Barriers to the Inclusion of Indigenous Knowledge Concepts in Teaching, Research, and Outreach

This study was performed to develop and test a theoretical model of the barriers and supports experienced by employees at a major land-grant university that affect their likelihood of incorporating place-based or indigenous knowledge (IK) into their teaching, research, and/or outreach activities. To test this model, we conducted a statewide survey of Penn State faculty at twenty-four campuses and Penn State extension educators from the sixty-seven counties in the commonwealth. The findings from this study suggest that educators' use of IK-related knowledge could be defined as "segmental," as opposed to reflecting a commitment to the intrinsic value of such knowledge. The educators' use of such knowledge was related to academic rank, geographic location of the individual's worksite, peer support received, and the technical or nontechnical nature of the individual's academic discipline.