HOPEACADEMY
HED4804
Assignment 4
DUE DATE 4 AUGUST 2025
2025
Assignment Task 4
Write a 1600 -1800 well-researched academic essay that critically
examines the concepts of self, agency, and ethics in the educational
context, with a particular focus on how both learners and teachers
exercise agency to maintain their religious, moral, cultural, or
philosophical convictions—such as ‘self-care’ (Foucault) and ‘ubuntu’
(African philosophy).
0 7 6 4 0 3 1 2 2 9
, HED4804 Assignment 4
Assignment Task 4
Write a 1600 -1800 well-researched academic essay that critically examines the
concepts of self, agency, and ethics in the educational context, with a particular
focus on how both learners and teachers exercise agency to maintain their
religious, moral, cultural, or philosophical convictions—such as ‘self-care’
(Foucault) and ‘ubuntu’ (African philosophy).
Introduction
In education, learners and teachers are not just people who give or receive
knowledge. They are individuals with beliefs, values, and goals. These beliefs may
be religious, moral, cultural, or philosophical. To act on these beliefs, they need
agency—the ability to make choices and take action. This essay looks at how the
ideas of self, agency, and ethics work in schools. It explains how learners and
teachers use agency to stay true to their values, and how teachers can help
students develop critical agency. It also uses ideas from Foucault and African
philosophy, especially ubuntu, to show how ethics and self-care are part of
education.
1. What Is Self in Education?
The self is how a person sees and understands who they are. In education, the self
is shaped by many things—family, culture, religion, and school. Learners and
teachers bring their personal stories into the classroom. According to Foucault,
the self is not fixed. It is shaped by power, rules, and relationships (Foucault,
1984). This means that learners and teachers are always changing and growing.
HED4804
Assignment 4
DUE DATE 4 AUGUST 2025
2025
Assignment Task 4
Write a 1600 -1800 well-researched academic essay that critically
examines the concepts of self, agency, and ethics in the educational
context, with a particular focus on how both learners and teachers
exercise agency to maintain their religious, moral, cultural, or
philosophical convictions—such as ‘self-care’ (Foucault) and ‘ubuntu’
(African philosophy).
0 7 6 4 0 3 1 2 2 9
, HED4804 Assignment 4
Assignment Task 4
Write a 1600 -1800 well-researched academic essay that critically examines the
concepts of self, agency, and ethics in the educational context, with a particular
focus on how both learners and teachers exercise agency to maintain their
religious, moral, cultural, or philosophical convictions—such as ‘self-care’
(Foucault) and ‘ubuntu’ (African philosophy).
Introduction
In education, learners and teachers are not just people who give or receive
knowledge. They are individuals with beliefs, values, and goals. These beliefs may
be religious, moral, cultural, or philosophical. To act on these beliefs, they need
agency—the ability to make choices and take action. This essay looks at how the
ideas of self, agency, and ethics work in schools. It explains how learners and
teachers use agency to stay true to their values, and how teachers can help
students develop critical agency. It also uses ideas from Foucault and African
philosophy, especially ubuntu, to show how ethics and self-care are part of
education.
1. What Is Self in Education?
The self is how a person sees and understands who they are. In education, the self
is shaped by many things—family, culture, religion, and school. Learners and
teachers bring their personal stories into the classroom. According to Foucault,
the self is not fixed. It is shaped by power, rules, and relationships (Foucault,
1984). This means that learners and teachers are always changing and growing.
