From Control to Empowerment: A Paradigm Shift in the Discourse of Educational Supervision

Abstract

As educational reforms intensify and societal emphasis shifts towards empowerment, the traditional discourse paradigm of management and control in educational supervision faces growing challenges. This paper explores the transformation of this discourse paradigm through the lens of empowerment, analyzing its distinct characteristics, potential pathways, and effective strategies. This paper begins by reviewing the concept of empowerment and examining the current research landscape surrounding the discourse paradigm in educational supervision. Subsequently, we conduct a comparative analysis of the “control” and “empowerment” paradigms, highlighting their essential differences. This analysis illuminates the key characteristics of an empowerment-oriented approach to educational supervision, particularly its emphasis on dialogue, collaboration, participation, and, crucially, empowerment itself. Ultimately, this research advocates for a shift in educational supervision towards an empowerment-oriented discourse system. This entails a multi-pronged approach: transforming ingrained beliefs, embracing renewed pedagogical concepts, fostering methodological innovation, and optimizing existing mechanisms and strategies within educational supervision. These changes are proposed to facilitate the more effective alignment of educational supervision with the pursuit of high-quality education.