Indigenous Knowledge in the School Curriculum
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE IN THE SCHOOL CURRICULUM: TEACHER EDUCATOR PERCEPTIONS OF PLACE AND POSITION JANET CHEPCHIRCHIR RONOH DECEMBER 2017 INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE IN THE SCHOOL CURRICULUM: TEACHER EDUCATOR PERCEPTIONS OF PLACE AND POSITION by Janet Chepchirchir Ronoh Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education in the Faculty of Education at the Nelson Mandela University Port Elizabeth South Africa Supervisor: Professor Paul Webb Co-supervisors: Professor Bernd Siebenhuner Professor Julius Tanui December 2017 DECLARATION The research for this dissertation was carried out by Janet Chepchirchir Ronoh (s216878063) under the supervision of Professor Paul Webb of Nelson Mandela University-South Africa, Professor Bernd Siebenhuner of Oldenburg University-Germany and Professor Julius Tanui of Moi University-Kenya. This study represents original work done by the researcher and where the work of others has been used acknowledgement was made by referencing using American Psychological Association referencing style (APA, 2010 6th edition). I declare that this dissertation has not been submitted for any qualification at any other university. Signed…………………. Date…August 2017.. i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First and foremost, I give glory and honour to God for walking with me throughout to the completion of this study. I wish to extend my sincere thanks to my supervisors: Professor Paul Webb, Professor Bernd Siebenhunner and Professor Julius Tanui for their endless support, insight, and wisdom throughout this study. My participants for their participation in this study - my sincere thanks to all of them for their commitment and contribution. My loving husband, Stephen Misoi, who supported me in all respects throughout my studies. My parents and siblings for their best wishes concern and prayers at all times. Kholisa Papu for her unending support and encouragement –Thank you sister. Mr and Mrs Chelogois‘ family for standing with me as friends indeed at all times of need and all other friends and families, who in their special ways contributed to the success of my study. My children: Tracy and Enock, for bearing with my absence and most of the time satisfied with less attention, my cousin Ogla Jepkemboi who took good care of my family while I was away for studies. I hope that this piece of work will inspire you to strive and achieve your goals in life. DAAD and CER-MESA fraternity-including founders, project leaders, coordinators and all supervisors for the full scholarship funding, academic and welfare support to the completion of my study. ii DEDICATION I dedicate this dissertation to my husband Stephen Misoi and children Tracy Chepkosgei and Enock Kiptoo whose love, prayers and encouragement always gave me hope and determination. iii ABSTRACT Post-colonial school curricula in Africa, which are mostly dominated by western values, knowledge and pedagogies at the expense of indigenous knowledge (IK) and epistemologies, remain a major area of concern in education. After decades of debate on the relevance of IK and its suitability for integration in school curricula, there appears to be a shift in paradigm towards recognising indigenous ways of knowing and transforming curricula towards using inclusive, contextual and practical content and pedagogies that reflect the changing needs of African society. Despite specific provisions in the South African and Kenyan constitutions and education policy documents, the development and implementation of IK integrated curricula remains a major concern. Teacher educators are important stakeholders in terms of the integration of IK and, as such, this qualitative study, which is framed within an interpretivist philosophical view and draws on a case study methodology, explores teacher educators‘ perceptions of value, place and position of IK in the school curriculum. The samples, which were drawn from two African universities, one in South Africa and one in Kenya, comprised ten purposively selected teacher educators from local indigenous communities in each university. Data were generated via a semi-structured questionnaire, a modified focus group discussion (Imbizo/Baraza) process, and individual semi-structured interviews. The data generated were analysed thematically and revealed that the participating teacher educators have shared conceptual understandings of indigenous knowledge and advocate for more inclusive appropriation and integration of indigenous languages, agriculture, herbal medicine, technological and scientific indigenous knowledge items that they feel are still marginalised in the school curriculum of their respective countries. An inclusive education approach was proposed in which both modern knowledge and IK are intertwined in the curriculum in order to serve the current needs of indigenous cultures and society in general. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW 1. INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................... 1 2. BACKGROUND ...................................................................................................................... 3 2.1 Indigenous knowledge................................................................................................... 3 2.2 Curriculum development ............................................................................................. 5 3. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM ..................................................................................... 6 3.1 Objectives of the study .................................................................................................. 7 3.2 Research questions ........................................................................................................ 7 4. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY ................................................................... 8 4.1 Research Design ............................................................................................................ 8 4.2 Methods .......................................................................................................................... 9 Sample and setting ................................................................................................................... 10 Data generating process and tools .......................................................................................... 10 The stimulus ............................................................................................................................. 10 Questionnaire ........................................................................................................................... 11 The Imbizo/Baraza ................................................................................................................... 11 Individual interviews ................................................................................................................ 11 Data analysis ........................................................................................................................... 12 Referencing style ...................................................................................................................... 12 5. THEORETICAL AND CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORKS .............................................. 12 6. ETHICAL ISSUES ................................................................................................................ 12 v 7. OUTLINE OF THE STUDY ................................................................................................. 13 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 1. INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................. 14 2. NATURE OF INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE ................................................................... 14 3. NATURE OF INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE SYSTEMS ................................................ 16 4. INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE AND EDUCATION ......................................................... 18 4.1 Indigenous knowledge and curriculum issues .......................................................... 21 4.2 African indigenous knowledge practices and education .......................................... 25 4.3 Addressing issues of Africanising the curriculum .................................................... 26 4.4 Integrating IK into formal education ........................................................................ 31 4.5 Communities, cultural capital, and curriculum reform .......................................... 34 4.6 African values and teacher education ....................................................................... 35 4.7 Using indigenous knowledge when teaching other school subjects ........................ 36 5. PLACE-BASED EDUCATION AND PEDAGOGY .......................................................... 40 6. CHAPTER SUMMARY ........................................................................................................ 44 CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY 1. INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................. 45 2. RESEARCH PARADIGMS .................................................................................................. 45 2.1 Positivist paradigm ..................................................................................................... 46 2.2 Post-positivist paradigm ............................................................................................