Incorporation of Indigenous Knowledge in the Mathematical Geometry Discipline at a TVET College

Abstract

Mathematical geometrical (MG) concept is often perceived as abstract and difficult to understand by students at the TVET College. Students are unable to perform well in Mathematic Assessments Tasks specifically on this concept. Drawing from this is the declining percentages of student enrolments in mathematics at National Qualification Framework (NQF) level 2. The aim of this study was to enhance the teaching and learning of Mathematical Geometry through the integration of indigenous knowledge in the form of a pilot-practical assessment task (PAT). The research team made use of focus group discussions to gather empirical data. Students were given the practical assessment task that incorporated indigenous knowledge to close the gap of students being unable to relate the mathematical geometry taught in the classroom to their everyday lives that seemed to prevail amongst mathematics students at a TVET College. Ten co-researchers were homogeneously selected based on their level of experience in teaching mathematical geometry at a TVET college located in the Afromontane communities of Thabo Mofutsanyane municipality, South Africa. The result indicated that indigenous knowledge can be utilized as an effective way of learning and teaching mathematical geometry at the TVET college.

Keywords

• Indigenous knowledge
• mathematical geometry
• teaching and learning
• TVET college
• Afromontane communities