Self-Determined Learning in a Multicultural Context of Teacher Education

Abstract

This theoretical–conceptual article examines the ongoing challenges of teacher education in multicultural contexts, focusing on the tension between uniform, mandatory curricula and the needs and identities of diverse cultural groups. The central problem discussed is that contemporary pedagogical structures, often grounded in a hegemonic cultural framework and in a disciplinary canon perceived as “objective,” create barriers, exclusion, and inequality for minority groups in teacher education. This article aims to critically examine the suitability of traditional pedagogical models for multicultural teacher education and to propose a principled alternative based on self-determined learning (heutagogy) as an alternative educational paradigm. The analysis draws on theoretical and philosophical literature in the philosophy of education, multicultural education, and theories of knowledge and learning, juxtaposing approaches that emphasize a binding disciplinary canon—commonly associated with conservative-liberal thought—with critiques that challenge its authority, objectivity, and universality. The article’s central proposal is the adoption of heutagogy in multicultural teacher education—an approach that places the learner at the center and enables students to define their learning pathways, research questions, and knowledge sources in accordance with their cultural and social contexts. Within this framework, “melting pot” conceptions and standardized curricula are rejected in favor of fostering an equitable, reflexive, and culturally responsive educational environment. The article concludes that implementing heutagogy in multicultural teacher education is not merely a pedagogical–technical move but requires a conscious philosophical and value-based choice between learner-centered educational models emphasizing autonomy and cultural pluralism, and society-centered models grounded in a shared knowledge canon and disciplinary authority.