Project-based learning to encourage parental involvement in promoting indigenous technology in schools

Abstract

The Department of Basic Education requests teachers to use the design process as teaching methodology in Technology Education. Learners’ completion of projects poses a challenge for teachers, who are supposed to ensure that their learners undertake a project as part of the continuous assessment process. The design process does not sufficiently involve indigenous elders as custodians of indigenous knowledge systems. The purpose of this article is to determine how project-based learning (PBL) can be used to encourage parental involvement in promoting indigenous technology in schools. Information collected from the literature and a sampled group of participants was critically analyzed by means of Rawls’ (1999. John Rawls Theory of Social Justice) theory of social justice. The qualitative approach, using action research, was employed to examine how PBL can ensure sufficient parental involvement in providing indigenous technology-based knowledge which, when measured against Rawls’ theory of social justice, is currently not afforded the prominence it deserves. The findings indicate that most respondents showed a willingness to see indigenous technology integrated into daily teaching activities. The participating parents, who accepted that they are sources of such technology, stated their willingness to assist teachers and learners in this regard. This article concludes by suggesting a project-based learning model that may ensure parental involvement in schools.

Keywords:

• indigenous knowledge systems
• indigenous technology
• parental involvement
• project-based learning
• technology education