HED4804
Assignment 4 |
Due 4 August
2025
NO PLAGIARISM
[Pick the date]
[Type the company name]
, Exam (elaborations)
HED4804 Assignment 4 Memo | Due 4
August 2025
Course
Philosophy in Education (HED4804)
Institution
University Of South Africa (Unisa)
Book
Teacher Agency
HED4804 Assignment 4 Memo | Due 4 August 2025. All questions fully
answered.
Write an academic essay that critically examines the concepts of self,
agency, and ethics in the educational context.
Self, Agency, and Ethics in the Educational Context: A Critical Examination
Education is not merely the transmission of knowledge; it is a deeply transformative process that
engages the learner as a whole being—cognitively, emotionally, socially, and morally. Within
this process, the concepts of self, agency, and ethics emerge as foundational. They shape how
learners perceive themselves, how they engage with learning, and how they interact with others
in educational spaces. This essay critically examines these three interrelated concepts, drawing
on educational theory, philosophical perspectives, and ethical considerations, to highlight their
significance in fostering meaningful and equitable education.
The Concept of Self in Education
The notion of the self in education refers to the learner’s sense of identity, subjectivity, and
personal meaning-making. Constructivist theorists such as Piaget (1972) and Vygotsky (1978)
emphasize that learning is deeply personal and occurs through active engagement, whereby the
learner integrates new information with prior experiences. This highlights that education is not
neutral—it influences and reshapes the self. Postmodern and socio-cultural theorists further
argue that the self is socially constructed, emerging through interactions within cultural and
institutional contexts (Gee, 2001). Thus, schools become key spaces where identities are
affirmed or marginalized. Critical pedagogy, as advanced by Freire (1970), underscores the need
for education to enable learners to develop critical consciousness, thereby fostering a self that
can interrogate oppressive structures. A failure to engage with the learner’s self in education
risks alienation and disengagement, particularly for students from marginalized backgrounds.
Agency and the Learner as an Active Subject
Assignment 4 |
Due 4 August
2025
NO PLAGIARISM
[Pick the date]
[Type the company name]
, Exam (elaborations)
HED4804 Assignment 4 Memo | Due 4
August 2025
Course
Philosophy in Education (HED4804)
Institution
University Of South Africa (Unisa)
Book
Teacher Agency
HED4804 Assignment 4 Memo | Due 4 August 2025. All questions fully
answered.
Write an academic essay that critically examines the concepts of self,
agency, and ethics in the educational context.
Self, Agency, and Ethics in the Educational Context: A Critical Examination
Education is not merely the transmission of knowledge; it is a deeply transformative process that
engages the learner as a whole being—cognitively, emotionally, socially, and morally. Within
this process, the concepts of self, agency, and ethics emerge as foundational. They shape how
learners perceive themselves, how they engage with learning, and how they interact with others
in educational spaces. This essay critically examines these three interrelated concepts, drawing
on educational theory, philosophical perspectives, and ethical considerations, to highlight their
significance in fostering meaningful and equitable education.
The Concept of Self in Education
The notion of the self in education refers to the learner’s sense of identity, subjectivity, and
personal meaning-making. Constructivist theorists such as Piaget (1972) and Vygotsky (1978)
emphasize that learning is deeply personal and occurs through active engagement, whereby the
learner integrates new information with prior experiences. This highlights that education is not
neutral—it influences and reshapes the self. Postmodern and socio-cultural theorists further
argue that the self is socially constructed, emerging through interactions within cultural and
institutional contexts (Gee, 2001). Thus, schools become key spaces where identities are
affirmed or marginalized. Critical pedagogy, as advanced by Freire (1970), underscores the need
for education to enable learners to develop critical consciousness, thereby fostering a self that
can interrogate oppressive structures. A failure to engage with the learner’s self in education
risks alienation and disengagement, particularly for students from marginalized backgrounds.
Agency and the Learner as an Active Subject
