Teachers' pedagogical knowledge of integrating indigenous knowledge systems in economics education curriculum
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.38140/ijer-2025.vol7.1.04Keywords:
Economics education, indigenous knowledge systems , pedagogical knowledge, traditional knowledgeAbstract
In South Africa, the movement towards a decolonised curriculum is gaining traction. In contrast to the Western-centric emphasis of school curricula, indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) highlight and utilise indigenous materials and knowledge processes. Several research works have emphasised the importance of IKS and the necessity of incorporating them into South African educational practices in an effective manner. This study aims to assess the pedagogical competency of instructors in integrating IKS into the teaching of economics. The pedagogical competency of economics teachers regarding the incorporation of IKS into economics education was investigated through a qualitative literature review. Sixteen studies were selected following a search conducted in electronic resources such as ResearchGate and Google Scholar. The results of the literature review synthesis were analysed using the content analysis approach in light of the framework for culturally responsive pedagogy. This review identified aspects, including IKS incorporation guidelines, policy reviews, teacher professional development on IKS, development of specific IKS study materials, and IKS knowledge strands, that influence teachers' integration of IKS in economics education. The study's recommendations, based on the findings, suggest that professional development, appropriate content selection training, instructors' competency in using IKS, and IKS integration policies all affect their pedagogical proficiency in the subject. According to the study's findings, the CAPS curriculum document ought to specifically specify which economics topics can be taught using IKS in order to prevent teachers from relying on their own judgment when deciding how to incorporate IKS into their lessons.
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