Teachers' indigenous knowledge awareness and how to implement it in teaching and learning sciences in South African schools
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2021
Authors
Kigozi, Flavia
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
This study aimed to elicit Life and Physical Sciences teacher’s awareness of Indigenous
Knowledge (IK) and how they use it in the teaching and learning of their classrooms. This is
because South Africa has one of the most unequal education systems with racist, sexist, and
outdated content in its curricula. As such, the goal of the current curricula policy documents
for Life Sciences and Physical Sciences: National Curriculum Statement (NCS)/ Curriculum
Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) is to redress the injustices left behind by apartheid and
enhance westernized science concepts to the previously disadvantaged learners. The
documents recommend that science teachers engage with learners in ways that value their IK
so that learners may apply this knowledge and skills in ways that are meaningful to their daily
lives. Additionally, the policy documents inform teachers that some IK concepts lend
themselves to explanation using scientific methods. This study explored FET science
teachers’ IK awareness and interrogated how they implement IK concepts in their teaching
and learning. A qualitative case study approach, as well as theoretical frameworks, were
used. The theoretical frameworks included social constructivism theories -Vygotsky’s social
development theory, Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), More Knowledgeable Other
(MKO), Jean’s Piaget’s theory of cognitive development-, border-crossing, collateral
learning, situated learning, and culturally relevant pedagogy.
Further Education and Training (FET) science teachers were purposively selected to
participate in the study. Data were collected from Physical and Life Sciences teachers, first in
the form of questionnaires and then later to gain deeper insight from the questionnaire
analyses, semi-structured interviews were conducted with selected participants. Thematic
content analysis was used to analyse data from which themes were developed, that answered
the research questions. The findings were that teachers defined IK as cultural and place-
3
based, they also placed deep value on it. Furthermore, they had a positive attitude toward
Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS), and some integrated it into their science teaching
using methods such as argumentation during classroom discussions. However, given the
challenges teachers have, integration does not translate into an implemented practice in the
classroom that would accomplish the intended curriculum set out for IKS. This study is
significant because it centres around teachers, their classroom practices, and their local
(indigenous) knowledge. The results furnished information regarding teachers’ cultural
awareness, which is the cornerstone of IK integration in science classrooms. Findings from
this study may, in some ways, contribute to the production of appropriate learning materials
for curriculum developers as they expand on IKS learning materials for science classrooms.
Description
A dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Science to the Faculty of Science, School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2021