Teachers’ Perceptions on Incorporating Indigenous Knowledge into Creative Arts Teaching and Learning Methods in Selected South African Schools

This study was a preliminary phase of an ongoing PhD investigation focusing on incorporating Indigenous Knowledge into Creative Arts education in specific rural schools. The paper examined teachers' perceptions on the proposed initiative, aiming to identify obstacles to the indigenisation process and explore potential strategies to overcome these challenges. Despite the South African curriculum's emphasis on appreciating Indigenous Knowledge Systems, Creative Arts teachers often rely on Eurocentric textbook content and approaches. The study, based on Social Judgment Theory, involved nine purposefully chosen teachers from the intermediate and senior phase of these schools. The theory posits that people's tendency to accept or reject new information exists on a continuum. The study aimed at elucidating the various factors and processes influencing individuals' diverse perceptions and reactions to the same information or concerns. The research employed a qualitative method collecting data through semistructured interviews supplemented by informal conversations. To analyse the gathered data, a thematic approach was applied, involving thorough reading and coding processes to identify and categorise themes. The findings revealed insufficiency of resources and infrastructure, incongruity between the content knowledge and the learners' contextual knowledge and inadequate skills and knowledge among indigenous teachers. The researcher advocates for the integration of the knowledge, skills, and participation of the school and community members, to collectively provide relevant information for the comprehensive growth of learners in their cultural understanding and identity.