HED4804
ASSIGNMENT 2
DUE DATE: JUNE 2026
,HED4804 ASSIGNMENT 2 2026
DUE JUNE 2026
Conceptualising (African) Philosophy of Education as the Creation of Concepts-
in-Place
Many people think philosophy is only for university professors who sit around thinking
about strange ideas. But this module shows us that philosophy is something we all do.
When something unexpected happens that makes us stop and wonder, we are doing
philosophy (HED4804 Learning Units, p. 1). I argue that African philosophy of education
means creating concepts that come from our own place. We cannot just copy ideas
from other countries. We need to think for ourselves and build ideas that fit where we
live.
, What is Philosophy and Why is it Important?
Philosophy is not just a set of fixed ideas. It is an activity. It starts when our normal life is
interrupted by an event that does not make sense to us. The learning units give the
example of the #FeesMustFall movement. This event forced many people to rethink
questions like: What is education for? Who does education include? (HED4804
Learning Units, p. 1-2). Philosophy helps us ask these deep questions.
Our world today is very complex and changes fast. We face poverty, violence, harm to
the environment, and political problems. The learning units call this the "risk society"
(HED4804 Learning Units, p. 4). In such a world, teachers cannot just follow rules
without thinking. If we only ask "what works best", we never ask "why does it work?" or
"is it even good for our students?" (p. 3). Philosophy helps teachers think for
themselves. It gives us the freedom to question our own practices. It stops us from just
accepting "common sense" which may be full of fake truths and wrong information (p.
2). So philosophy is not a luxury. It is a must-have for any real teacher.
The Relationship Between Place, Concepts, and Philosophy of Education
This is the most important part of the Africanisation challenge. We need to understand
how place shapes our ideas.
What is "Place"? Place does not just mean a spot on a map. It means the lived space
where we are. This includes the land, the weather, our traditions, our languages, our
values like Ubuntu. It also includes our history of colonialism, our struggles, and our
present-day realities like poverty and inequality (HED4804 Learning Units, p. 2, 21). For
example, in South Africa, we still have two education systems - one for the rich and one
for the poor (p. 17). This is part of our place.
ASSIGNMENT 2
DUE DATE: JUNE 2026
,HED4804 ASSIGNMENT 2 2026
DUE JUNE 2026
Conceptualising (African) Philosophy of Education as the Creation of Concepts-
in-Place
Many people think philosophy is only for university professors who sit around thinking
about strange ideas. But this module shows us that philosophy is something we all do.
When something unexpected happens that makes us stop and wonder, we are doing
philosophy (HED4804 Learning Units, p. 1). I argue that African philosophy of education
means creating concepts that come from our own place. We cannot just copy ideas
from other countries. We need to think for ourselves and build ideas that fit where we
live.
, What is Philosophy and Why is it Important?
Philosophy is not just a set of fixed ideas. It is an activity. It starts when our normal life is
interrupted by an event that does not make sense to us. The learning units give the
example of the #FeesMustFall movement. This event forced many people to rethink
questions like: What is education for? Who does education include? (HED4804
Learning Units, p. 1-2). Philosophy helps us ask these deep questions.
Our world today is very complex and changes fast. We face poverty, violence, harm to
the environment, and political problems. The learning units call this the "risk society"
(HED4804 Learning Units, p. 4). In such a world, teachers cannot just follow rules
without thinking. If we only ask "what works best", we never ask "why does it work?" or
"is it even good for our students?" (p. 3). Philosophy helps teachers think for
themselves. It gives us the freedom to question our own practices. It stops us from just
accepting "common sense" which may be full of fake truths and wrong information (p.
2). So philosophy is not a luxury. It is a must-have for any real teacher.
The Relationship Between Place, Concepts, and Philosophy of Education
This is the most important part of the Africanisation challenge. We need to understand
how place shapes our ideas.
What is "Place"? Place does not just mean a spot on a map. It means the lived space
where we are. This includes the land, the weather, our traditions, our languages, our
values like Ubuntu. It also includes our history of colonialism, our struggles, and our
present-day realities like poverty and inequality (HED4804 Learning Units, p. 2, 21). For
example, in South Africa, we still have two education systems - one for the rich and one
for the poor (p. 17). This is part of our place.
