<Special 1: Understanding the Evolving Concept of Educational Profession>The Problem of Understanding the Evolving Concept of Educational Profession : Focusing on the studies from \u2780s

The aim of this paper is to describe the present condition of studies on the concept of educational profession and to present the significance and potential of this feature article. The studies from the “concept approach” have been stagnant, and some characteristics constituting the concept of educational profession, such as the professional autonomy of teachers concerning working and educational conditions and the code of ethics, have not been raised. The “actual condition approach” and the “policy approach” have discussed the issues of teachers’ relationship with parents or other experts like school counselors and collegiality among educational profession, which is different from “concept approach”. However, it has become difficult to analyze recent educational policies from the viewpoint of the concept of educational profession because of the standstill of theoretical analysis from the concept approach. Furthermore, it is clear from actual state of affairs that educational professions have to work with parents, citizens, and other experts. This proves the necessity of placing professional autonomy and collegiality in the relation with them as important characteristics of the concept of educational profession. The reexamination of the evolving concept of educational profession is demanded from both practical and political viewpoints