Enhancing the teaching and learning of mathematical geometry at a TVET college using indigenous knowledge approach
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Date
2020
Authors
Madimabe, Makhosi Princess
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
This study aimed at enhancing the teaching and learning of Mathematical Geometry through the integration of indigenous knowledge as an approach. This study defines Mathematical Geometry as a division in Mathematics concerned with shapes, their relationships, their properties and relations of point, lines, surface and the relative arrangement in various parts of the environment that enables students' spatial imagination. Indigenous knowledge is defined as the overall summation of the knowledge, language, and skills which individuals in a precise community retain and which enables them to get the most out of their surroundings. The literature indicates that Education in South Africa is customized on western values. This has contributed to many students located in the Rural Areas being unable to connect the education they receive at school and their everyday experiences. Consequently, there is a high failure rate amongst Mathematics students, as well as the apparent levels of difficulty in Mathematical Geometry. It is against this background that previous work has attempted to address these challenges, but with less success, hence this study emerged. The study intends to respond to the research question by making use of a Pilot Practical Assessment Task as a means of demonstrating how indigenous knowledge can be integrated into the teaching and learning of Mathematical Geometry through the aid of indigenous teaching aids, in particular bead work. Furthermore, the study aimed to determine challenges prevailing in the teaching and learning of MG, conducive conditions to the solution and the threats that could hinder the successful implementation of the approach. Critical Emancipatory Research coached the study while Participatory Action Research was used as a Research Methodology for generating data through Focus Group Discussion. The discussions occurred between 10 co-researchers, whereby the co-researchers were selected based on their level of experience in Mathematics using homogeneous sampling technique. It is on the basis of trying to create a link between the Geometry taught in the classroom and the students’ everyday life authenticity that the study sought to integrate indigenous knowledge in the practical application of Geometry in the classroom. The empirical data was interpreted using the six steps of thematic analysis, whereby the study revealed that, Mathematical Geometry is indeed a problem in academic institutions. Moreover, lack of resources such as indigenous teaching aids, lack of planning and lesson preparation seemed to be the main contributing factors which consequently lead to abstract presentation of Mathematical Geometry, which gives room for passive learning. In light of the challenges identified, recommendations were that lecturers should be trained to prepare lessons that incorporate indigenous knowledge, use indigenous teaching aids that will vary as per learning style and strive to use a student-centered approach timeously, particularly in contextualizing Mathematical Geometry learning, so that this concept can have relevance and meaning to indigenous students.
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Keywords
Indigenous knowledge (IK), Mathematical Geometry (MG), Critical Emancipatory Research (CER), Participatory Action Research (PAR), Thematic Analysis (TA), Focus Group Discussion (FGD), Dissertation (M.Ed. (Higher Education Studies))--University of the Free State (Qwaqwa Campus), 2020