International Journal of Ethnoscience and Technology in Education
Vol. 3 No. 2 (2026): September

How Science Teachers Translate Indigenous Knowledge into Classroom Science: A Qualitative Study in Lombok, Indonesia

Bahtiar Bahtiar (Department of Physics Education, Universitas Islam Negeri Mataram, Mataram, INDONESIA)
Zulkarnaen Zulkarnaen (Department of Physics Education, Universitas Mulawarman, Samarinda, INDONESIA)
Ibrahim Ibrahim (Elementary School Teacher Education, University of Mataram, INDONESIA)
Wirawan Fadli (Science Education Department, Institut Agama Islam Negeri Ponorogo, Ponorogo, INDONESIA)
Hisbulloh Als Mustofa (Faculty of Science and Mathematics, Sultan Idris Education University, Perak, MALAYSIA)



Article Info

Publish Date
11 Sep 2026

Abstract

This study investigated how science teachers in Lombok, Indonesia, translate Indigenous knowledge from community contexts into classroom science. A qualitative multiple-case design involved 15 science teachers from West, Central, and East Lombok. Data were generated through semi-structured interviews, 26 instructional documents, classroom observations of seven selected teachers, and researcher field memos. Iterative coding, within-case analysis, cross-case comparison, and triangulation were used to analyze the data. The findings revealed six interconnected translation processes: accessing, selecting, interpreting, negotiating, transforming, and representing Indigenous knowledge. Three epistemic positions emerged: contextual bridging, epistemic restraint, and scientific privileging. Pedagogical translation varied from deep to limited or illustrative forms, with one discrepant case. Importantly, epistemic positioning and pedagogical depth were related but distinct dimensions of teacher practice. Classroom enactment generally progressed from familiar local experiences to inquiry or analysis, scientific interpretation, and epistemic comparison. These findings conceptualize Indigenous knowledge integration as a recursive, teacher-mediated translation process and provide an empirical framework for examining culturally responsive and epistemically attentive science teaching.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

ijete

Publisher

Subject

Education Other

Description

The International Journal of Ethnoscience and Technology in Education (IJETE) is a peer-reviewed, open-access journal dedicated to the exploration and integration of ethnoscience and technology in educational contexts. Ethnoscience, the study of how different cultures understand and interact with ...