during the process of teaching. Use of one’s experience together with reflection offers an explicit approach to integration. Building integrated knowledge helps to understand and link new with the existing knowledge. Taken together, the capabilities may underlie the development of a professional who is self aware, and therefore able to engage in self monitoring and self regulation (Bandura 1986), a requisite factor in the codes of education professional.

Learning is a complex method that requires use of diverse approaches. An instructor is required to reflect on different versions of teaching and reshaping past and current experiences which lead to improvement in teaching practices. An analysis of different teaching techniques and their effectiveness will greatly assist them in coming up with quality techniques which are student-centered in nature and that can be able to cater for diverse students.

An in-depth analysis of the different techniques and their practicability normally moves teachers from their common knowledge and elevate them to a more skillful level in their careers where they are able to modify their skills and suit the specific contexts and situations.Larrivee asserts that, teachers should “resist establishing a classroom culture of control and become a reflective practitioner, continuously engaging in a critical reflection, consequently remaining fluid in the dynamic environment of the classroom.”

Moreover, reflection in  to a greater extent assists the professionals in making the professional knowledge that they will gain from their experience and that will greatly assist them in sound decision-making. With effective decision making, the risk of habitualisation is minimized and this reduces the chances of the instructor from de-humanizing the students. Instructor should attempt to be critical decision makers especially in dealing with students in class. They should be critical in making decisions especially with regards to dealing with dominant as well as the reluctant participants.

In a nutshell, professionalism in education is crucial in diverse ways. This requires critical evaluation to ensure that the process meets the demands of the individuals especially in the ever changing environment. Application of the different mechanisms of evaluation; problem solving, reflecting on, experiences as well as analysis will ensure that the goals of the education systems are met with ease.

REFERENCES

Andrews, K. (2005). Evaluating professional development in the knowledge era. Sydney: TAFE NSWICVET International Centre for VET Teaching and Learning

Argyris, C., & Schon, D. (1974). Theory into practice: Increasing professional effectiveness. San Francisco:Jossey Bass.

Beecher, A., Lindemann, J., Morzinski, J., & Simpson, D. (1997). Use of the educator’s portfolio tostimulate reflective practice among medical educators. Teaching and Learning in Medicine, 9, 56–59.

Boud, D., & Walker, D. (1998). Promoting reflection in professional courses: The challenge of context.Studies in Higher Education, 23(2), 191–206.

Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs,NJ: Prentice Hall.