“Historically, supervision has been a very important but often overlooked issue,” said Inés Aguerrondo, a researcher, consultant for international organizations, and visiting professor at the Institute of Education at Universidad ORT Uruguay.
In fact, as he explained during the virtual presentation of his new book, there is no tradition of systematic training for supervisors in Latin America: “It seems that the aspect of the teaching profession that began as a trade and is now becoming more professionalized has not yet reached the supervisor.”
Rosana Sampedro, M.A.—a professor in the graduate programs at the University of San Andrés and Torcuato Di Tella University, and a visiting professor at the Institute of Education—also emphasized that people often forget that the supervisor is a “key player” in the education system; they are not always “recognized and supported.”
For her, the importance lies in the fact that she is “part of that bridge between the voices of what is happening in the school and the policies that are implemented.” Furthermore, her role influences how policies are formulated, which is where her power and potential for change lie.
“Supervisors are agents of change and opportunity; they are knowledge creators,” said Sampedro.
According to the authors of *Educational Supervision in a Changing World: Foundations for Redefining the Role within the AIE-UCA Framework*, there has long been an awareness of the need to reform the education system.
However, according to Aguerrondo, it wasn’t until the 2000s that the idea that education is a “system” and that “it is more than just a collection of schools and classrooms” began to gain traction. And within that framework, the role of the supervisor takes on greater significance.
In the words of this professor and researcher, it could be the tool to “address the demands that are said to be necessary in today’s education systems—demands on which we are currently lagging behind.”
He also stated that, in Latin America, the concept of supervision is “something completely and utterly different from what it means in first-world countries.”
He noted that these changes began 20 years ago. It is a process that we must certainly examine: “We won’t be able to copy it, but at least we’ll be able to recognize that it exists and use that knowledge to improve.”
“It’s not that we don’t work with supervisors, but we don’t think of a supervisor as an active participant—a supervisor who has the opportunity and the freedom to share responsibility for the action,” Aguerrondo pointed out.
The book *Educational Supervision in a Changing World: Foundations for Redefining the Role within the AIE-UCA Framework* examines the role of supervisors.
More specifically, it outlines the rationale for the change, describes how the role of supervision has evolved globally, and includes examples from other countries on this topic.
The book also proposes the professional development of supervisors based on the AIE (Inclusive and Effective Learning) model, which is being developed by the Department of Education at the Catholic University of Argentina. This model focuses on helping students develop the skills needed to solve complex problems by building on their knowledge, skills, and abilities.
In closing, Aguerrondo emphasized that the publication is “an investment in the future.” Although he believes it will take time for things to change, he raised the possibility of a more promising future in this area.
Educational Supervision in a Changing World: Foundations for Redefining the Role within the AIE-UCA Framework is a book, available in digital format, that was published in May 2020. It is part of the Library of Innovation and Teacher Training (BIFD), published by Kapelusz.