Science Education in a South African Township: What Type of Science Education do Children Respond to?

Abstract

This article reports on research conducted in a science class to determine how learners respond to a science module that relates to their social and cultural context. The theory of social constructivism framed this research; the notion that the social environment of children infl uences their learning provided the focus for the study. Data was collected by observing learners in the classroom engaging with relevant content such as fl ammability and energy sources, interviewing learners after the lessons and analysing their worksheets. The
results suggest that the social and cultural context indeed have a strong infl uence on what learners fi nd interesting and want to know more about. This has implications for science education, as it indicates that science learning is often compromised when learners grapple with the social and cultural conditions that impact their everyday lives.