Making use of everyday knowledge in the science classroom

Abstract

Constructivist approaches to learning commend programme designs that build on learners' experience, interests and prior knowledge. Socio-cultural knowledge arises not only from children's ethnic backgrounds but also from socio-economic conditions, their environment and the personal circumstances of their lives. These circumstances may influence the worldview and activities of learners to such an extent that they feel alienated from schooling. This alienation must be seen, at least in part, as a failure of curriculum and teaching. The purpose of the study was to see how teachers and learners from townships and informal settlements in the Cape Flats area of Cape Town introduced and used local knowledge in the science classroom and how teachers and learners made the shifts between formal science and everyday knowledge. The methodology used was interpretive and participatory, as teachers were participants in the study. The data were used to design lessons that made use of learners' interests and experiences. As in other studies, this research found that greater connectedness of school science with children's interests and experiences promoted deeper engagement for the children with each other and the content. However, the central questions of the study went beyond this aspect to explore the question: What constitutes everyday knowledge for learners from the townships and informal settlements of the Cape Flats and how can this be incorporated into the science curriculum? While further research is required to gain deeper insight into learners' interests, this first phase shows that building learners' interests into the science curriculum is fruitful. It also suggests that empowering teachers to design relevant curricula for specific communities requires more attention than it has been given in the past.