African Philosophy Of Education Research Articles

Can MOOCs contribute towards enhancing disruptive pedagogic encounters in higher education

In this article, we argue that MOOCs (massive open online courses) have the potential to enhance disruptive pedagogic encounters in higher education, especially in relation to a philosophy of African education. In the first part of the article, we expound on MOOCs as an initiative in higher education that grew out of a concern to advance access to higher education. Paradoxically, we show that MOOCs might not strictly advance equal access and inclusion but have the potential to cultivate student capacities of a critically transformative kind, more specifically, rhizomatic thinking, criticism and recognition of others. In the second part of the article, we show, in reference to an emerging MOOC, how an African philosophy of education should be considered as apposite to advance disruptive pedagogic encounters in higher education.

African Traditions that Enhance Philosophical Ideologies: A Review of Yusef Waghids African Philosophy of Education Reconsidered: On Being Human (London: Routledge, 2014, pp. 168)

Yusef Waghid’s book makes a case for an African philosophy of education to develop in a rational, principled and stimulating context in order to ultimately produce realistic solutions to African problems. The book addresses the paucity of conversations in respect of a particular African philosophy of education that integrates reasonableness, culture and emotion, including the empowerment of African women to address cultural and societal marginalization, as part of African philosophy of education. Firstly, the review article espouses my point that an African philosophy of education discourse is meant to move beyond a mere discussion of culture and tradition to being an innovative, scientific practice aimed at resolving dilemmas on the African continent. The book uses ubuntu as an instance of African philosophy of education to do pragmatist work in resolving educational and societal problems on the continent in relation to justice including equality for all. Secondly, I am mindful of Waghid’s assertion that an African philosophy of education necessitates rational debate to achieve a coherent understanding of the manner in which age old traditional thoughts may be incorporated into an innovative African ethos. Ultimately, Waghid advocates that teaching and learning should provoke attitudes of openness and criticality but also caring to encourage those who guide to be aware of student diversity as acknowledged by African philosophers.

On the (Im)potentiality of an African Philosophy of Education to Disrupt Inhumanity

Despite the advances made in the liberal Western philosophical and educational tradition to counteract unethical, immoral and inhumane acts committed by the human species, these acts of inhumanity persist. It would be inapt to apportion blame only to Western thinking, which has its roots in Greek antiquity, as Plato and Aristotle, for instance, perpetually and justifiably pursued and advocated the human enactment of civility and friendship in their writings. Instead of revisiting liberal views on education and arguing for a reconsidered view of humanity—a possible and plausible contention—this article draws on African philosophical thought on education to disturb some of the doubts in potentially disrupting atrocities committed against the human race, especially on the African continent. By drawing on the philosophical ideas of Agamben, in particular the notions of actuality, potentiality and becoming, it is argued that an instance of African philosophy of education—ubuntu (human interdependence and humanness)—can do much to trouble the escalating levels of inhumanity on the African continent.

African philosophy of education as a response to human rights violations: Cultivating Ubuntu as a virtue in religious education

IntroductionIn previous works I have argued extensively that the notion of an African phi- losophy of education in the form of Ubuntu (human interdependence and humaneness) is capable of counteracting inhumane acts, such as genocide, torture, murder and the abuse of human beings (Waghid & Smeyers 2012; Waghid 2014). I have argued that Ubuntu is a moral concept that can contribute towards the eradication of human rights violations, which have become so endemic in many parts of African society - whether perpetrated by military rulers in oppressive Egypt after the Arab Spring (people's revolt against unjust state rule in several northern African countries), or the ongoing rape of thousands of women and the maiming of innocent children in the Democratic Republic of Congo by Hutu militia. These acts of human rights violations have not abated, and the very idea of Ubuntu has been questioned by several critics of the concept as being incapable of disrupting gross inhumanity since more and more people are suffering the fate of genocide, torture and abuse. It is with such an understanding of unabated human rights violations in mind that I offer a reconsidered view of Ubuntu - one that can deal more positively with the inhumanity that seems to be increasing on the African continent.Human Rights Violations on the African ContinentHuman rights violations, in the form of mass slaughter on religious grounds in the Central African Republic, ethnic targeting and civil war in South Sudan, massive loss of life (genocide) and atrocities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and political repression in Egypt by the militarydominated authorities, are poignant examples that all is not well on the African continent. Drawing on the 2014 Human Rights Watch World Report: Africa, the following gross human rights violations are reported in several countries: arbitrary detentions of political dissenters (Angola), ill-treatment and arbitrary arrests of religious worshippers (Burundi), raping of women and girls and destruction of villages by oppositional Seleka forces (Central African Republic), sexual violence against children (Cote d'Ivoire), war crimes against civilians by rebel forces (Democratic Republic of Congo), torture, prolonged detentions and unfair trials against political opposition (Equatorial Guinea), indefinite conscription and forced labour (Eritrea), massacre of civilians (Guinea), extra-judicial killings (Kenya), recruitment of children and child labour (Mali), Boko Haram violence against civilians with the intent to enforce a harsh form of Shari'ah law (Nigeria), genocide (Rwanda), al-Shabaab suicide bombings (Somalia), xenophobic attacks (South Africa), anti-insurgency abuses and ethnic conflict (South Sudan), illegal arrests and detentions (Uganda), and intimidation by security forces (Zimbabwe) (Human Rights World Report: Africa 2014:73-198).All the mentioned atrocities against humanity persist, despite African communities' apparent awareness that Ubuntu should be actualised in their lived experiences, particularly in relations between individuals and others. Ubuntu (human interdependence and humaneness) has been constitutive of African communal practices (and nowadays popularised through the media) for a very long time, to the extent that the practice has been linked to forms of communitarianism that should be actualised, such as having respect for elders, treating the destitute and helpless with care, and cultivating sharing and trust amongst Africa's peoples (Waghid 2014:58-62). One cannot deny the need for Ubuntu to manifest itself in the practices of people, considering the escalating levels of human indignity that have become endemic in certain parts of African society. There are those critics of Ubuntu who use the inhumanity that prevails in certain parts of the continent as reason to take issue with the practice, and even to question whether Africa has the moral commitment to remedy its own continuing societal demise (Horsthemke, 2004). …

Curriculum enrichment through indigenous Zulu games

In the South African context, education has emerged from missionary, colonial and Afrikaner ideology (Euro-centric education) (Gelderblom, 2003) to outcomes-based education without tapping into the rich knowledge base of the African population. An African philosophy of education has not yet been embraced and it is deemed necessary in an effort to understand the African way of life (Mkabela & Luthuli, 1997). The aim of the study was to document and analyze indigenous Zulu games for possible curriculum enrichment of physical education in schools and the promotion of cross-cultural interaction between learners. This necessitated the identification and description of indigenous Zulu games in order to assess their potential in obtaining overt educational outcomes related to the cognitive, affective, psychomotor and social development of school learners. Quantitative (questionnaires) and qualitative data (focus group discussions, interviews, video and audio tape recordings) were triangulated to constitute context and gather data from isiZuluspeaking participants (N=274). A sample of 217 grade seven learners (10-17 years old) and 57 adults (40 years and older) participated in the research. The majority of the most prominent clans from six communities, three urban and four rural schools in selected areas in KwaZulu-Natal (Northern, Southern and Western areas) were represented in the sample. The dissemination and presentation of indigenous Zulu games as means for reaching educational outcomes hold significant potential and value for curriculum enrichment and social inclusion in the South African school context. Indigenous Zulu games, a symbolic representation of the Zulu cultural expression, hold potential to be utilized and to meaningfully contribute to the physical, cognitive, affective, social and cultural developmental needs of learners. Keywords: Indigenous games; Zulu culture; Curriculum.SAJRSPER Vol. 30 (1) 2008 pp. 89-103

In search of an African philosophy of education

The Higgs-Parker debate on the meaning and place of African philosophy in the construction of a new South African philosophy of education raises more questions than answers. In an attempt to answer some of the questions raised the present author also raises fresh questions. One of the arguments advanced by the present author is that both Higgs and Parker appear to take the meaning of key terms such as Africa, philosophy, African Renaissancel/Ig for granted. An analysis of the meaning of the key terms brings to the fore fundamental questions of justice. These must be answered adequately and satisfactorily. The thesis defended in this article is that it is only through an in-depth and critical historico-philosophical analysis of the current constitution of South Africa that the question whether or not a truly South African philosophy of education may be constructed can be answered. An adequate answer must show that veritable curriculum change at all levels of education, especially higher education, has been effected.

Prolegomena to an African philosophy of education

This article examines the qualities that mark an educated person with special reference to the Akan conception of an educated person. This list of qualities for defining the notion of being educated originates from a traditional African conception of what the training of the youth for the living of life entails. In discussing such a definition of an educated person, it is hoped that the present attempt to elicit an African conception of education from a conceptual analysis based on attention to an African vernacular will encourage other Africans to look within in a similar way in their thinking about education and other fundamental issu

The Notion of Ubuntu and Communalism in African Educational Discourse

The notion of ubuntu and communalism is of great importance in anAfrican educational discourse, as well as inAfrican Philosophy of Education and in Africanphilosophical discourse. Ubuntu is aphilosophy that promotes the common good ofsociety and includes humanness as an essentialelement of human growth. In African culture the community always comesfirst. The individual is born out of and intothe community, therefore will always be part ofthe community. Interdependence, communalism, sensitivity towards others and caring for others are all aspects of ubuntu as a philosophy of life (Le Roux, 2000, p. 43). The community and belonging to acommunity is part of the essence of traditionalAfrican life. Philosophy of life and Philosophyof Education, thus, go together, because aphilosophy of life helps to identify the goalsand purposes that a particular society holdsdear. Humanness is very important in Africanphilosophy in the sense of seeing human needs,interests and dignity as fundamental to humanexistence and therefore it will also beimportant in African Philosophy of Education(Letseka, 2000, p. 182). According to Letseka(2000, p. 186) nobody is born with botho orubuntu– these are communally acceptedand desirable ethical standards that a personacquires throughout his/her life and thereforeeducation also plays a very important role intransferring the African philosophy of life.

A Reconstruction of South African Philosophy of Education.

In this article an attempt is made to defend a postmodern approach to philosophy of education which it is argued is best able to provide guidance and a context for dialogue in a culturally pluralistic society such as South Africa. The impetus for such a defense of a postmodern approach to philosophy of education is located in the challenge that faces South African education after the delegitimization of the Fundamental Pedagogics approach of the apartheid era.

Towards an African philosophy of education

Towards an African philosophy of education