School science in West Africa: An assessment of the pedagogic impact of Third World investment

Urevbu, Andrew O.

doi:10.1080/0950069870090102

Cited by 11 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…Second, only minimal changes have been noticed in the learners although, as found out by Taiwo (1975) and Jegede (1987), the new programmes significantly departed from the factual/expository Downloaded by [Queensland University of Technology] at 03:21 02 November 2014 method of teaching science to a more progressive one of teaching the learner what science is and how the scientist works. This has been explained, in part, by Urevbu (1987) who suggested that the view was held in most African countries that the heavy loading of the curriculum with facts and information is considered essential to the much needed technological development in Africa.…”

Section: African Mode Of Thought Western Sciencementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Abimbola (1988), Prophet (1990) and Jegede (1989) have discussed the relevant philosophy to situate science education in Africa. Ogunniyi (1987) and Urevbu (1987) have argued for the need for such an education (or reeducation) to be accommodating, practical and positively oriented. Others have suggested the integration of traditional culture with western science and mathematics (Masakata, 1986), and some recommend 'using the central ethos of the African traditional society, which includes 'solidarity and oneness .…”

Section: Conceptual Ecocultural Paradigmmentioning

confidence: 99%

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School science and the development of scientific culture: a review of contemporary science education in Africa

Jegede

1997

International Journal of Science Education

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The significant role science plays in the development of an individual and a nation has led to its inclusion in the school curriculum since the early part of the nineteenth century. The values, ethos, practices and perspective of science for interpreting nature are a part of science education. However, in recent times due to a combination of factors, school science has been seen to promote a mythic text book science rather than present the true image of science and reflect the real nature and outcome of scientific enterprise. If current developments occurring around the world are anything to go by, globalization with its attendant economic, political, social and other spin-offs, together with the phenomenal development in telecommunications, communications technology and computer technology will affect every person living on the globe in the twenty-first century. To fully understand, appreciate and effectively use all these developments for meaningful learning, scientific culture must permeate the society and the every-day thoughts and actions of ordinary people. For the developing countries of Africa dominated and governed by non-western socio-cultural factors, western science means an imposition of one culture over another. It means the replacement of the anthropomorphic worldview with a mechanistic one. This situation, amongst many others, would further militate against the race to development by African nations. This paper reviews the advent of science into Africa, the curret state of school science in Africa and discusses the possibilities for, and implications of, harnessing traditional African thought system and Western science to develop an effective culture for Africa of the twenty-first century.

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Section: African Mode Of Thought Western Sciencementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Conceptual Ecocultural Paradigmmentioning

confidence: 99%

School science and the development of scientific culture: a review of contemporary science education in Africa

Jegede

1997

International Journal of Science Education

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“…Assimilation has caused oppression throughout the world and has disempowered whole groups of people (Ermine, 1995;Gallard, 1993;Hodson, 1993;Urevbu, 1987).…”

Section: Culture and Science Educationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Since Maddock (1981) articulated his anthropological perspective for science education, a body of literature on multicultural and cross-cultural science education has accumulated (for example, Allen, 1995;Atwater and Riley, 1993;Cobern, in press;George and Glasgow, 1988;Hodson, 1993;Jegede andOkebukola, 1990, 1991;Knamiller, 1984;Krugly-Smolska, 1995;Lawrenz and Gray, 1995;Lewin, 1990;Ogawa, 1986;Ogunniyi et al, 1995;Pomeroy, 1992;Swift, 1992;Urevbu, 1987). Pomeroy (1994) synthesized this literature into nine research agendas, described later in this chapter.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Cultural Aspects of Learning Science

Cobern

Aikenhead

1998

International Handbook of Science Education

148

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“…Based on his extensive research in Papua New Guinea, Maddock (1981) called for a more anthropological approach to science education. Yet, six years later, Urevbu (1987) observed that concerns about cultural sensitivity in science education had yet to be heeded. Lewin repeated this observation in 1990.…”

Section: )mentioning

confidence: 99%

Constructivism and non‐western science education research

Cobern

1996

International Journal of Science Education

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In this paper, I argue that science education research and curriculum development efforts in Nonwestern countries can benefit by adopting a constructivist view of science and science learning. The past efforts at transferring curricula from the West, and local development projects that result in curricula only marginally different from Western curricula, stem from an acultural view of science. These efforts also ground science learning in concepts of logical thinking rather than understanding. The resulting level of science learning, however, has not met expectations. Constructivism offers a very different view of science and science learning. It assumes that logical thinking is an inherently human quality regardless of culture, and instead focuses attention on the processes of interpretation that lead to understanding. Constructivism leads one to expect that students in different cultures will have somewhat different perspectives on science. Science education research should inform curriculum projects that incorporate this point, thus making science curricula authentically sensitive to culture and authentically scientific. Japanese elementary science education based on the Japanese traditional love of nature is a good example.

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School science in West Africa: An assessment of the pedagogic impact of Third World investment

Cited by 11 publications

References 5 publications

School science and the development of scientific culture: a review of contemporary science education in Africa

School science and the development of scientific culture: a review of contemporary science education in Africa

Cultural Aspects of Learning Science

Constructivism and non‐western science education research

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