Abstract
This research investigated the sources of explanations and understanding of natural phenomena in terms of the students’ cultural and school science experiences. The first phase involved interviews with eight village elders that probed their explanations and understanding of natural phenomena. The second phase involved the design, development and administration of two questionnaires on natural phenomena to 179 students in a rural boarding high school in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Most village elders gave explanations of many of the phenomena in terms of spirits, spells, magic, religion, and personal experiences. Most school-aged students choose scientific explanations of natural phenomena in terms of what they had learned in school or from personal experiences. However, many choose explanations of the same phenomena about spirits, spells and magic that came from the village, family or home. The study revealed that students’ ideas about natural phenomena are strongly governed and controlled by their school science knowledge in the school setting. It is likely that their own traditional knowledge cannot be identified in a school setting but that questionnaires in the students’ local language be given to students in their villages (as opposed to school). In addition, so as not to diminish the value of this traditional knowledge, science education programs are needed that are able to consider and harmonise traditional knowledge with school science.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Agar, M.H. (1996). The professional stranger: An informal introduction to ethnography, 2nd edn. San Diego: Academic Press.
Aikenhead, G.S. (2000). Integrating Western and Aboriginal science: Toward a bi-cultural pedagogy. Paper presented to the annual meeting of the American Education Research Association, New Orleans, LA.
Aikenhead, G. (2001, March). Cross-cultural teaching: Prais. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, St. Louis.
Baker, D. & Taylor, C.S. (1995). The effect of culture on the learning of science in non-western countries: The result of an intergrated research review. International Journal of Science Education, 17(6), 695–704.
Boeha, B.B. (1987). Students belief in science – a third world perspective. Paper submitted to the 4th International Symposium on World Trends in Science and Technology Education, University of Kiel, Institute of Education.
Bray, M. (1993). Education and the vestiges of colonialism: Self determination, neocolonialism and dependency in the South Pacific. Comparative Education, 29(3), 338–348.
Brown, H.A. (1968). A dictionary of Toaripi with English–Toaripi index, Parts 1 and 2 (Oceania Linguistic Monograph 11). Sydney: University of Sydney.
Central Intelligence Agency (2004). The world fact book 2003. Washington, DC: CIA.
Cobern, W.W. (1993). College students’ conceptualizations of nature: An interpretive world view analysis. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 30(8), 935–951.
Cobern, W.W. (1996). Worldview theory and conceptual change in science education. Science Education, 80(5), 579–610.
Cobern, W.W. & Aikenhead, G.S. (1998). Cultural aspects of learning. In Fraser and Tobin (Eds.), International handbook of science education. Great Britain: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
Crossley, M. (1993). Introduction: comparative and international studies and education in the South Pacific. Comparative Education, 29(3), 227–232.
Driver, R., Leach, L., Millar, R. & Scott, P. (1996). Young people’s images of science. Buckingham: Open University Press.
Driver, R., Squires, A., Rushworth, P. & Wood-Robinson, V. (1994). Making sense of secondary science. Research into children’s ideas. London: Routledge.
Emery, A.L. & Patton (1997). Guidelines for environmental assessments and traditional knowledge. Report, Canada, Centre for Traditional Knowledge to the World Council of Indigenous People.
Erickson, F. (1986). Qualitative methods in research on teaching. In Handbook of research on teaching, 3rd edn. New York: Macmillan.
Flannery, T. (1998). Throwim way leg – an adventure. Melbourne: Text Publishing.
Gee, J.P. (2004). Language in the science classroom: Academic social languages as the heart of school-based literacy. In Saul (Ed.), Crossing borders in literacy and science instruction: Perspectives on theory and practices. Arlington, VA: National Science Teachers Association.
George, C. (1991). School education and ethnoscience. Journal of Science and Mathematics Education in South East Asia, 24(2), 27–36.
Harris, S. (Ed.) (1992). Going about the right way – decolonising Aboriginal school curriculum process. Suva, Fiji: Institute of Pacific Studies.
Jegede, O.J. (1995). Collateral learning and the eco-cultural paradigm in science and mathematics. Studies in Science Education, 25, 97–137.
Jegede, O.J. (1997). School science and the development of scientific culture: A review of contemporary science education in Africa. International Journal of Science Education, 19(1), 1–20.
Kelontii, B.T. (1996). Ethno-science and the ‘force’ concept in Papua New Guinea upper secondary school physics. Unpublished Master of Science (Science Education) Thesis, Curtin University of Technology, Perth.
Kiki, A.M. (1963). Kiki ten thousand years in a lifetime – a New Guinea autobiography by Albert Maori Kiki. Melbourne: Chesire.
Koosimile, A.T. (2004). Out of school experiences in science classes: Problems, issues and challenges in Botswana. International Journal of Science Education, 26(4), 483–496.
Kyle, W.C. (1999). Science education in developing countries: Access, equity and ethical responsibility. Journal of the Southern African Association for Research in Mathematics and Science Education, 3(1), 1–13.
Lee, O. (1999). Equity implications based on the conceptions of science achievement in major reform documents. Review of Educational Research, 69(1), 83–115.
Maddock, M.N. (1981). Science education: An anthropological viewpoint. Studies in Science Education, 8, 1–26.
McLaughlin, D. (1995). Teaching for understanding: The Melanesian perspective. Papua New Guinea Journal of Teacher Education, 2(1), 3–17.
McLaughlin, D. (1996). Making the education experience for overseas students more meaningful: A Papua New Guinea case study. Australian Journal of Adult and Community Education, 36(1), 3–18.
Morauta, L. (1984). Left behind in the village – economic and social conditions in an area of high out migration (Monograph 25). Port Moresby: Institute of Applied Social and Economic Research.
Naijke, S. (2004). Learning science in a secondary school in Papua New Guinea. Unpublished PhD thesis. Brisbane, Australia: Queensland University of Technology.
Ogawa, M. (1986). Toward a new rationale of science education in non-Western society. European Journal of Science Education, 8, 113–119.
Ogbu, J.U. (1992). Understanding cultural diversity and learning. Educational Researcher, 21(8), 5–14, 24.
Okebukola, P.A.O. & Jegede, O.J. (1990). Eco-cultural influences upon students’ concept attainment in science. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 27, 661–669.
Pauka, S. (1988). A study of primary school children’s ideas about natural phenomena. Unpublished Master of Applied Science (Science Education) Thesis, Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Australia.
Pauka, S. (1999). Village elders’ explanations of natural phenomena in Papua New Guinea. Paper presented at the Western Australian Science Education Association 24 Annual Conference, Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Australia.
Roth, W.-M. (2004). Gestures; The leading edge in literacy development. In Saul (Ed.), Crossing borders in literacy and science instruction: Perspectives on theory and practices. Arlington, VA: National Science Teachers Association.
Ryan, D. (1989). Home ties in town: Toaripi in Port Moresby. Canberra Anthropology, 12(1 & 2), 19–27.
Seigel, H. (2002). Multiculturalism, universalism, and science education: In search of common ground. Science Education, 86, 803–820.
Thomas, R.M. (1993). Education in South Pacific: The context for development. Comparative Education, 29(3), 233–248.
Vlaardingerbroek, B. (1990). Ethno-science and science teacher training in Papua New Guinea. Journal of Education for Teaching, 16(3), 217–224.
Waiko, J. & Jiregari, K. (1982). Conservation in Papua New Guinea: Custom and tradition (Monograph 16). Port Moresby: Institute of Applied Social and Economic Research.
Waldrip, B.G. & Talyor, P.C. (1999a). Permeability of students’ worldview to their school views in a non-Western developing country. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 36(3), 289–303.
Waldrip, B.G. & Taylor, P.C. (1999b). Standards for cultural contextualization of interpretive research: A Melanesian case. International Journal of Science Education, 21(3), 249–260.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Pauka, S., Treagust, D.F. & Waldrip, B. Village Elders’ and Secondary School Students’ Explanations of Natural Phenomena in Papua New Guinea. Int J Sci Math Educ 3, 213–238 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10763-004-6529-2
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10763-004-6529-2