From field to classroom

Abstract

The current South African physical sciences curriculum for grades 10–12 encourages teachers to integrate Indigenous Knowledge (IK) into their teaching. By doing so, it is hoped that this would contextualise and make science relevant to learners. However, the contradiction is that IK is hardly discussed in the curriculum, and there are no clear guidelines on how to integrate it. It is against this background that in this study, I used traditional maize seed ploughing practices to support Grade 10 Physical Sciences learners from a rural school to argue and make sense of the conservation of mechanical energy. This study is underpinned by the interpretivist and Indigenous research paradigms. Within the Indigenous research paradigm, I focused on the Ubuntu perspective. A qualitative case study research design was employed, and the study was conducted at Dimpe Secondary School (pseudonym) in the Waterberg District of the Limpopo Province. Fifteen Grade 10 Physical Sciences learners and four Indigenous Knowledge Custodians (IKCs) were participants in this study. In addition, a physical sciences teacher was a critical friend who offered insights and feedback throughout the research process. Data generation methods involved group activities, focus group interviews (sharing circles), observations (participatory and lesson observations), and learners’ reflective journals. A thematic approach to data analysis was employed and concepts from Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory were used. The findings of the study revealed that during the IKCs’ demonstrations, learners were able to identify science concepts related to the conservation of mechanical energy. Moreover, learners’ argumentation and sense making of the conservation of mechanical energy and related concepts greatly improved. Based on these research findings, I thus recommend that teachers should tap into IKCs’ cultural heritage to contextualise science to make it relevant and more meaningful to learners.