Aug 2026· Interdisciplinary Journal of Critical Communications· 0 citations· 8 references
Abstract
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education is conventionally treated as a culturally neutral, universal enterprise. This theoretical paper interrogates that assumption and asks how science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education can be rethought beyond dominant Western epistemic traditions. Drawing on decolonial theory, indigenous knowledge scholarship, ethnomathematics, and African philosophy of education, the paper argues that decolonising STEM is not a matter of cosmetic curriculum diversification but of structural epistemological pluralism. Using a critical-hermeneutic engagement with the literature, the study advances a three-level analytic framework: content, pedagogy, and epistemic governance for evaluating decolonial STEM reform, and proposes a pluriversal model in which indigenous knowledge systems, local problem-solving practices, and the plural Western sciences are braided as co-generative starting points for STEM teaching. The paper concludes that genuine decolonisation requires moving from epistemic monoculture to cognitive justice and offers concrete recommendations for curriculum designers, teacher educators, and policymakers in African and other postcolonial contexts.
This essay critically examines the social representations that teachers construct regarding STEM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), arguing that these representations play a decisive role in shaping the implementation of this educational approach in the classroom. From a hermeneutic perspective, it contends that understanding the meanings teachers attribute to STEM education—including their beliefs, perceptions, and pedagogical experiences—is essential for any genuine educational transformation, since no curricular model can become firmly established in practice unless those responsible for its implementation have critically internalized it. The essay further argues that teachers' voices, which are often marginalized in debates on educational innovation, constitute an indispensable epistemological starting point and a necessary condition for the development of pedagogical reforms that are truly context-sensitive. It concludes that teachers' social representations should not be viewed merely as obstacles to change but rather as interpretive resources that, when properly understood, can guide a more coherent, contextualized, and sustainable implementation of the STEM approach in contemporary education.
Maria Tirano· Revista Interdisciplinaria d...· 0 citations
Life sciences education is increasingly expected to address complex socio-environmental challenges, yet classroom practice often remains dominated by transmissive, assessment-driven approaches that marginalise creativity, contextual relevance, and epistemic reflection. This paper argues that a coherent conceptual framework is needed to foreground the shared epistemic foundations of the nature of science (NOS) and science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM), particularly their emphasis on scientific knowledge as tentative, creative, socially negotiated, and culturally embedded. Drawing on illustrative, non-evaluative examples from a professional development intervention, the paper proposes a NOS-STEAM conceptual lens, and a triadic model of knowing-doing-being to support curriculum design, teacher professional development, and assessment in life sciences. This paper offers practical heuristics and policy-relevant insights for advancing rigorous, imaginative, and contextually grounded life sciences education that bridges global scientific frameworks with local knowledge.
L. de Villiers, N. Petersen, J. de Beer· Journal of education· 0 citations
Rationale of Study – Digital mathematics education in Africa continues to reflect predominantly Western epistemological assumptions, creating conditions of epistemic alienation for many learners. This paper argues that integrating Ubuntu principles offers an indigenous knowledge perspective for reimagining the design, delivery, and governance of digital mathematics education.
Methodology – Through conceptual analysis drawing on Ubuntu philosophy, decolonial theory, ethnomathematics, and information and knowledge management scholarship, this paper develops a theoretical framework it names the Ubuntu Digital Mathematics Governance Framework (UDMGF).
Findings – Through conceptual analysis drawing on Ubuntu philosophy, decolonial theory, ethnomathematics, and information and knowledge management scholarship, this paper develops a theoretical framework it names the Ubuntu Digital Mathematics Governance Framework (UDMGF).
Implications – The framework has implications for curriculum designers, educational technology developers, policymakers, and knowledge management scholars working to centre African epistemologies in digital education.
Originality – The paper offers an original conceptual synthesis that positions Ubuntu not merely as a philosophical ideal but as a practical instrument for knowledge governance capable of transforming the architecture and ethics of digital mathematics education in Africa.
T. Age· Regional Journal of Informat...· 0 citations
The curricular resignification of the Community Ethnoeducational Project (PEC) in primary education institutions cannot be understood as a technical adjustment of the curriculum, but as a historical dispute over the meaning of school, over who produces legitimate knowledge and for which lives they become teachable. Based on a critical analysis of literature and references located in the Colombian Caribbean, this article examines how contemporary education reproduces philosophical inertias associated with the coloniality of knowledge and "neutralized" forms of interculturality, while managing difference through policies, curricula and institutional devices that usually oscillate between folklore, segregation and essentialization. It is analyzed how the transition from the Institutional Educational Project (PEI) to the PEC requires recognizing internal tensions (normative frameworks, school culture, management management, evaluation) and external tensions (structural racism, territorial inequality, precariousness of the school-community link), as well as integrating community knowledge not as "annexed contents", but as principles of pedagogical, ethical and political organization of the curriculum.
Torres Pérez-María, D. Carmen· Journal of Intelligent Decis...· 0 citations
While Education 4.0 promises to cultivate 21st-century skills like creativity and critical thinking, the reality often falls short. Current frameworks are heavily technocentric, prioritizing digital tools and measurable data over the communal, emotional, and spiritual depth that true learning requires. This paper argues that we can restore balance to this digital shift by looking toward Indigenous Pedagogies (IPs). Far from being “obsolete” relics of the past, these are sophisticated, arts-based systems rooted in storytelling, ritual, and land-based creation that can offer a creative blueprint for the human-centered goals that Education 4.0 claims to value. Through a qualitative synthesis, I deconstruct modern educational models to show how ancestral wisdom can actually serve as a vital evolution for our "postdigital" future. This work introduces the ABIP Model, a framework that braids ancient knowledge with digital tools across four key areas: narrative intelligence, land literacy, collaborative performance, and symbolic co-creation. By comparing the unique strengths of different artistic traditions, the study demonstrates how performative and visual arts can practically ground the modern competencies that Education 4.0 aims for. Ultimately, integrating these practices is not a step backward but a necessary step toward an ethical, holistic education. It ensures that as we move through the Fourth Industrial Revolution, our students are future-proofed and remain deeply connected to their humanity and their respective communities.
Andylyn M. Simeon· DLSU Arts Congress Conferenc...· 0 citations
Educational institutions worldwide are increasingly embracing curriculum reform through the integration of Indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) and technology, informed by their transformative impact on teaching, learning, and pedagogical practices. However, socioeconomic disparities and limited teaching resources encountered in the rural settings of the Global South, such as South Africa, hinder this transformation. IKS and technology offer a compelling opportunity to rethink mathematics education in ways that embrace global innovations while adapting to local contextual realities. Yet, there is limited empirical evidence on teacher preparedness, specifically how mathematics teachers' demographic, contextual, and professional training influences their ability to integrate technology and pedagogical indigenisation for mathematics curriculum transformation. Hence, this paper sought to examine how mathematics teachers can reimagine curriculum transformation through pedagogical indigenisation and technology in rural South African mathematics classrooms. To accomplish this exploration, the paper draws on data gathered from 95 purposively sampled respondents. We used a quantitative approach focusing on a survey questionnaire, guided by the positivist paradigm and underpinned by the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework and Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), and data analysis was achieved through the aid of descriptive and inferential statistics. The results showed that teachers exhibit different degrees of TPACK and TAM dynamics, mediated by demographics, professional backgrounds, and context-specific characteristics. The findings lead us to argue that the transformation of the mathematics curriculum is dependent on effective, inclusive, and sustainable teacher training that foregrounds both technological fluency and cultural responsiveness. This study contributes to curriculum reform discourse by emphasizing the need for teacher preparation programs that address the complex, evolving, and context-sensitive nature of teachers' TPACK.
Makhosi Madimabe-Mofokeng, Heloise Sathorar, W. D. Nubia· Journal of education· 0 citations