Meaning of Mapuche Contents Promoted by University Professors in Initial Teacher Education

Abstract

There is a diversity of views on interculturality in the university curriculum, regardless of the educational policies in each country. In the case of Chile, different studies have focused on the importance of Mapuche content for the education of indigenous and non-indigenous people. Hence, the study presented here analyzes the relevance of Mapuche content in Initial Teacher Education (ITE). Using the qualitative-interpretative approach, the experiences of two university professors who have handled undergraduate curriculum of Differential Pedagogy at a university in the Araucania region are evaluated. The content analysis identifies the existence of an epistemic, methodological and legal framework that supports interculturality in teacher education. The results show the set-up of categories and subcategories defining the significance that university professors give to Mapuche contents in the ITE process. The conclusion is the preeminence, in contexts of social and cultural diversity, of an ITE model that emphasizes Western monocultural and homogenizing practices and concepts, while giving little relevance to Mapuche contents, signs, customs, and sociocultural practices.