Biography:Moeketsi Letseka
Moeketsi Letseka | |
|---|---|
| Born | 15 October 1957 Orange Free State, Union of South Africa |
| Occupation | Professor of Philosophy of Education, UNISA; UNESCO Chair on Open Distance Learning |
| Known for | Open & distance learning, educational philosophy, student retention |
| Awards | Unisa Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Research (2022) |
| Academic background | |
| Education | University of Lesotho; University of South Africa |
Moeketsi Letseka is a South African philosopher of education, known for scholarship on ubuntu and open distance education. He is a Professor in the College of Education at the University of South Africa (UNISA) and holder of the UNESCO Chair on Open Distance Learning at UNISA.[1][2]
Career
Letseka’s research addresses moral philosophy and education in southern Africa, with emphasis on ubuntu/botho and its implications for policy and teaching in open and distance learning.[3] He has delivered invited talks and panels for UNESCO relating to open educational resources and digital learning in Africa.[1][4]
He is the editor-in-chief of Africa Education Review, a peer-reviewed journal published by Unisa Press in partnership with Taylor & Francis,[5] a role for which he is sometimes credited in independent outlets and author bios.[6]
Research
Letseka’s publications on ubuntu/botho include widely cited work in philosophy of education.[7] His project leadership is documented in independent literature referencing a National Research Foundation of South Africa–funded initiative titled Archaeology of Ubuntu, a multi-country qualitative study conducted 2014–2016.[8][9][10] That project is cited across articles discussing ubuntu and indigenous knowledge in southern Africa.[11]
Honours and recognition
- UNESCO Chair on Open Distance Learning (UNISA) (chairholder), 2018–present.[2][1]
- UNISA Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Research (institution’s highest research honour), 2022.[12]
- Principal Investigator, NRF-funded “Archaeology of Ubuntu” project (2014–2016), referenced in independent academic publications.[9][8]
Selected works
- Letseka, M. (2012). “In Defence of Ubuntu.” Studies in Philosophy and Education, 31(1): 47–60. doi:10.1007/s11217-011-9267-2.[13]
- Letseka, M. (2021). “Stimulating ODL research at UNISA: exploring the role and impact of an endowed chair.” Open Learning: The Journal of Open, Distance and e-Learning, 36(3): 249–262. doi:10.1080/02680513.2020.1724780.[13]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Advancing the Recommendation on Open Educational Resources (OER)". 30 November 2023. https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/advancing-recommendation-open-educational-resources-oer.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "List of UNESCO Chairs and UNITWIN Networks (as at 23 June 2025)". 23 June 2025. https://www.unesco.org/sites/default/files/medias/fichiers/2025/06/List%20of%20UNESCO%20Chairs%20and%20UNITWIN%20Networks%2023%20June%202025.pdf.
- ↑ Letseka, Moeketsi (2012). "In Defence of Ubuntu". Studies in Philosophy and Education 31 (1): 47–60. doi:10.1007/s11217-011-9267-2. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11217-011-9267-2. Retrieved 4 September 2025.
- ↑ "Synthesis Report of the Global Smart Education Conference 2023". October 2023. https://iite.unesco.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Synthesis-Report-of-Global-Smart-Education-Conference-2023.pdf.
- ↑ "Africa Education Review". University of South Africa Press. 14 December 2023. https://unisapressjournals.co.za/index.php/RAER.
- ↑ Chisale, SJ (2024). "Ubuntu wisdom for resolving VUCA challenges...". Psychology in Society (Author Bio Note Citing Letseka's Roles). doi:10.1177/01430343241244748. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/01430343241244748. Retrieved 4 September 2025.
- ↑ See, e.g., Letseka, Moeketsi (2012). "In Defence of Ubuntu". Studies in Philosophy and Education 31 (1): 47–60. doi:10.1007/s11217-011-9267-2..
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Chisale, SJ (2018). "Ubuntu as care: Deconstructing the gendered Ubuntu". Verbum et Ecclesia 39 (1). doi:10.4102/ve.v39i1.1790. https://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S2074-77052018000100005. Retrieved 4 September 2025.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Chisale, SJ (2018). "Ubuntu as care: Deconstructing the gendered Ubuntu". Verbum et Ecclesia 39 (1): 460. doi:10.4102/ajod.v7i0.460. PMID 30568913.
- ↑ Letseka, Moeketsi (2021). "Stimulating ODL research at UNISA: exploring the role and impact of an endowed chair". Open Learning: The Journal of Open, Distance and E-Learning 36 (3): 249–262. doi:10.1080/02680513.2020.1724780. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02680513.2020.1724780. Retrieved 4 September 2025.
- ↑ Letseka, Moeketsi (2021). "Basotho Community Elders' Views on Botho/Ubuntu as a Moral Theory". Literator 20 (2): 141–153. https://journals.co.za/doi/abs/10.10520/ejc-linga_v20_n2_a2. Retrieved 4 September 2025.
- ↑ "Unisa celebrates biggest crop of Research and Innovation Award winners in years". 3 June 2022. https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/myunisa/default/News/Articles/Unisa-celebrates-biggest-crop-of-Research-and-Innovation-Award-winners-in-years.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 As above.
External links
- UNESCO Chair on Open Distance Learning (UNISA)
- “In Defence of Ubuntu” at Studies in Philosophy and Education
- Publications by Moeketsi Letseka, at ResearchGate
- Moeketsi Letseka publications indexed by Google Scholar
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