Abstract
Research demonstrates how enjoyable and meaningful learning is for children when there is smooth transition between home and classroom. This autoethnographic research used indepth interviews and observations to examine the Ethiopian people’s spiritual centered lifestyle at home and whether this style is carried into science classes in the schools. Findings indicated that the current science education in Ethiopia is ignorant of reality at home. The research proposes a new way of looking at science. It interrogates the idea that science has primacy over spirituality and, rather, recommends Ethiopian spirituality to be the standard of science and its education.
Resumé
Les recherches montrent combien l’apprentissage pourrait être agréable et significatif pour les enfants si la transition entre la maison et la classe se faisait sans heurts. Cette recherche autoethnographique se sert d’entrevues et d’observations pour analyser le style de vie familiale, centré sur les aspects spirituels, du peuple éthiopien, afin de déterminer si ce style de vie se transpose jusque dans les cours de sciences à l’école. Les résultats indiquent que l’enseignement actuel des sciences en Éthiopie ne tient aucun compte de la réalité familiale. La recherche propose une nouvelle façon de voir la science. Elle remet en question la notion que les sciences sont plus importantes que la vie spirituelle, et recommande plutôt que la spiritualité éthiopienne soit une des bases de l’enseignement des sciences en Éthiopie.
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Belay Faris, S. “Restorying” Science Education Based on Local Spiritual and Cultural Values: The Case of Ethiopia. Can J Sci Math Techn 14, 76–91 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1080/14926156.2014.874617
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14926156.2014.874617