Empowered Voices: Rethinking and Reclaiming Pedagogy in Indigenous Contexts

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Wednesday 1:45 pm - Gold 2

Session Type: Roundtable Session

Abstract

The importance of new teaching methods in Indigenous settings is highlighted by the 2026 AERA Presidential Program Theme, “Unforgetting Histories and Imagining Futures.” This theme encourages educators and researchers to examine the links between the past, present, and future, as emphasized by thought leaders like Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o and Nick Estes. Recognizing that historical stories shape how the future is envisioned, the presenters will discuss empowering Indigenous communities to reclaim their stories and develop educational practices that reflect their unique cultures. This work stresses that redefining the future as a collective effort allows those who are usually marginalized in education to claim their agency and creativity.

Sub Unit

• SIG-Indigenous Peoples of the Pacific and Beyond

Chair

• Jeffrey Chun-Lum, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa

Papers

• Teaching Through Story, Learning Through Life: Aʻo and Ako as Indigenous Pedagogical Approaches - Jerusha Nanea Puanani Magalei, Brigham Young University - Hawaii

• Designing and Implementing Indigenous Knowledge Curricula: A Case Study of the Amis People in Taiwan - HUI MIN CHOU, National Academy for Educational Research; Shu-Huei Yen, Rong-Shan AI Education Application and Promotion Association

• Reducing Inequality in STEM Through Broadened Participation - Sharon Nelson-Barber, WestEd

• A Consideration of Artistic Expressions of Younger Generations in Educational Setting - Yuki Takatori, Toyo University

Discussant

• Julie L. Kaomea, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa