A Bhutanese tertiary education consultancy case study: Introducing the institutional zone of proximal development

Abstract

This paper identifies an overarching strategy that consultants can use to focus institutional level development work: the institutional zone of proximal development (IZPD). The paper explicates the IZPD concept following Vygotsky (1978). The case study of distance education course development in tertiary education in Bhutan illustrates the six processes within the IZPD that supported successful implementation. Evidence showed that the consultancy had contributed to the institutionalisation of change. Three implications for consultants using the IZPD are presented. The concept of the IZPD is new to the development literature.