Detailed Record



Decolonizing Education: Indigenous Teachers’ Understanding of Meaningful Education Practices That Promote the Success of Native American Learners


Abstract Current educational policies and practices rooted in a colonial, Eurocentric curriculum fail to address the learning needs of Indigenous students. This Eurocentric approach is inherently colonial, as it inadequately serves Indigenous learners. Despite this, there is a notable lack of research on education practices that effectively support Native American children. Thus, the primary goal of this collaborative ethnographic study was to explore the perspectives of Indigenous peoples on what they consider meaningful education for Native students. Additionally, the study aimed to identify best practices for educating Native American learners. Last, we examined the factors that facilitate and the challenges faced by teachers of Indigenous students. The findings highlight a strong preference among participants for learner-centered education that is decolonized and proactive in addressing diverse learning challenges on Native American students. The study, therefore, recommends intentional collaboration among all stakeholders to replace Eurocentric curricula with culturally contextualized education.
Authors Lydiah Nganga University of WyomingORCID , John Kambutu University of WyomingORCID , Sergio Maldonado University of WyomingORCID
Journal Info Taylor & Francis | Journal of Research in Childhood Education , pages: 1 - 20
Publication Date 2/27/2025
ISSN 0256-8543
TypeKeyword Image article
Open Access closed Closed Access
DOI https://doi.org/10.1080/02568543.2025.2451055
KeywordsKeyword Image Indigenous Education (Score: 0.49678996) , Native american (Score: 0.43470338)