Examining indigenous perspectives through Self-Study: Tensions and lessons from Sámi education in early childhood teacher education

Integrating Indigenous perspectives into teacher education is increasingly recognised as an ethical and pedagogical responsibility in post-colonial contexts. This self-study explores how early childhood teacher educators develop intercultural competence through sustained engagement with Sámi perspectives in Norwegian teacher education. Drawing on student evaluations, conference feedback, and longitudinal reflective journals, the study examines how teaching practices and professional understandings evolved over time. The analysis identified a growing critical awareness of the limitations of activity-focused teaching and a shift in the authors’ analytical and ethical understanding of their own practice. Emotional discomfort emerged as a key analytic resource, prompting reflection on positionality, authenticity, and the risk of exoticisation when teaching Indigenous content. The study reveals self-study as a rigorous methodology for interrogating taken-for-granted pedagogical practices and connecting theory, reflection, and professional learning. Rather than offering a transferable model, the article provides reflective insights relevant to teacher education programmes engaging Indigenous perspectives internationally.