'Gyana/Pragya' Paradigm for Professional Development of Teachers: A Sociocultural Perspective

The existing Western modern worldviews (i.e., post/positivism) or Western induced paradigm(e.g., critical and postmodern) seem insufficient for ensuring harmonious learning spaces in the context of the continuous professional development of Nepali school teachers. In this paper, we discuss context-responsive sociocultural perspectives of multiple Eastern wisdom traditional (EWT) belief systems such as prasna (question), kalaa (art), and artha (meaning) that contribute to harmonious professional learning spaces (inner and outer) for teachers in Nepal. Then, we introduce gyana/pragya, an integral paradigm, as a multiparadigmatic research design space for creating and sustaining harmony in the professional setting and within coresearchers. This research explores the possibility of conducting educational research (e.g., Teachers Professional Development) by adapting multiple EWT belief systems. Finally, we share enhanced harmony, an inherent quality of teachers and teacher educators for professional development.