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Lim, Segyu Fabian

University of British Columbia

This study examines the necessity of and strategies for integrating Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) with Gadamer's hermeneutics in teacher education. By applying Gadamerian concepts, it explores TEK's potential to foster identity development through transformative ideas like 'becoming mosses,' sustainability, and decolonization. The findings propose an innovative framework that bridges Indigenous and Western knowledge systems, advancing ecological and educational practices. The research objectives are to investigate the trends and challenges in applying TEK to science education and implementing decolonial approaches in classrooms. Additionally, this study examines the implications and strategies of Gadamer's hermeneutics for incorporating TEK into teacher education as a vital component for enhancing science education and decolonial educational practice. The methodology adopted in this thesis includes a literature review/research synthesis. This method is used to analyze TEK within the context of teacher education. The analysis demonstrates that integrating TEK into science education, guided by Gadamer's hermeneutics, redefines science as a cultural entity and encourages teachers to develop a decolonial understanding. TEK bridges Indigenous and Western knowledge systems, addressing systemic challenges and fostering ethical collaborations. Gadamerian strategies, including Inquisitive Literacy, Experiential Insight, and Aesthetic Sensitivity, offer practical frameworks for teacher education, empowering non-Indigenous educators to navigate cultural divides and advance inclusive, sustainable education. The findings underscore the Eco-Pilgrim as an ideal model in TEK education, particularly through practices of living the land and embodying local TEK. Furthermore, this framework emphasizes pluralism and context-specific engagement. It integrates the concepts of 'becoming localized,' 'becoming indigenized,' and 'becoming Indigenous,' offering pathways for educators to cultivate ethical, ecological, and cultural understanding. In doing so, it bridges Indigenous and Western knowledge systems while promoting sustainability and inclusive, decolonial educational practice. The thesis introduces the concept of 'becoming mosses,' rooted in Indigenous understanding, to integrate key ideas such as Gadamer's Hermeneutics, TEK, and decolonization into a transformative framework for teacher education. By addressing sustainability and decolonial equity, it bridges Indigenous and Western knowledge systems, nurturing inclusivity and ecological responsibility.

Text

2025-06-11

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/91333

Education

University of British Columbia

UBCO

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/