Implementation of CANA as a Neurohumanistic Pedagogy in Community-Based Inclusive Education: A Qualitative Case Study at Rainbow Children’s Intervention and Learning Center

Abstract

This study explores the implementation of CANA (Collaborative Activation for Nurturing Awareness) as a neurohumanistic pedagogy within a community-based inclusive education ecosystem at Rainbow Children’s Intervention and Learning Center, Malang. While international literature highlights the significance of responsive relationships, professional collaboration, and emotional awareness in learning, limited research examines how these dimensions are integrated into sustained pedagogical practice in local contexts. Using a qualitative case study design, this study analyzes how special education teachers, behavior therapists, and parents construct shared understanding of CANA practices and how their collaborative processes develop through the framework of Community of Practice (CoP). Data were collected through in-depth observations, field notes, learning documentation, and semi-structured interviews with fourteen participants. A deductive analysis approach was employed to examine the five CoP characteristics through daily practitioner interactions. Findings show that CANA not only provides a relational approach that enhances teachers’ conscious presence and quality of teacher–child interactions but also facilitates stable and reflective cross-professional collaboration patterns. Negotiation of goals, shared meaning-making of challenges, and co-development of strategies consistently appeared within team dynamics. The study confirms that CANA functions as a neurohumanistic pedagogical framework that strengthens professional learning culture and enhances intervention quality in community-based inclusive education. Recommendations are proposed for broader implementation in formal schools and for developing CANA-based training modules for educators and therapists.