Integrating Indigenous and Local Knowledge into sustainability education using participatory, multicultural approaches fosters social justice, enhances student learning outcomes, and contributes to addressing sustainability challenges

This systematic literature review by Druker-Ibáñez and Cáceres-Jensen explores how Indigenous and Local Knowledge (ILK) is being integrated into sustainability and environmental education. The authors analyzed 20 empirical articles published between 2016 and 2020 that linked ILK and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD).

The reviewed studies demonstrated different approaches to integrating ILK into ESD. Unidirectional approaches involve schools deciding what ILK to incorporate to complement their curricula, while bidirectional approaches articulate both Western and local frames of reference in structuring educational experiences, allowing ILK perspectives to establish what knowledge is culturally-relevant.

The research demonstrated that integrating ILK had positive effects on students' learning, identity, motivation, and appreciation of both ILK and scientific knowledge. Active pedagogies focused on students' abilities to construct meaningful, culturally-relevant learning were key for successful integration. Furthermore, the studies highlighted specific ILK features that could improve ESD if integrated, such as:

• The collective, collaborative nature of ILK learning processes
• ILK's dynamic nature
• ILK’s holistic, integrated worldview
• The general notions of respect for nature, people and spirituality, that is grounded in solidarity and interconnectedness, that ILK brings

An example of this is Rioux, Ewing, and Cooper (2018), who conducted an Action Research project in an Australian Aboriginal Montessori secondary school. They effectively articulated local and Western views on zoological classification and animal anatomy by combining culturally-meaningful activities (like hunting and cooking a culturally relevant animal) with classroom laboratory activities. This bidirectional approach strengthened students' Aboriginal identities and their identities as science students. Rahmawati and Ridwan (2017) integrated ethno-chemistry into a Culturally Responsive Teaching approach in Indonesia. This longitudinal study found that the project created opportunities for developing collaborative abilities, empathy, communication, and higher-order thinking skills. Students reported improvements in critical thinking about their identities and character development.

The main challenges identified included participants' difficulty moving across different cultural frames of reference, and lack of resources and institutional support for ILK integration. However, participatory methodologies involving community members throughout the integration process were found to improve viability.

The authors conclude that integrating ILK into ESD in a bidirectional way, using participatory methods, can support decolonization and foster epistemological justice – i.e. making knowledge equitable and representative of both Indigenous and Western culture. This approach allows ILK meanings and practices to be in dialogue with Western scientific knowledge without losing cultural integrity. The articulation between these knowledge systems is crucial for robustly addressing current sustainability challenges. The review provides a helpful synthesis for educators and researchers looking to develop ILK integration initiatives that expand students' ways of understanding and acting for a sustainable future.