Ethno-Pedagogy as a Pedagogical Bridge: Traditional Ecological Knowledge as Cultural Resources for Culturally Responsive Teacher Education

DOI

10.2991/978-94-6239-745-3_5How to use a DOI?

Keywords

ethno-pedagogy; traditional ecological knowledge; culturally responsive education; Javanese cultural practices; teacher education First Section

Abstract

Ethno-pedagogy and Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) represent culturally embedded forms of knowledge that can function as critical cultural resources for culturally responsive education. This study proposes an ethno-pedagogical framework for integrating TEK into teacher education through the development of culturally responsive learning materials for pre-service teachers in East Java, Indonesia. Using a qualitative case study approach, data were collected through semi-structured interviews, reflective journals, teaching materials, and field observations of local cultural practices and rituals, including bersih desa and nyadran. Thematic analysis reveals that pre-service teachers perceive ethno-pedagogy as a pedagogical bridge between scientific knowledge and locally embedded ecological practices, enabling the integration of cognitive (knowledge synthesis), affective (cultural transmission), and behavioral (transformative competence) dimensions of learning. Engagement with TEK as a cultural resource enhances teachers’ cultural sensitivity, ecological literacy, and capacity to design contextually meaningful educational materials. The findings highlight the role of ethno-pedagogy in strengthening culturally responsive education by embedding local knowledge systems within formal learning contexts. The study suggests that teacher education programs should position ethno-pedagogy as a core pedagogical competency for mediating between formal curricula and indigenous knowledge, thereby reinforcing the social, cultural, and ethical foundations of education.

Copyright

© 2026 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if you modified the licensed material. You do not have permission under this license to share adapted material derived from this chapter or parts of it.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Hafis Muaddab
AU  - Khudrotun Nafisah
AU  - Muhammad Wahyu Ariyanto
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/24
TI  - Ethno-Pedagogy as a Pedagogical Bridge: Traditional Ecological Knowledge as Cultural Resources for Culturally Responsive Teacher Education
BT  - Proceedings of the International Conference on Research, Innovation, Sustainability, and Educations (IRISECON 2026)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 53
EP  - 65
SN  - 3091-4442
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6239-745-3_5
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6239-745-3_5
ID  - Muaddab2026
ER  -