Indigenous-Based Adult Education Learning Material Development: Integration, Practical Challenges, and Contextual Considerations in Focus

Abstract

Indigenous perspectives hold promising opportunities for education and practice. It is possible to entertain indigenous knowledge into adult education through modelling, guided practice, and application approaches. However, there are several limiting factors to do so. Today, many indigenous knowledge systems and practices are at risk of becoming extinct because of rapidly changing natural environments and fast pacing economic, political, and cultural changes on a global scale. Considering this, therefore, this study is aimed at exploring the integration, existing practical challenges of indigenous based adult education, and forward contextual consideration from the perspectives of learning material development. In doing so, a case study research design was employed. Date was collected from adult education experts, adult literacy centre coordinators and adult learners who were drawn by using purposive sampling technique. Data were obtained through interview and FGD. Thematic analysis was placed as the centre of data analysis method. As a result, the integration of indigenous knowledge into educational programs especially in adult education has been passed with many ups and downs. The inclusion was found at a substandard level due to a lack of gratefulness and value regarding what indigenous knowledge might bring to educational practice and how it might be enacted into learning materials. Although the integration has been challenged with many barriers, fortunately, many opportunities which need to be considered are emerging. Context-based working strategies and guidelines have to be advanced by governments aim at mobilizing community support for indigenous based education development and handover to generations through revitalizing all forms of educational provision within the local and global market context.