Situating learning in the context of sustainability: Indigenous learning, formal schooling and beyond

Abstract

This paper focuses on learning by a group of Bedouin women in a community in eastern Egypt. It discusses the dynamic nature of indigenous learning, and the adaptability of its patterns and content. It describes how its patterns may yield to modern learning systems, and how traditional knowledge and livelihoods may be lost in the process. It gleans ideas on how traditional and formal learning can meet, situating learning in the larger context of sustainability.

Keywords:

• Indigenous learning
• traditional knowledge
• Bedouin
• formal schooling
• sustainability
• Egypt

Notes

Acknowledgments

The author would like to acknowledge the support of Dr Alan Rogers in the conceptualisation of this paper.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1 This article is focussed on learning of Bedouin women. It does not discuss the details on gendered differences in men’s and women’s learning and lives.

2 All names are pseudonyms.