Strategies to Incorporate and Support Indigenous Knowledge into Teacher Training Education: Lessons and Insights for Higher Education Institution's in Namibia

Abstract

Purpose: The Agenda for Sustainable Development (2030) makes references to indigenous peoples and the significant role indigenous knowledge play in the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals. However despite significant literature on the benefits of indigenous knowledge, indigenous knowledge is often overlooked in education most especially in the training of teachers. Teachers are expected to have the greatest appreciation for cultural diversity and to create multicultural teaching materials that take into account their students' cultural backgrounds and work to give marginalized groups a sense of acceptance and belonging and subsequently enable communities to live harmoniously in multicultural society. However, they are not adequately prepared for this during their own training. Therefore, the study aims to explore on how indigenous knowledge can be incorporated effectively in the training of teachers. Methodology: Qualitative study approach purposively selected 30 peer reviewed articles to draw strategies that could be implemented to acknowledge the indigenous knowledge in teacher education in higher education. Findings: The study found six areas that higher education institutions can integrate indigenous knowledge into, such as teaching and learning, curriculum, assessment and evaluation, research, and human resources, in order to adequately include and promote it. However, for this to be sustained, there is a need for committed collaborative approach between academics, curriculum developers, communities and administrative staff. The originality and value of this study: The study underscores the significant role of indigenous knowledge and how it can be integrated into the teacher training programs in various ways.