Integrating Indigenous Practices into the Teaching and Learning of Science: A Study-led Model

Anna Mwnibuabu Naah; Theophilus Acquinas Ossei-Anto; Akwasi Acheampong

doi:10.58905/jse.v6i2.574

Authors

Anna Mwnibuabu Naah Department of Teacher Education, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technolo-gy, Kumasi, AK, Ghana
Theophilus Acquinas Ossei-Anto Department of Teacher Education, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technolo-gy, Kumasi, AK, Ghana
Akwasi Acheampong Department of Chemistry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ku-masi, AK, Ghana

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58905/jse.v6i2.574

Keywords:

Indigenous knowledge practitioners, perspectives, pre-service teachers, indigenous knowledge practice

Abstract

Relating textbook science to socio-cultural practices not only facilitates learning but also makes local practices seem relevant. Models that integrate indigenous practices into the curriculum are crucial. This study was purposed to develop one such model. Its theoretical framework aligned with Vygotsky's concept of the Zone of Proximal Development. It used embedded design-mixed methods within an experiment, complemented by the design-based approach. The target population comprised 41 indigenous practitioners in akpeteshie and pito production and 492 third-year pre-service teachers. The accessible population consisted of 9 active akpeteshie producers, 8 active pito producers, and 312 third-year pre-service teachers, all of whom studied general chemistry. A purposive sampling technique was used to select respondents, with data gathered through interviews, non-participant observation, and a questionnaire. The interview and non-participant observation data were analysed using content analysis, while the questionnaire data were analysed using descriptive statistics. The analysis led to the identification of themes that provided a framework for developing a model for generally integrating indigenous knowledge practices into science teaching. It was recommended that, to facilitate the mainstreaming of indigenous practices into science teaching in Ghanaian schools, curriculum content should be reviewed to align with the model framework.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

S. Shava, The application/role of Indigenous Knowledges in transforming the formal education curriculum for contextual and epistemological relevance: cases from southern Africa. In Msila V.T. and Gumbo, M.T. (Eds.) African-ising the curriculum: indigenous perspectives and theories (Pp.121-139).

Hewson, Claire. "Qualitative approaches in internet-mediated research: Op-portunities, issues, possibilities." The Oxford handbook of qualitative re-search 21, 2014.

C. A. O. Hoppers, Culture, indigenous knowledge and development: The role of the university. Centre for Education Policy Development, 2005.

L. Hikwa & E. Maisiri, Preservation of Indigenous Knowledge through In-digenous Languages in Zimbabwe. In P. Ngulube (Ed.), Handbook of Re-search on Theoretical Perspectives on Indigenous Knowledge Systems in Developing Countries (pp. 289- 309). United State: IGI Global, 2017.

M. I. V. Esquivel, B. Wallace,, A. Mewani, A. Reyes, , V. Marsick, L. Yorks and J. M. Green, Conflict resolution and leadership mindfulness into action (MIA) for cultural humility and awareness (MIA-CHA): Toward ending mi-croaggressions and fostering harmony. In Encyclopedia of Strategic Leadership and Management 71-82, 2017.

D. Sekiwu, F. A.Akena and N. O. Rugambwa, Decolonizing the African uni-versity pedagogy through the integration of African indigenous knowledge and information systems. In Handbook of Research on Transformative and Innovative Pedagogies in Education, 171-188, 2022.

S. Abonyi, L. Achimugu, and M. Njoku, Innovations in science and technol-ogy education: A case for ethnoscience-based science classrooms. Interna-tional Journal of Scientific and Engineering Research, 5(1), 52-56, 2014.

N. Albrecht, and B. Upadhyay, What do refugee mothers want in urban US school science: Learning from the perceptions of science of three Somali mothers. The Urban Review, 50, 604-629, 2018.

C. M. Byrd, Does culturally relevant teaching work? An examination from student perspectives. SAGE Open, 6(3), 1 – 10, 2016.

C. Gervedink Nijhuis, Culturally sensitive curriculum development. In J. Pieters, J. Voogt and N. Pareja Roblin (Eds.), Collaborative Curriculum De-sign for Sustainable Innovation and Teacher Learning (pp 83–101). Swit-zerland: Springer International Publishing, 2019.

L. S. Vygotsky, Mind in Society. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1978.

R. B. Johnson and A. J. Onwuegbuzie (2004). Mixed Methods Research: A Research Paradigm Whose Time Has Come. Educational Researcher, 33(7), 14-26, 2004.

J. W. Creswell, & V. L. Plano Clark, Designing and conducting mixed meth-ods research (2nd Ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 2011.

J. W. Creswell, & J. D. Creswell, Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Sage Publications, 2018.

L. Bowler and A. Large, Design-based research for LIS. Library & Infor-mation Science Research, 30(1), 39-46, 2008.

Parker, Lee. "Qualitative perspectives: Through a methodological lens." Qualitative Research in Accounting & Management, vol. 11, no.1, pp. 13-28, 2014.

L. S. Vygotsky, Thinking and speech. In R. W. Rieber & A. S. Carton (Eds.), The collected works of L. S. Vygotsky, Problems of general psychology (pp. 39–285). New York: Plenum Press, 1987.

Shizha, Edward. "Critical analysis of problems encountered in incorporating indigenous knowledge in science teaching by primary school teachers in Zimbabwe." Alberta Journal of Educational Research, vol. 53, no. 3, 2007.

Thaman, Konai Helu. "Towards cultural democracy in teaching and learning with specific references to Pacific Island Nations (PINs)." International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, vol. 3, No.2, pp. 6. 2009.

Snively, Gloria, and Lorna Wanosts Williams. Knowing home: Braiding in-digenous science with Western science, Book 2. ePublishing Services, University of Victoria Libraries, 2018.

Tsindoli, Silyvier, K. Ongeti, and J. K. Chang’ach. "Integration of existing indigenou knowledge within mathematics curriculum for primary schools in Kenya." International Academic Journal of Social Sciences and Education, vol. 2. No.1, pp. 74-87, 2018.

McLeod, Jonah S., et al. "Quantitative constraints on flood variability in the rock record." Nature Communications, vol. 14. No.1 pp. 3362 2023.