- Title
- Motivation to learn science and make sense of the concept of malleability through the traditional blast furnace in a grade 9 Physical Science class
- Creator
- Kudumo, Wilfred Peter
- ThesisAdvisor
- Ngcoza, Kenneth Mlungisi
- Subject
- Science -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Namibia -- Kavango West
- Subject
- Metals -- Effect of high temperatures on
- Subject
- Blast furnaces
- Subject
- Ethnoscience -- Namibia -- Kavango West
- Subject
- Ubuntu (Philosophy)
- Subject
- Culturally relevant pedagogy
- Subject
- Motivation in education -- Namibia -- Kavango West
- Subject
- Continuity Argumentative Theory (CAT)
- Date
- 2021-04
- Type
- thesis
- Type
- text
- Type
- Masters
- Type
- MEd
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/10962/177262
- Identifier
- vital:42804
- Description
- The current situation of teaching and learning science in Namibia is of great concern since it does not seem to take into consideration learners’ socio-cultural backgrounds. As a result, learners are finding that science is not relevant to their everyday life experiences and hence are not motivated to learn it. This is compounded in part by the fact that the Namibian curriculum seems to be silent on how science teachers should include learners’ socio-cultural backgrounds, for example, local or indigenous knowledge in their teaching repertoires. It is against this background that in this study I explored how mobilising the cultural practice of a traditional blast furnace (mudukuto) as an approach enables and/or constrains learners’ motivation to learn science and make sense of the concept of malleability. This is a qualitative case study underpinned by a combination of interpretive and Ubuntu paradigms. It was carried out in a rural school in Namibia, Kavango West Region, where I am currently teaching. The participants in the study were grade 9 learners and one expert community member. Focus group interviews, participatory observation, learners’ reflections, and stimulated recall interviews were used to gather qualitative data. Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory was used as a theoretical framework and Ogunniyi`s Continuity Argumentative Theory (CAT) was used as analytical framework or lens to analyse the data. A thematic approach to analyse data was employed. That is, qualitative data were analysed inductively to come up with sub-themes and themes. The findings of the study revealed that the traditional furnace motivated the learners involved in this study to learn science and learners were able to extract science concepts on malleability from the traditional practice. The implication for this study is that when science is related to learners’ daily life or real-world experiences, they are enabled to bridge the gap from what they learn at home or in the community with school science. The study thus recommends that teachers should make an effort to integrate local or indigenous knowledge and practices to make science accessible and relevant in their classrooms.
- Description
- Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Education, 2021
- Format
- computer, online resource, application/pdf, 1 online resource (147 pages), pdf
- Publisher
- Rhodes University, Faculty of Education, Education
- Language
- English
- Rights
- Kudumo, Wilfred Peter
- Rights
- All Rights Reserved
- Hits: 8294
- Visitors: 8524
- Downloads: 332
Collections
RU Department of Education
| Thumbnail | File | Description | Size | Format | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| View Details | SOURCE1 | KUDUMO-MSC-TR21-92.pdf | 1 MB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details |