Senior phase technology teachers’ integration of indigenous creative design processes in systems and control

Abstract

The body of literature in this study shows that the conceptualisation of Technology in comparison with other subjects, was first in the Western contexts and infiltrated the non- Western contexts ultimately, which are generally described as indigenous. In addition, Technology changes concomitant to human needs due to societal developments. In South Africa, the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) is informed by the human rights principles on one hand, and the dominant Western knowledge systems that front the development of the Technology and its curriculum. The principle of valuing indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) in CAPS traced through the aspect of indigenous technology in the technology, society and environment strand plays a pivotal role in this study. It is in this light that this qualitative case study investigated how Senior Phase Technology teachers integrate IKS in the creative design process activities when teaching Systems and Control content. The study was grounded in the situated learning theory and its augmenting theories of legitimate peripheral participation, community of practice and cognitive apprenticeship which contributed to shaping the data collection protocol. The study was conducted in Ehlanzeni and Nkangala districts of Mpumalanga province. Twelve (12) Senior Phase Technology teachers who consisted of six (6) novices and six (6) experienced teachers, four (4) learners, and two (2) curriculum advisors were purposively selected to participate in the study. Data were mainly collected through semi- structured interviews, document analysis and observations, which were analysed thematically. Six (6) themes emerged, which are (1) Technology teacher’s understanding of IKS; (2) Opportunities that the third IKS-inspired specific aim presents; (3) Technology teachers’ attempt to integrate IKS; (4) Learners’ grasp of the integration of IKS; (5) The kind of support that subject specialists give to teachers; and (6) The framework for the effective integration of IKS. This study established that much needs to be done to guide the integration of IKS in creative design activities in the teaching of Systems and Control. There is also a need for the Department of Basic Education (DBE) in Mpumalanga to provide systematic support and train teachers toward the integration of IKS in creative design process activities in Systems and Control. This study also identified content knowledge, context, curriculum support, curriculum materials, formation of a community of practice, IKS and classroom practice as the key aspects in the realisation of the effective integration of IKS in Technology. These aspects form the basis of the contribution of the study, which is a model for the integration of IKS in Technology (5Cs-IKS-1C).

Umzimba womtlolo wobukghwari (literature) kulelirhubhululo ukhombisa ukuthi ukwakhiwa komqondo wegama leThekinoloji, nakumadaniswa nezinye iimfundo, lokhu kwakhiwa kwenzeka kokuthoma ngaphasi kobujamo beTjingalanga bese ekugcineni barhatjhekela ebujameni beendawo ezingasizo zeTjingalanga, okuziindawo ezivame ukuhlathululwa njengezendabuko. Ukungezelela kilokhu, iThekinoloji itjhuguluka ngokukhambisana neendingo zabantu ngenca yeentuthuko zemiphakathi. Esewula Afrika, isiTtatimende soMthethomgomo weKharikhyulamu nokuHlola (CAPS) sakhiwa migomo yezamalungelo wobuntu, ngakelinye ihlangothi, kanti amasistimu abusako welwazi leTjingalanga lawo asekela ukuthuthukiswa kwesifundo seThekinoloji kanye nekharikhyulamu yaso. Umgomo wokuhlonipha amasistimu welwazi (IKS) lendabuko ku-CAPS, okumgomo osuka emqondweni wethekinoloji yendabuko kezethekinoloji, emphakathini kanye nakezebhoduluko, udlala indima eqakathekileko kulesisifundo serhubhululo. Kungenca yalokhu ukobana isibonelorhubhululo (case study) esikhwalitheyithivu senziwa ngehloso yokuvumbulula ukuhlanganiswa kweThekinoloji yaboTitjhere ku-Senior Phase kanye ne-IKS emisebenzini emalungana nehlelo ledizayini yobukghwari bengcondo lokhu okuyindikimba yamaSistimu kanye nekhonthroli. Irhubhululo lalendlalwe ngaphasi kwethiyori yefundo esendaweni ethize kanye nakumathiyori wesimanjemanje/wagadesi wehlelo elisemthethweni elikhambisana nalokhu kanye nokukhombisa ngezenzo okucatjangwa ngengqondo kanye negama lesiqhema sabantu bomnqopho ofanako (community of practice), lokhu okufake igalelo ekwakhiweni kwekambiso emalungana nokubuthelelwa kwedatha. Irhubhululo lenziwa kumadistriki weHlanzeni neNkangala eMpumalanga. Abotitjhere abalisuminambili (12) besifundo seThekinoloji eliku-Senior Phase, abakhambisana nabotitjhere abasithandathu (6) abasafundako kanye nabotitjhere abanelwazi abasithandathu (6), abafundi abane (4) kanye nabayelelisi ababili (2) bekharikhyulamu bakhethwe ngomnqopho wokobana bazibandakanye kurhubhululo. Idatha ibuthelelwe ikakhulukazi ngokusebenzisa amahlolombuzo aziingcenyembili (semi-structured interviews), ukutsengwa komtlolo kanye nokufunda ngokuqalisisa atsengwe ngokwendikimba. Iindikimba ezisithandathu (6) zivele ehlelweni lokutsengwa kwedatha. Iindikimba zibe ngendlela elandelako: (1) Ukuzwisisa i-IKS botitjhere beThekinoloji; (2) amathuba lawo athulwa mnqopho othileko we-IKS; (3) Umzamo wabotitjhere bethekinoloji wokuhlanganisa i-IKS; (4) Indlela abafundi abazwisisa ngayo ihlelo lokuhlanganiswa kwe-IKS; (5) Umhlobo wesekelo lelo abosolwazi beemfundo abalinikela abotitjhere; kanye (6) nesakhiwo sokuhlanganiswa kuhle kwe-IKS. Leli rhubhululo lafumana bona kunengi okufanele kwenziwe ukukhombisa indlela yokuhlanganiswa kwe-IKS emisebenzini yedizayini enobukghwari bengcondo ekufundisweni kwelwazi elimunyethwe lihlelo lamaSistimu kanye nokuLawula. Begodu kunesidingo sokuthi uMnyango weFundo eSisekelo (DBE) eMpumalanga unikele abotitjhere isekelo lesistimu kanye nebandulo eliqaliswe ekuhlanganisweni kwe-IKS emisebenzini emalungana nehlelo lezedizayini enobukghwari bengcondo kundawana yelwazi elimunyethwe maSistimu kanye nokuLawula. Lelirhubhululo begodu lihlukanise ilwazi elimunyethwe ngaphakathi, ubujamo/isizinda, isekelo lekharikhyulamu, amatheriyali wekharikhyulamu, ukwakhiwa kwesiqhema somnqopho ofanako, i-IKS kanye nekambiso yezinto ezenziwa ngematlasini njengezinto eziqakathekileko ekufikeleleni/ekuphumeleleni ihlelo elihlangeneko le-IKS kezeThekinoloji. Lezi zinto zakha isizathu sokuba negalelo lelo elenziwa lirhubhululo, okuyimodeli yokuhlanganiswa kwe-IKS kuThekinoloji (5Cs-IKS-1C).

Indzikimba yelitheretja kulolucwaningo ikhombisa kutsi kucatjangelwa kweTheknoloji, uma kuchatsaniswa naletinye tifundvo, kwenteka kucala etimeni taseNshonalanga futsi kugcinwa kungene etimweni lekungetona taseNshonalanga, letivame kuchazwa njengetemdzabu. Ngetulu kwaloko, Itheknoloji intjintja ngekuhambisana netidzingo tebantfu ngenca yentfutfuko yemphakatsi. ENingizimu Afrika, Sitatimende Senchubomgomo Yeluhlelo Lwetifundvo Nekuhlola (ema-CAPS) sisekelwe emigomeni yemalungelo ebantfu, ngakulolunye luhlangotsi, kanye netinhlelo telwati lwaseNshonalanga letihamba phambili letingumgogodla wekutfutfukiswa kwesifundvo seTheknoloji kanye nekharikhulamu yaso, ngakulolunye. Umgomo wekwatisa tinhlelo telwati lwendzabuko (i-IKS) ku-CAPS, ulandzelwa ngekwembono wetheknoloji yendzabuko kutheknoloji, umphakatsi kanye nemvelo, ubambe lichaza lelibalulekile kulolucwaningo. Kungenca yalesizatfu lapho kwentiwa khona lucwaningo lwekhwalithi lwekuhlola kuhlanganiswa kwabothishela beSigaba Lesisetulu Setheknoloji se-IKS emisebentini lehlobene nenchubo yekuhlela yekusungula nangabe kufundziswa ikhethenti ye-Systems and Control. Lucwaningo belusekelwe kuthiyori yekufundza lokusendzaweni kanye nethiyori lehambisanako yekubamba lichaza lokusemtsetfweni nekuceceshwa kwengcondvo kanye nemcondvo welicembu lelinenshisekelo lefanako, lofake ligalelo ekulolongeni iphrothokholi yekugcogcwa kwedatha. Lucwaningo lwentiwe etigodzini taseHlanzeni naseNkangala eMpumalanga. Bothishela labalishumi nakubili (12) beSigaba Lesisetulu seTheknoloji, lokuhlanganisa bothishela labasacalako labasitfupha (6) nabothishela labanesipiliyoni labasitfupha (6), bafundzi labane (4) kanye nebaluleki bekharikhulamu lababili (2) labakhetfwe ngenhloso yekubamba lichaza elucwaningweni. Imininingwane igcogcwe ikakhulukati ngetingcogco letingahleleki kahle, kuhlatiya imibhalo kanye nekubukwa futsi yahlatiywa ngekwengcikitsi. Tindzikimba letisitfupha (6) tivele ekuhlatiyweni kwedatha. Letindzikimba betingalendlela: (1) Kuvisisa kwabothishela kwetheknoloji ye-IKS; (2) ematfuba laletfwa yinhloso letsite ye-IKS; (3) umtamo wabothishela beTheknoloji wekuhlanganisa i-IKS; (4) kuvisisa kwebafundi ngekuhlanganiswa kwe-IKS; (5) luhlobo lwelusito lwabocwepheshe betifundvo labaluniketa bothishela; kanye (6) neluhlaka lwekuhlanganiswa ngemphumelelo kwe-IKS. Lolucwaningo lwatfola kutsi kunyenti lokufanele kwentiwe kute kucondziswe kuhlanganiswa kwe-IKS emisebentini yekuhlela lokusungulako ekufundziseni ikhothenti ye-Systems and Control. Kunesidzingo futsi sekutsi Litiko Letemfundvo Lesisekelo (i-DBE) eMpumalanga linikete bothishela lusito loluhlelekile nekuceceshwa lokuhloselwe kuhlanganiswa kwe-IKS emisebentini lehlobene nenchubo yekuhlela endzaweni yekhothenti ye-Systems and Control. Lolucwaningo luphindze lwatfola lwati lwekhothenti, ingcikitsi, lusito lwekharikhulamu, imethiriyeli yekharikhulamu, kwakhiwa kwelicembu lelinenshisekelo lefanako, i-IKS kanye nekutijwayeta kwaseklasini njengetici letibalulekile ekufezekisweni kwekuhlanganiswa ngemphumelelo kwe-IKS kuTheknoloji. Letici takha sisekelo seligalelo lelentiwa lucwaningo, lokusibonelo sekuhlanganiswa kwe-IKS kuTheknoloji (5Cs-IKS-1C).