Way finding: envisioning a culturally responsive educational system for Chuuk State, Federated States of Micronesia

Abstract

This qualitative study employed Grounded Theory to identify core cultural themes that may serve to undergird an educational reform movement in Chuuk State. Guiding the research were three questions: (1) How do Chuukese educational stakeholders evaluate their experiences with Chuukese education? (2) What do Chuukese educational stakeholders consider to be central Chuukese values, practices and knowledge that could guide education in Chuuk? (3) How might incorporation of Chuukese values, practices and knowledge inform educational practice in Chuuk? Research participants included six males and five females, 29 to 83 years old whose geographic, gender, educational levels, and social roles (e.g., education leaders, government officials, church leaders, traditional cultural leaders, parents and students) were representative of the Chuukese people. Participants lived in Hawaii, but spoke Chuukese and most graduated from schools in Chuuk. Methods included individual interviews followed by a focus group discussion to verify and validate accuracy of numerous themes emerging from individual interviews. The focus group allowed further categorization into three major themes: individual learner, learning environment, and school system. From the focus group discussions and the major themes an over-arching theory emerged. Fairo is Chuukese sacred knowledge that encompasses all other themes in guiding how a person carries her/himself. It is the overarching theme, a theory that this research suggests may guide school reforms in Chuuk. Fairo as the theory emerged in this study is considered to be the foundation of learning every Chuukese must possess. The study inspires an urgent call to Chuukese people to engage in a national dialogue on educational reform, to document Chuukese culture, and to teach our values, knowledge and practices in our schools