“I am because we are.”
This direct translation of ubuntu is a call for educators to prioritise building meaningful relationships with their students. And it is a reminder that as educators we can – and we must – bring to class our own cultural and traditional experiences, which make the classroom inclusive to every learner.
Ubuntu is an African value system that underscores the principles of humanity, interconnectedness and collective well-being. Its philosophy can assist educators to humanise the classroom, particularly in an era where technology risks depersonalising learning. Ubuntu provides a transformative and critical pedagogy that allows educators to be responsive to the lived experiences of students and support their development holistically. Thus, even in technologically mediated environments, educators must strive to maintain ethical, empathetic and inclusive practices.
- Spotlight guide: Back to the basics of pedagogy
- Give everyone a chance to speak in class
- Show students you care
This article, based on what I have observed in two years teaching third-year accounting and finance students at the University of Southampton, offers practical advice on how to use the ubuntu philosophy to promote a human-centred approach to teaching and student engagement. Here are steps to incorporating it as a pedagogical framework in our teaching practices. It starts with the ability to teach from a position of care.
Embedding a philosophy of care in teaching
The third year of university is a crucial point in the academic journey of every student. It is also when students are under pressure to cope with social and academic demands, together with the fear of life after university. At a potentially overwhelming time, we need to be educators who listen first and lecture second, teach from the heart and be supportive while building resilience within our students. By doing this, we ensure that our students feel valued, supported and empowered in their learning journey.
Effective teaching extends beyond the mere application of strategies and techniques; it requires a genuine passion for the subject matter and care for the students. Teaching that truly motivates students must be not only based in well-structured curricula or pedagogical techniques but also fundamentally human-centred. This approach necessitates attentiveness, authenticity and being responsive to the diverse needs of students. As a pedagogical approach, ubuntu offers a holistic engagement in the classroom. Besides focusing on cognitive outcomes, ubuntu supports emotional, social and ethical dimensions of learning. To do this, educators must prioritise relationship building, teach with empathy and compassion, and create space for creating multiple types of knowledge.
Incorporate authenticity and approachability into your teaching approach
Strategic vulnerability will show students that you are not only an educator but a fellow human being, whose experiences are similar to theirs. Simple actions include introducing yourself and allowing each student to do the same in the first class (this obviously depends on the size of the class). I use this as a chance to start learning my students’ names. Within this pedagogical approach of ubuntu, I have found it valuable to share my academic experience, including moments of failure and the resilience built through those experiences. In the context of accounting and finance, where precision and correctness are often emphasised, students can internalise fear of failure that hinders risk-taking and intellectual growth.
However, while practising this, the sharing must have boundaries (keep it professional, not overly personal) and be context-sensitive (aware of institutional norms and students’ expectations). Students’ feedback – such as “It is the approach the lecturer uses, knowing everyone personally, that makes it easier to communicate” – show that this time is a worthy first-lesson investment.
Be culturally sensitive in your teaching
Many of our classrooms include a significant proportion of students who are second-language learners, with linguistic backgrounds that differ from the primary language of instruction. This linguistic diversity presents an opportunity to incorporate multilingual interactions as a pedagogical strategy. For example, when explaining a difficult concept, sometimes I ask students who have understood it to explain it in their home language to their fellow students. Though it may be time-consuming, this approach has brought a sense of belonging to my classroom.
Practise active listening
Active listening is the backbone of ubuntu, which is the ability to acknowledge and respond kindly and appropriately to students’ concerns. During student evaluation or feedback, use open-ended questions such as: “Would you like to see anything else incorporated in the module?” and “What can be removed from the module?” Where possible, act on student feedback. In my module, students indicated they struggled to understand why particular journal articles were included as study material. In response, I switched the papers for real-world business case studies, which significantly improved student engagement.
Create collaborative spaces
The philosophy of ubuntu emphasises group solidarity and communal learning. Consider approaches such as peer-to-peer learning. In my teaching practice, I have cultivated unity and teamwork among students by designing collaborative accounting activities that encourage students to leverage each other’s strengths and expertise, ensuring that each group member contributes meaningfully to the learning process. In one activity for a third-year class, I assigned students to diverse working groups and tasked them with completing a comprehensive financial statement analysis of a listed company. However, rather than simply dividing the work, students were first asked to map out each group member’s strengths and experience, such as numeracy, writing, research, presentation, Excel or modelling skills, market trend analysis and international accounting standards knowledge. By doing this, students begin to appreciate each other’s knowledge and capabilities, shifting their perspectives from competition to cooperation. They start to see each other as team members and extensions of their own learning process, a concept encapsulated in the idea that “I know, so you know”.
Educators can also integrate digital tools, such as Padlet and Miro, to provide a shared space for discussion, peer support and knowledge exchange. These platforms facilitate interactive learning, allowing students to ask questions, engage in debates and articulate their ideas independently. Student feedback included: “We are also encouraged to work with peers during group discussions, allowing us to build friendships and collaborate.”
At the heart of ubuntu lies a radical truth: education is about not just the mind, but the bonds that shape it. As educators, we often strive to demonstrate expertise, but the true impact comes from how we relate to and inspire our students. Ubuntu teaches us that teaching is fundamentally about relationships, creating spaces where students feel empowered, supported and motivated to succeed. In doing so, we enrich not only the lives of our students but also our own professional and personal growth.
Chipo Simbi is a senior teaching fellow and a fellow of the Higher Education Academy in the department of accounting at the University of Southampton’s Business School.
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