Discussion of the qualitative data

This section discusses the findings on the Gradel 1 Physical Science teachers’ perceptions and experiences on the teaching o f the topic experimental techniques-fermentation and distillation conventionally and through the indigenous practice o f making Ombike. These discussions

mainly focused on the findings for sub-questions 3 and 4. The discussion is structured into the following themes;

• Potential regarding the inclusion o f IK in science classrooms; • Cultural influences; and

• Constraints regarding the inclusion o f IK in science classrooms I now discuss each o f these below.

5.3.1 Potential regarding the inclusion of IK in science classrooms

The data clearly reveal that teachers are aware o f the value o f IK in their communities (see Tables 5; 6; 13; 18 & 22). The teachers highlighted some benefits o f IK that enable learners to understand science concepts and develop an interest in learning science. This occurs because the learners are able to link school science with every day experience as proposed by Aikenhead (1996) and Le Grange (2007). The study revealed that the process o f making Ombikeis similar to the process o f fermentation and distillation described in the syllabus. It is made from various types o f fruits depending on their availability and hence this has localised learning and makes it more relevant. These findings corroborate W oodley’s (2009) findings that practical work is a ‘hands-on’ learning experience that prompts thinking about the world in which we live.

The study revealed that most o f the apparatus can be substituted with the local available materials to carry out the fermentation and distillation processes. The findings further indicated that the process o f making Ombike helped learners to make sense o f the topics fermentation and distillation in the classroom as they could describe these processes in class. This is equates with Czerniewicz, Murray and Probyn (2000) who found that the development o f learning and teaching support materials (LTSMs) that are relevant to the learners’ everyday lives will making learning interesting and meaningful.

From the interview, (Appendix: T1-I) said:

“It is important to use IK in our lessons, because it is very practical and interesting, ‘kids’ are learning by discovery”. This quote suggests that teachers are positive about the inclusion o f IK and they see how much value it can contribute. These findings complement Uushona’s (2013) findings that making Ombike can enhance meaning making in science lessons.

5.3.2 Cultural influences

The findings that emerged from this study indicated that the cultural indigenous knowledge (IK) and skills acquired through the demonstrations by the community member could be used by teachers to improve the teaching o f the topics o f fermentation and distillation and lead to greater understanding by the learners. From the observations made during the lessons and the observations o f the practical demonstration, there was a clear difference in terms of learners’ participation, use o f probing questions, learners’ engagement and the interest o f the learners. In some o f the lessons presented, the teachers used the question and answer method and explained the concepts theoretically and only gave example in some instances. I observed that in these cases the learners were more reserved and the teachers did most o f the talking. In comparison, during the practical demonstrations, there was social interaction and discussion and the learners asked more questions. These observations resonate well with the study by Kibirige and Van Rooyen (2006); M illar (2011) and Woodley (2009) who posit that practical work enhances learners’ engagement, interest and conceptual understanding.

Throughout the investigation I realised that there was a lot o f useful indigenous knowledge and practices that are hidden in the community which could be used more fruitfully in science learning (Shifafure, 2014; Rennie, 2011). During the practical demonstration o f making Ombike by the community member it was revealed that there is specific scientific knowledge embedded in the making o f Ombike even though it is not known by some educators. The Ministry o f Education who compile the Namibian curriculum and syllabus are also not explicitly including the use o f IK. This could be due to the fact that the teaching o f science did not include indigenous knowledge in their training Van Wyk (2002). Thus, cultural science can be useful in areas where it is being practised and especially where there is a lack o f learning and teaching materials.

5.3.3 Constraints regarding the inclusion of IK in science classrooms

As indicated in Tables7; 12; 13; 18; and 22, some challenges or constraints that inhibit the teachers from successful integration o f IK were revealed. Although the data indicated a number o f obstacles mentioned by the teachers; ranging from ethnicity, time factor, and misconceptions among others, the lack o f teachers’ training on IK could be the main contributing factor to its omission. These teachers indicated these challenges in the questionnaires, during the interviews and they were also observed during the lesson presentations. Interestingly, the same could not be said when the community member demonstrated the making Ombike. Although not all

learners were Oshiwambo speaking, the learners were very interested and very observant. They kept asking the teachers to explain further and also asking other learners to explain more in their language so they could understand and express the ideas better.

This resonates well with the findings o f Maselwa and Ngcoza (2003), who argued that, if learners are given a chance to bring in their ideas about science and engage in ‘hands-on’ and ‘minds-on’ activities, they are likely to learn more efficiently and at their own pace. This means that the practical activity enabled learners to learn in different ways, apart from listening which sometimes creates a language barrier, the learners could observe and manipulate the materials to make sense o f what they are learning.

5.4 Concluding remarks

This chapter presented, analysed and discussed the data collected from lessons observations and practical observations. The key findings from this data suggest that teachers are aware of the importance o f IK. They also know some indigenous practices from home or their communities. However, the data revealed that teachers are challenged by the lack o f knowledge (PCK) on how to integrate IK in their lessons.

In the next chapter, the summary o f the key findings, recommendations, areas o f further research, limitations o f the study and conclusion are discussed.

CHAPTER 6:

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS