Designing a deep intercultural curriculum in higher education: co-constructing knowledge with Indigenous women

Abstract

The development of intercultural curriculum in contexts with Indigenous populations has usually been approached from the perspective of the hegemonic culture, which has strengthened its assimilatory and acculturative character, subalternating Indigenous knowledge. Following a community-based participatory action research, this study aims to contribute from the participants’ voices, to establish the basis of an intercultural curriculum considering the dialogue of Indigenous and academic knowledge systems. The study involved 99 Indigenous and non-Indigenous representatives from Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Argentina, involving 33 Indigenous communities. The results point to six fundamental challenges considering the inclusion in the curriculum of Indigenous spiritualities, the concept of good living, healing, gender perspectives from their worldview and strengthening leadership, as well as considering an in-depth perspective of interculturality, complementarity, and reciprocity as methodological principles. The process developed provides a model for the collective construction of knowledge based on participation and communities’ voices.

Learning experience of accounting students during the COVID-19 pandemic: West Papuan perspectives of online learning in Indonesia

“…The experiences of the online learning challenges faced by West Papuan students need to be considered when faculties design a learning environment that supports the safety of indigenous students (Reedy, 2019). While the challenges students faced caused by the lack of learning facilities needed to be solved by government and university, students’ challenges in adapting to online learning habits, teaching and evaluation, as well as students’ access to the materials, needed to be approached from the perspective of the indigenous curriculum development that is sensitive to indigenous students’ needs (Weise et al , 2021). Thus, online learning needs to create supportive environment for indigenous students and recognize their learning needs, specific preferences and learning styles (McLoughlin and Oliver, 2000; Weise et al , 2021).…”

“…While the challenges students faced caused by the lack of learning facilities needed to be solved by government and university, students’ challenges in adapting to online learning habits, teaching and evaluation, as well as students’ access to the materials, needed to be approached from the perspective of the indigenous curriculum development that is sensitive to indigenous students’ needs (Weise et al , 2021). Thus, online learning needs to create supportive environment for indigenous students and recognize their learning needs, specific preferences and learning styles (McLoughlin and Oliver, 2000; Weise et al , 2021). Possible suggestions could be that indigenous Papuan students can be given self-directed tasks, ownership, collaboration and receive flexible tutoring and mentoring that respond to their learning needs.…”