ABSTRACT
The first chapter of this book suggested that “it is neither idealistic nor unrealistic to suggest that we can learn much from non-Western educational traditions.” We have explored and examined a number of non-Western educational traditions in Non-Western Educational Traditions: Indigenous Approaches to Educational Thought and Practice, and are now in a better position to evaluate this claim. In each of the traditions that we have studied, there have been similarities both to other non-Western educational traditions and to our own Western tradition, just as each of the traditions has offered unusual and even unique features. In this final chapter, we look at some of the themes that appear to be fairly common across the different traditions we have examined and try to determine what lessons might be learned from these common themes. We also briefly discuss some of the many non-Western educational traditions that have not been addressed in this book, but that might merit the attention of scholars and educators in the future.
