Teachers' indigenous knowledge awareness and how to implement it in teaching and learning sciences in South African schools

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 This is because South Africa has one of the most unequal education systems with racist, sexist, and outdated content in its curricula.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.