, HED4804 Assignment 4
Semester 2 2025
DUE 4 August 2025
Use this document as a guide and for references to answer your assignment
Self, Agency, and Ethics in Education: A Critical
Examination
Introduction
Education has always been more than a mere transmission of knowledge or skills; it is an
inherently philosophical endeavor that shapes individuals' identities, responsibilities, and
values. At the core of educational practice lie the interwoven concepts of self, agency,
and ethics. These notions are foundational to understanding how learners and educators
interact with knowledge, systems, and each other. The complexity of modern education—
marked by globalization, technological disruption, and growing cultural pluralism—
demands a renewed interrogation of these concepts within pedagogical theory and
practice.
This essay critically examines the conceptual relationships between self, agency, and
ethics within the educational context. It argues that understanding education
philosophically requires not only a redefinition of the self in relational and developmental
terms, but also a more nuanced account of agency that transcends liberal individualism.
Furthermore, it explores the ethical dimensions that underpin educational practice,
advocating for an ethics that is dialogical, responsive, and situated rather than
prescriptive or universal. In doing so, the essay draws on contemporary philosophical
approaches to education, including post-structuralist, critical, and pragmatist traditions.
The Self in Education
Traditional and Contemporary Understandings
Historically, the concept of the self in education has been shaped by Enlightenment
ideals, which emphasized a rational, autonomous individual capable of self-
determination. This view, influenced by thinkers such as Descartes and Kant, has
permeated liberal models of education that prioritize the development of the ―independent
thinker.‖ The self is viewed as a stable, bounded entity, capable of rational choice and
moral judgment.
Semester 2 2025
DUE 4 August 2025
Use this document as a guide and for references to answer your assignment
Self, Agency, and Ethics in Education: A Critical
Examination
Introduction
Education has always been more than a mere transmission of knowledge or skills; it is an
inherently philosophical endeavor that shapes individuals' identities, responsibilities, and
values. At the core of educational practice lie the interwoven concepts of self, agency,
and ethics. These notions are foundational to understanding how learners and educators
interact with knowledge, systems, and each other. The complexity of modern education—
marked by globalization, technological disruption, and growing cultural pluralism—
demands a renewed interrogation of these concepts within pedagogical theory and
practice.
This essay critically examines the conceptual relationships between self, agency, and
ethics within the educational context. It argues that understanding education
philosophically requires not only a redefinition of the self in relational and developmental
terms, but also a more nuanced account of agency that transcends liberal individualism.
Furthermore, it explores the ethical dimensions that underpin educational practice,
advocating for an ethics that is dialogical, responsive, and situated rather than
prescriptive or universal. In doing so, the essay draws on contemporary philosophical
approaches to education, including post-structuralist, critical, and pragmatist traditions.
The Self in Education
Traditional and Contemporary Understandings
Historically, the concept of the self in education has been shaped by Enlightenment
ideals, which emphasized a rational, autonomous individual capable of self-
determination. This view, influenced by thinkers such as Descartes and Kant, has
permeated liberal models of education that prioritize the development of the ―independent
thinker.‖ The self is viewed as a stable, bounded entity, capable of rational choice and
moral judgment.
