A pedagogy for technology education : an indigenous perspective

Abstract

The promotion of Afrocentric education is a current issue in Africa. This study aimed to establish the role of indigenous knowledge (IK) in the development of Senior Phase learners' design skills in Technology Education (TE). The study was guided by the constructivist theory, which is based on the assumption that prior learning can play a role in learning. When learning new things in a TE class, learners can benefit from their daily experiences in deriving meaning. Three schools from the Vhembe district in Limpopo Province participated in this study. The purposive sampling technique was used to select Technology teachers, heads of departments, TE specialists, learners and parents from these schools to participate in the study. Data were collected by way of individual and focus group interviews, participant observations and the analysis of documents and artifacts. The findings revealed that IK can increase learners' understanding and acquisition of design skills. However, this study revealed that the integration of IK can be hampered by factors such as the teachers' inability to use indigenous artifacts, the use of unvaried assessment methods, and a negative attitude towards culturally relevant pedagogy and IK. This study ultimately contributed an indigenous knowledge-based design process (IKBDP). Unlike the current conventional approach, an IKBDP has the potential to transform the teaching of Technology, thereby giving recognition to IK and accommodating learners from indigenous backgrounds.

Ku yisa emahlweni dyondzo yo vona swilo hi tihlo ra Xiafrika, i mhaka leyi nga le mahlweni eAfrika. Ndzavisiso lowu wu na xikongomelo xa ku vona ndzima ya vutivi bya ndhavuko ku nga indigenoous knowledge (IK) eka nhluvuko wa vadyondzi va xiyimo xa le henhla hi swikili swa dizayini ya dyondzo ya theknoloji ku nga Technology Education (TE). Ndzavisiso wu leteriwe hi constructivist theory, leyi yi seketeriweke hi mianakanyo kumbe vonelo ra leswo dyondzo leyi vanhu va taka na yona ya khale (prior learning) yi nga tlanga ndzima eku dyondzeni. Loko ku dyondziwa leswintshwa eka klasi ya TE, vadyondzi va nga vuyeriwa hi ku landza ntokoto wa vona wa masiku eku kumeni tinhlamuselo. Swikolo swinharhu eka distriki ya Vhembe eka Xifundzhankulu xa Limpopo swi ve na xiavo eka ndzavisiso lowu. Xikongomelo xa thekniki ya ku endla sampuli xi tirhisiwe ku langa mathicara ya Technology, tinhloko ta tindzhawulo, vatokoti va TE, vadyondzi na vatswari eka swikolo leswi va ve na xiavo eka ndzavisiso. Ku hlengeletiwe data eka munhu hi wun'we wun'we na le ka mintlawa ya xikongomelo lexi hi ku endla mimburisano ya ti-interview, ku xiyaxiya leswi swi endliwaka hi vateki va xiavo na nxopanxopo wa tidokumente na swilo leswi swi endliweke hi mavoko (artifacts). Vuyelo bya ndzavisiso byi kombe leswo IK yi nga pfuneta ku twisisa ka vadyondzi na ku kuma swikili swa dizayini. Kambe, ndzavisiso lowu wu kombise leswo ku katsiwa ka IK swi nga kavanyetiwa hi swilo swo fana na ku tsandzeka ka mathicara ku tirhisa swiendliwa swa mavoko swa ndhavuko, ku tirhisiwa ka tindlela to ka ti nga cinciwi ta nkambelo, na mianakanyo leyi nga ri ku leyinene mayelana na ndlela ya madyondziselo na IK. Ndzavisiso lowu ekuheteleleni wu pfunete fambiselo ra leswi vuriwaka indigenous knowledge-based design process (IKBDP). Hi ku hambana na fambiselo ra ntolovelo, IKBDP yi na ntamo wo cinca madyondziselo ya TE, no pfuneta ku amukela IK no angarhela vadyondzi lava va humaku eka fambiselo ra vutivi bya ndhavuko.

Tsweletso ya thuto ya Seaforika ke ntlha e e tsweletseng ga jaana mo Aforika. Maikaelelo a thutopatlisiso e ne e le go lebelela seabe sa kitso ya tshimologo (IK) mo tlhabololong ya bokgoni jwa thadiso jwa barutwana ba Legato le Legolwane mo Thutong ya Thekenoloji (TE). Thutopatlisiso e kaetswe ke tiori e e elang tlhoko ka moo batho ba ikagelang bokao ka gona (constructivist theory), e e ikaegileng ka mogopolo wa gore thuto e e ntseng e le gona e ka nna le seabe mo go ithuteng. Fa barutwana ba ithuta dilo tse dintšhwa mo phaposiborutelong ya TE, ba ka ungwelwa go tswa mo maitemogelong a bona go bona bokao. Dikolo di le tharo go tswa kwa kgaolong ya Vhembe kwa Porofenseng ya Limpopo di nnile le seabe mo thutopatlisisong eno. Go dirisitswe thekeniki ya go tlhopha sampole go ya ka maitlhomo a thutopatlisiso go tlhopha barutabana ba Thekenoloji, ditlhogo tsa mafapha, baitseanape ba TE, barutwana le batsadi go tswa kwa dikolong tseno go nna le seabe mo thutopatlisisong. Data e kokoantswe ka tsela ya go dirisa dipotsolotso tsa batho bongwe ka bongwe le ditlhopha tse di tlhophilweng, go ela bannileseabe tlhoko le tshekatsheko ya dikwalo le dilwana tsa tiro ya diatla. Diphitlhelelo di senotse gore IK e ka oketsa go tlhaloganya ga barutwana le go iponela bokgoni jwa go thadisa. Le fa go le jalo, thutopatlisiso eno e senotse gore go akarediwa ga IK go ka sitisiwa ke dintlha di tshwana le fa barutabana ba sa kgone go dirisa dilwana tsa tiro ya diatla tsa tshimologo, tiriso ya mekgwa ya tlhatlhobo e e sa farologanang, le megopolo e e sa siamang e e lebisiwang kwa katisong e e maleba mo setsong le IK. Kwa bokhutlong, thutopatlisiso eno e tshwaetse ka thulaganyo ya thadiso e e ikaegileng ka kitso ya tshimologo (IKBDP). Go farologana le mokgwa wa tlwaelo, IKBDP e na le kgonagalo ya go ka fetola go rutwa ga TE, mme ka go rialo e lemoga IK le go akaretsa barutwana ba ba nang le lemorago la tsa tshimologo.