In hierdie artikel word daar in die eerste plek gepoog om inheemse kennis as sosiale
konstruk te verklaar, waarna die waarde daarvan vir die opvoedingspraktyk toegelig
word. Inheemse kennis (IK) begrond dikwels leerders se eerste ervarings en verbind
sodanige ervarings, deur spontane konsepvorming, met wetenskaplike verskynsels. IK
dien ook as primêre leerorganiseerder vir verdere konseptualisering en skematisering. Die
uitsluiting van inheemse kennis uit formele kurrikula is gewoonlik nie doelbewus nie, en
die daadwerklike insluiting daarvan in leermateriaal kan ’n waardevolle bydrae lewer om
as skakel tussen bestaande kennis en nuwe inligting te dien. Die erkenning van plaaslike
bevolkings se inheemse kennis in kurrikula bemagtig nie net die kurrikuleerder nie, maar
ook leerders wat op die inligting aangewese is. Aangesien inheemse kennis verweef is met
die sosiale konstrukte van die samelewing, is deelnemende navorsingstrategieë gepas om
hierdie kennis met die oog op kurrikulumontwikkeling te versamel, te kwantifiseer en te
verifieer.
This article explains
indigenous knowledge, firstly as a social construct, and subsequently in terms of the value
it holds for educational practice. Indigenous knowledge (IK) often constitutes the basis of
learners’ first experiences and links such experiences, via spontaneous conceptualisation,
with scientific phenomena. IK also serves as the primary organiser of learning, with a view to
further conceptualisation and schematisation. The exclusion of indigenous knowledge from
formal curricula is usually not intentional, and its actual inclusion in learning material can
make a valuable contribution towards linking existing knowledge and new information. The
article claims that the indigenous knowledge of local populations should be acknowledged
to empower curriculum developers and learners. Seeing that indigenous knowledge is
interwoven with the social constructs of society, participatory research strategies are suggested
to gather, quantify and verify information for curriculum development purposes.
