HED4804
Assignment 4 2026
Due date: August 2026
SELF, AGENCY AND ETHICS IN EDUCATION: HOW TEACHERS AND LEARNERS PRESERVE
THEIR MORAL, RELIGIOUS, CULTURAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL CONVICTIONS
1. Introduction
Education is not only about giving learners knowledge, because it also shapes how young people
understand themselves, relate to others, and make responsible choices in society. In this essay, I
argue that self, agency, and ethics are closely connected because teachers and learners act from
personal histories, cultural values, moral beliefs, and the conditions of the school environment.
Agency in education is not simple freedom, since it is shaped by past experiences, future hopes, and
the real resources available in a particular school setting (Priestley et al., 2015). This means that a
learner’s religious belief, a teacher’s moral view, or a school’s cultural practice cannot be separated
from the classroom context where decisions are made. Educational agency should therefore be
understood as a responsible form of action where people try to remain faithful to their convictions
Assignment 4 2026
Due date: August 2026
SELF, AGENCY AND ETHICS IN EDUCATION: HOW TEACHERS AND LEARNERS PRESERVE
THEIR MORAL, RELIGIOUS, CULTURAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL CONVICTIONS
1. Introduction
Education is not only about giving learners knowledge, because it also shapes how young people
understand themselves, relate to others, and make responsible choices in society. In this essay, I
argue that self, agency, and ethics are closely connected because teachers and learners act from
personal histories, cultural values, moral beliefs, and the conditions of the school environment.
Agency in education is not simple freedom, since it is shaped by past experiences, future hopes, and
the real resources available in a particular school setting (Priestley et al., 2015). This means that a
learner’s religious belief, a teacher’s moral view, or a school’s cultural practice cannot be separated
from the classroom context where decisions are made. Educational agency should therefore be
understood as a responsible form of action where people try to remain faithful to their convictions
