Abstract
Critical pedagogy in education is presented with challenges and opportunities as a result of the rapid development of digital culture in higher education. African education, which is deeply rooted in African philosophies, requires unique frameworks to re-imagine AI driven teaching and learning. Ubuntu pedagogy becomes the founding framework for guiding positive digital culture in an era where knowledge is available at the click of a button. Exploring the intersection of Ubuntu philosophy and digital culture within the higher education landscape is central to this discussion as I argue that digital culture must not be merely for efficiency but should align with Ubuntu by centring human-centered, ethical, and collective learning principles to promote deeper cognitive engagement. Drawing on the theoretical foundations of Ubuntu, which describe Ubuntu pedagogy as being guided by interconnectedness, shared knowledge, and ethical responsibility, I examine the concept of digital culture and how it intertwines with higher education teaching and learning to foster inclusive education, support diverse learners and develop deeper cognitive engagement. I also interrogate the role of digital culture in developing critical thinking, cautioning against passive learning while proposing digitally enhanced strategies such as inquiry-based learning, collaborative problem-solving, and ethical digital citizenship. In this paper, my submission is that the principle of Ubuntu can be adopted decolonize digital culture by advocating for Afrocentric strategies and indigenous knowledge systems, and challenge Eurocentric epistemic hierarchies. Policy and pedagogical implications that front human interaction, ethical and responsible use of digital platforms, and culturally responsive learning frameworks are proposed. By engaging Ubuntu pedagogy and digital culture, this paper presents a transformative vision for enhancing higher education