DIGITAL LIBRARY
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, KNOWLEDGE AND SOCIO-EDUCATIONAL VALUE OF FOLK NARRATIVES IN PRESENT-TIMES: PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES IN KWAZULU-NATAL, SOUTH AFRICA
University of KwaZulu-Natal (SOUTH AFRICA)
About this paper:
Appears in: EDULEARN17 Proceedings
Publication year: 2017
Pages: 6772-6776
ISBN: 978-84-697-3777-4
ISSN: 2340-1117
doi: 10.21125/edulearn.2017.2552
Conference name: 9th International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies
Dates: 3-5 July, 2017
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Abstract:
Folk narratives have long been used in indigenous African societies to educate about life, cultural knowledge, and history, instil cultural beliefs and values, reinforce behavioural change, entertain, and provide activity for leisure time. Like all African folklore, folk narratives contain African knowledge and African ways of educating and knowing. Thus, this paper presents the knowledge and socio-educational value of isiZulu folk narratives as experienced by pre-service teachers in KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. Data was gathered from sixty-three isiZulu pre-service teachers through interviews and written self-reflections. Qualitative data analysis methods were used and themes relating to personal development, knowledge, social and educational value of folk narratives were generated. The paper argues that in present-day societies, in families and educational settings folk narratives are used significantly in educating, and inculcating values and skills in young people. Furthermore, the paper argues for folk narratives to be used as an approach to Life Skills curriculum delivery in schools.
Keywords:
IsiZulu folk narratives, life skills education, values and beliefs, cultural knowledge, indigenous education.