“What does a pedagogue do? What qualifications do they have?” This is what many people who have the need to address educational issues ask and, knowing that there is a figure specifically trained in these aspects, would like to rely on their intervention.
Educational needs in contemporary society are often without adequate answers from many of the professionals and services present in the different territories.
In many cases, there are professionals with different specializations from pedagogy who propose themselves as experts in education, when actually they do not do pedagogy but simply propose their own improvised form of philosophy of education to their other profession.
This is why I would like to explain who the pedagogue is and what they do. So, if you want to follow me, I will give you some references to better understand this profession, so as not to fall into the trap of incompetent operators.
1. What pedagogue is
Pedagogue is the specialist in education and formation, a top-level figure holding the qualifications required by the regulations. Under Italian Law 205/2017 (Articles 594-601), the qualification of pedagogue is awarded following the release of an enabling degree diploma in the following Master’s degree classes:
– LM-50 Programming and management of educational services
– LM-57 Adult education sciences and continuing education
– LM-85 Pedagogical sciences
– LM-93 Theories and methodologies of e-learning and media education
No other title outside of these, and their equivalent degrees under the previous university system (Degree in Pedagogy, Degree in Education Sciences of the old system), can be considered a valid academic qualification to define oneself as a pedagogue.
In the educational field, the pedagogue has a higher university education than educator, as provided for in the European Qualifications Framework. Based on these elements, the first thing you should ask a pofessional who professes to be a pedagogue concerns their enabling degree, which must be among those specified above.
2. What pedagogue does
As a specialist in pedagogy, this professional operates in the educational, formative and training field, in any activity carried out in a formal, non-formal, and informal manner, in a perspective of personal and social growth.
The pedagogue’s activity takes place in places of indirect education, through educational actions oriented towards the environment, educational programs, and projects. In these places, the pedagogue plans, designs, and coordinates educational services and interventions; takes care of pedagogical coordination in services for early childhood; designs educational environments and contexts aimed at satisfying the educational and formative needs of people; develops preventive actions, educational procedures, and aids; carries out training courses; conducts pedagogical supervision of teams, and so on.
In addition to this, the pedagogue also operates in the field of direct education, developing educational actions aimed directly at subjects in education (children, adults, etc.). In these places, the pedagogue is responsible for promoting the human formation of person (individuals, couples, groups) through individualized educational interventions conducted according to the criteria and methodologies of clinical pedagogy.
In short, the pedagogue acts to create the best possible conditions so that the person, whether child or adult, can fully realize their potential or overcome their own discomfort. To do this, this professional never puts their own method before the person’s needs, which they follow without ever directing the development of the person towards a goal that is not chosen by the person themselves: the pedagogue, in fact, is a figure who remains in the background and allows the person to express the needs on which to help them evolve and express their abilities of self-education.
3. The professional field of interest for pedagogue
In light of what we said before, it can be easily understood how there is practically no area of human life that can potentially be excluded from the study and intervention of the pedagogue. In fact, the university education of the pedagogue is decidedly plural, aimed at many different disciplines that fall within the sciences of education, such as: pedagogy, psychology, anthropology, sociology, even law, and others.
Thanks to this highly multidisciplinary and unique training in the field, the pedagogue works with people of all ages, in socio-educational and socio-assistance services and centers such as: educational, training, school, socio-assistance, parenting, family, cultural, judicial, environmental, sports, motor, integration, international cooperation, etc.
Their expertise would be essential in other sectors as well, not least in the health sector, where they are much less present in Italy than would be expected by law (DPR 14.01.1997).
However, in the future it is possible that the strong need for pedagogical skills, even in this field, such as that of a more rigorous government of individualized educational planning, will bring services to comply with the current provisions to significantly increase the effectiveness of services and interventions aimed at the population.
Therefore, the first thing you can ask when using a service for individuals in which an educational project is developed is whether the one governing the project is a pedagogue. For further specifics on the pedagogue, I refer you to Wikipedia.