The Use of Indigenous Materials in the Teaching and Learning of Geometry

Abstract

This paper reports on an exploration of grade nine learners’ experiences in the design and construction of double-storey artefacts project at a secondary school in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. The project engaged a process of drawing and construction of those artefacts in a technology education classroom to enhance and inform the teaching of geometry and to allow learners to both reflect and use the Geometry they know as a springboard for further study of Euclidean Geometry. This was qualitative study in which data was collected through observations of artefacts and semi-structured interviews with a purposefully selected sample of five learners. The analysis of data revealed that Geometry taught in a free environment allows learners to reflect and share their experiences for better understanding mathematics concepts.