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"Agency, Ethics, and Identity in Education: Fostering Religious, Moral, and Cultural
Convictions in Learners and Teachers"
Introduction
In the educational context, the concepts of self, agency, and ethics are central to how individuals
navigate their identities, values, and practices. These interconnected elements influence both teachers
and learners in profound ways, shaping how they engage with educational processes and with one
another. Agency, in particular, is not a static attribute but an evolving process influenced by past
experiences and contextual factors. As Priestley et al. (2020) explain, agency is shaped by both
personal and professional histories, and is always oriented toward achieving future goals within
specific cultural, structural, and material constraints. This dynamic interaction highlights the
complexity of how individuals, whether learners or educators, exercise their agency in response to
external conditions. This essay critically examines how both teachers and learners exercise agency to
maintain their moral, religious, cultural, or philosophical beliefs. It will explore how educators and
students navigate their ethical convictions in educational settings, drawing on key theoretical
perspectives such as Michel Foucault’s concept of “care of the self”, which highlights the role of
self-formation in relation to power. Additionally, the essay will explore the concept of ubuntu from
African philosophy, which emphasizes communal well-being and interconnectedness. The central
argument will assert that teachers have a crucial role in fostering critical agency in their students
while simultaneously reflecting on and exercising their own professional and personal agency within
the constraints of the educational system.
Theoretical Perspectives on Agency
The concept of agency in education is deeply complex, shaped by individual capacities, temporal
influences, and contextual factors. Priestley et al. (2020) propose a model of agency as an "emergent
phenomenon," emphasizing that it is not a fixed attribute but something achieved through
engagement with specific contexts and experiences. Agency, therefore, is understood as being
influenced by three interrelated dimensions: the iterational dimension, the projective dimension, and
the practical-evaluative dimension (Priestley et al., 2020).
The iterational dimension posits that agency is always informed by past experiences, including both
personal and professional histories. For educators, their prior teaching experiences, as well as their
broader life experiences, provide a repertoire of actions and decisions that influence how they
navigate present and future situations. A rich history of experiences enhances the ability to respond
to new challenges and opportunities (Priestley et al., 2020). The projective dimension further extends
the notion of agency by highlighting that it is future-oriented. Teachers and learners envision future
possibilities, making decisions based on both short- and long-term goals and values. This allows
individuals to creatively reconfigure their actions to align with personal aspirations and societal
expectations (Priestley et al., 2020). Lastly, the practical-evaluative dimension underscores that
agency is always enacted within a concrete situation, shaped by the material, cultural, and structural
resources available. Teachers and learners make decisions based on the practical realities they face,
including the constraints and supports offered by their environment (Priestley et al., 2020).
"Agency, Ethics, and Identity in Education: Fostering Religious, Moral, and Cultural
Convictions in Learners and Teachers"
Introduction
In the educational context, the concepts of self, agency, and ethics are central to how individuals
navigate their identities, values, and practices. These interconnected elements influence both teachers
and learners in profound ways, shaping how they engage with educational processes and with one
another. Agency, in particular, is not a static attribute but an evolving process influenced by past
experiences and contextual factors. As Priestley et al. (2020) explain, agency is shaped by both
personal and professional histories, and is always oriented toward achieving future goals within
specific cultural, structural, and material constraints. This dynamic interaction highlights the
complexity of how individuals, whether learners or educators, exercise their agency in response to
external conditions. This essay critically examines how both teachers and learners exercise agency to
maintain their moral, religious, cultural, or philosophical beliefs. It will explore how educators and
students navigate their ethical convictions in educational settings, drawing on key theoretical
perspectives such as Michel Foucault’s concept of “care of the self”, which highlights the role of
self-formation in relation to power. Additionally, the essay will explore the concept of ubuntu from
African philosophy, which emphasizes communal well-being and interconnectedness. The central
argument will assert that teachers have a crucial role in fostering critical agency in their students
while simultaneously reflecting on and exercising their own professional and personal agency within
the constraints of the educational system.
Theoretical Perspectives on Agency
The concept of agency in education is deeply complex, shaped by individual capacities, temporal
influences, and contextual factors. Priestley et al. (2020) propose a model of agency as an "emergent
phenomenon," emphasizing that it is not a fixed attribute but something achieved through
engagement with specific contexts and experiences. Agency, therefore, is understood as being
influenced by three interrelated dimensions: the iterational dimension, the projective dimension, and
the practical-evaluative dimension (Priestley et al., 2020).
The iterational dimension posits that agency is always informed by past experiences, including both
personal and professional histories. For educators, their prior teaching experiences, as well as their
broader life experiences, provide a repertoire of actions and decisions that influence how they
navigate present and future situations. A rich history of experiences enhances the ability to respond
to new challenges and opportunities (Priestley et al., 2020). The projective dimension further extends
the notion of agency by highlighting that it is future-oriented. Teachers and learners envision future
possibilities, making decisions based on both short- and long-term goals and values. This allows
individuals to creatively reconfigure their actions to align with personal aspirations and societal
expectations (Priestley et al., 2020). Lastly, the practical-evaluative dimension underscores that
agency is always enacted within a concrete situation, shaped by the material, cultural, and structural
resources available. Teachers and learners make decisions based on the practical realities they face,
including the constraints and supports offered by their environment (Priestley et al., 2020).
