ERIC Number: EJ1298163
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021
Pages: 15
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1648-3898
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Pedagogical Model for Decolonising, Indigenising and Transforming Science Education Curricula: A Case of South Africa
Journal of Baltic Science Education, v20 n1 p93-107 2021
In Africa, Science education curricula have been instrumental in promoting Western worldviews as being universal. An educational transformation and decolonisation of the school curriculum is required. A focus on an African worldview and an integration of the local context and community-based information is necessary for survival, i.e., Indigenous Knowledge System (IKS). While IKS is enshrined in the schooling curriculum, Educators experience challenges with implementing it, because the pedagogical strategies have not been clearly described. An in-depth qualitative study was conducted with the Indigenous Knowledge (IK) holders of the Zulu cultural group and Senior High School (SHS) Science teachers to explore how IK on environmental sustainability could be taught in South African science classrooms. The research employed an interpretivist, multisite ethnographic, qualitative approach, and naturalistic research style. In-depth interviews were used to generate data from the purposively selected community persons. The thematically analysed findings were used to develop a culturally specific pedagogical model on how to teach IK in science classrooms: touring cultural places; demystifying indigenous practices and perception; utilizing indigenous pedagogies; teaching wisdom behind indigenous practices etc. The research recommends that future studies be conducted on applying the model in different geographical and cultural schooling contexts.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Teaching Methods, Science Education, Curriculum Development, Culturally Relevant Education, Indigenous Knowledge, African Culture, High School Teachers, Science Teachers, Indigenous Populations, Sustainability, Cultural Maintenance, School Community Relationship, Computer Oriented Programs, Educational Technology, Technology Uses in Education, Cultural Awareness
Scientia Socialis Ltd. 29 K. Donelaicio Street, LT-78115 Siauliai, Republic of Lithuania. e-mail: scientia@scientiasocialis.lt; e-mail: mail.jbse@gmail.com; Web site: http://www.scientiasocialis.lt/jbse/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: High Schools; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: South Africa
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A