Culturally Responsive Science Pedagogy in Asia: Status and Challenges for Malaysia, Indonesia and Japan

Science  learning, for many, is often seen as learning a culture of science  knowledge and practices that is incongruent from one’s everyday  experiences and cultural background of learners. This edited volume  presents a systemic view of the current initiatives and challenges for  the inclusion of culturally responsive science pedagogy (CRSP) in  non-Western and multicultural contexts in three Asian countries –  Malaysia, Indonesia and Japan.

Split into three  parts, the book examines the history and current educational systems,  curriculums and sociocultural diversities in each country, offering an  updated review of equity in education. It reflects and expands on the  role of CRSP in diverse societies before going into case studies that  feature the experiences of teachers in implementing CRSP in Malaysia,  Indonesia and Japan. These snapshots reflect the multiple ways equity is  addressed in the teaching and learning of science in these Asian  countries, allowing readers to extrapolate the possible challenges and  best practices for designing and implementing CRSP in practice. The  final section examines how these findings provide a sustainable platform  for building capacity in understanding the cultural complexities and  realities of recruiting and retaining diverse students into science.

One  of few books to investigate the role of CRSP in diverse societies in  Malaysia, Indonesia and Japan, this book makes a unique contribution to  the field of science education with reference to culturally responsive  pedagogy. Its strategies and solutions serve as an important  comprehensive reference for researchers and science teacher educators.