A Relevant Physics Curriculum: Tapping Indigenous African Knowledge Systems

Abstract

Within a constructivist approach to learning physics, prior knowledge had been found to underpin learning in a significant way - either as a hindering or helping factor. One key issue that accounts for effective learning of science in Africa has been the controversial status of prior knowledge that learners bring into the classroom. This article aims to continue the discussion along these lines but with the express objective to illustrate how physics teachers / lectures can draw on indigenous African knowledge as they teach concepts and introduce terminology and nomenclature in the physics curriculum.