Non‐Western perspectives on learning and knowing

Abstract

Non‐Western perspectives emphasizing community, lifelong learning, and holistic conceptions of learning are expanding our understanding of adult learning.

Hinduism and TESOL: Learning, Teaching and Student‐Teacher Relationships Revisited

“…Presenting the survey in three themes – teaching, learning, and student‐teacher relationships – I have presented arguments and historical evidence to show that some supposedly Western educational standards and practices occupied important space in ancient Hindu educational traditions. This observation resembles an argument by Merriam and Kim (2008) in that Western knowledge and educational practices are relatively recent phenomena first spread to other parts of the world through colonization and through globalization of culture, education, and economy. Within the seemingly dominant practices of teacher‐frontedness, learning by heart, transmission model of education in Hindu ethos of learning and teaching, there indeed were agendas and practices of more student‐centered, practice‐based, approaches and methods that fostered learning, teaching and autonomy.…”

Indonesia Islamic senior high school students’ English learning conceptions and strategies

“…This is indicated by the students' responses, such as, 'Learning is important because, by learning, we will have wide knowledge, and we will benefit our community.' This is in line with Merriam and Kim (2008), who noted that from a nonwestern perspective, learning is the responsibility of the members of the community because learning enables them to develop their community. The community itself can be geography-based, national-based, or spiritual/religion-based.…”

Learning design in a global classroom

“…Further, a relational orientation to learning design is congruent with nonwestern perspectives of learning and knowing-confirmed in Merriam's (2007) collaborative research analysis with global educators. Recognizing that learners' construction of knowledge is inevitably shaped by their contextual background, including their own unique life-experiences, educators can tap into these formative influences by crafting instructional strategies which incorporate the broader sociocultural context of the learner into the educational process through an intentional process of learning design.…”