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.