This article delves into the multifaceted nature of pedagogy, examining its role as both a practical pursuit and an academic discipline concerned with education and upbringing. Positioned within the context of modernity, the overarching objective of pedagogy is framed as the cultivation of a free subject in communities of free people, emphasizing emancipation and participation. A key challenge is navigating the tension between purposes and facts, a core issue in human science pedagogy ("Geisteswissenschaftliche Pädagogik"). The authors propose a contextualized approach to knowledge, introducing the concept of 'situated knowledge', emphasizing its directional aspect ('purpose') and the need for an understanding of the present reality ('facts'). They highlight the significance of this approach in practice, in collective practice-development and in research. Situated knowledge is not certain knowledge, but the process of creating situated knowledge serves as an invitation to self-activity, encouraging the exercise and development of pedagogical tact.