Embedding Indigenous food knowledge in the Home Economics Curriculum - a tale of transformation in Taiwan

Following the 2019 amendment to Taiwan’s Education Act for Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous education was extended to all students under 18 and embedded as a priority within national curriculum guidelines. However, limited professional development and planning time have constrained classroom implementation, particularly within Home Economics (HE). HE teachers appear hesitant to integrate Indigenous Food Knowledge (IFK), reflecting broader international challenges in contextualising Indigenous knowledge in formal education. Using grounded theory and a mixed qualitative design (survey, interviews, and World Café workshop), this study examines how HE teachers and Indigenous education experts engage with IFK. Analysis, guided by socioecological theory and Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK), identifies multi-level barriers and informs system-level recommendations.