Teaching Environmental Sustainability through Technology Education: An Indigenous Perspective

Abstract

Environmental sustainability has been a topic of discourse in various fields, including technology. It is in this light that the role of technology in sustaining society and the environment is becoming increasingly important. Although the role of technology in environmental sustainability is emphasised, it is underplayed in Technology Education. This is despite Technology Education harbouring multiple opportunities to promote indigenous knowledge towards environmental sustainability. This descriptive case study explored teaching environmental sustainability through Technology Education at the Mbombela and Mgwenya circuits of the Mpumalanga Province. Document analysis, involving content analysis, was conducted on the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS), lesson plans, Annual Teaching Plans (ATPs), and Technology Education textbooks for Grades 7–9. The findings revealed that though CAPS Technology includes indications of environmental sustainability, through the incorporation of indigenous technology, it is not taken full advantage of in teachers’ lesson plans and Annual Teaching Plans (ATPs); the textbooks used are almost silent on environmental sustainability. The study contributes indigenous perspectives on the opportunity that Technology Education offers to teach environmental sustainability. The practical nature of the subject and its design approach can change learners’ attitudes towards the environment, as they can interact among themselves and with their communities to design solutions towards environmental sustainability.