SCIENCE,
TECHNOLOGY,
AND SOCIETY
(STS)
GE3
KEN MIRASOL, LPT, MAED
Instructor
Lesson Objectives
At the end of this lesson, the students will be able to:
§ discuss the concept of indigenous science; and
§ discuss the contribution of indigenous science in the
development of science and technology in the Philippines
INTRO
This lesson focuses on indigenous science and technology in the
Philippines. Filipinos, especially during the early times, tried to
invent tools that will help them in everyday life. They also developed
alternative ideas in explaining various phenomena and in explaining
the world around them. This system of knowledge is called
indigenous knowledge, which is the foundation of indigenous
science.
INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE SYSTEM
Indigenous knowledge is They live and grow in a society
embedded in the daily life where the members of the
experiences of young children community prominently practice
as they grow up. indigenous knowledge.
Their parents and other older The lessons they learned are
folks served as their first teachers intimately interwoven with their
and their methods of teaching culture and the environment.
are very effective in transmitting These lessons comprised of good
cultural knowledge in their values and life stories of people
minds. on their daily life struggles.
INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE
Some examples of indigenous knowledge that are taught and
practiced by the indigenous people.
v predicting weather conditions and seasons using knowledge in
observing animals' behavior and celestial bodies
v using herbal medicine
v preserving foods
v classifying plants and animals into families and groups based on
cultural properties
v preserving and selecting good seeds for planting;
INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE
Some examples of indigenous knowledge that are taught and
practiced by the indigenous people.
v using indigenous technology in daily lives
v building local irrigation systems
v classifying different types of soil for planting based on cultural
properties
v producing wines and juices from tropical fruits
v and keeping the custom of growing plants and vegetables in the
yard.
Indigenous science is part of the
indigenous knowledge system practiced
WHAT IS by different groups of people and early
civilizations (Gribbin, 2001; Mkapa,
INDIGENOUS 2004; Sibisi, 2004).
SCIENCE? It includes complex arrays of knowledge,
expertise, practices, and representations
that guide human societies in their
Ogawa (1995) claimed enumerable interactions with the natural
that it is collectively lived in milieu: agriculture, medicine, naming and
and experienced by the explaining natural phenomena, and
people of a given culture. strategies for coping with changing
environments (Pawilen, 2005).
According to Cajete (2004), indigenous
WHAT IS science includes everything from
metaphysics to philosophy and various
INDIGENOUS practical technologies practiced by
indigenous peoples both past and
SCIENCE? present.
laccarino (2003) elaborated this idea by
explaining that science is a part of
culture, and how science is done largely
depends on the cultural practices of the
people.
Indigenous beliefs also develop
WHAT IS desirable values that are relevant or
consistent to scientific attitudes as
INDIGENOUS identified by Johnston (2000), namely:
SCIENCE? ü
ü
motivating attitudes
cooperating attitudes
ü practical attitudes
ü reflective attitudes.
These cultural beliefs therefore can be good foundation
for developing positive values toward learning and
doing science and in bringing science in a personal
level.
Pawilen (2005) explained that indigenous
WHAT IS science knowledge has developed diverse
structures and contents through the
INDIGENOUS interplay between the society and the
environment.
SCIENCE?
According to Kuhn (1962), developmental
stages of most sciences are characterized
by continual competition between a
number of distinct views of nature, each
partially derived from, and all roughly
compatible with the dictates of scientific
observation and method.
WHAT IS Sibisi (2004) also pointed out that
indigenous science provides the basics
INDIGENOUS of astronomy, pharmacology, food
technology, or metallurgy, which were
SCIENCE? derived from traditional knowledge and
practices.
THINK ABOUT THESE QUESTIONS
1. What is your understanding of indigenous science?
2. What are examples of indigenous science practices?
3. Why do some people believe in indigenous science?
4. Do you think indigenous science should be considered
science?
5. What is the role of indigenous science in the development of
science and technology?
INDIGENOUS SCIENCE
uses Composed of
Science Process Traditional
Skills Knowledge
Guided by
Community
Culture and Values
Figure 1. The Concept of Indigenous Science
INDIGENOUS SCIENCE
uses
Indigenous science uses science process skills such
Science Process as observing, comparing, classifying, measuring,
Skills problem solving, inferring, communicating, and
predicting.
INDIGENOUS SCIENCE
Indigenous science is guided by q All living and nonliving things are
culture and community values such as interconnected and interdependent
the following: with each other.
q The land is a source of life. It is a q Human beings are stewards or trustee
precious gift from the creator. of the land and other natural
resources. They have a responsibility to
q The Earth is revered as "Mother
preserve it.
Earth." It is the origin of their identity q Nature is a friend to human beings-it
as people. needs respect and proper care.
Guided by
Community
Culture and Values
INDIGENOUS SCIENCE
Composed of
Indigenous science is composed of traditional
knowledge practiced and valued by people and Traditional
communities such as ethno-biology, ethno- Knowledge
medicine, indigenous farming methods, and folk
astronomy.
INDIGENOUS SCIENCE
Indigenous science is important in the development of science and
technology in the Philippines. Like the ancient civilizations,
indigenous science gave birth to the development of science and
technology as a field and as a discipline. Indigenous science
helped the people in understanding the natural environment and
in coping with everyday life.
UNESCO' Declaration on Science and the Use of
Scientific Knowledge (1999) recognized
indigenous science as a historical and valuable
contribution to science and technology.
THINK ABOUT THESE QUESTIONS
1. What is the role of indigenous knowledge in the
development of indigenous science?
2. What is the role of indigenous science in the
development of science and technology in the
Philippines?
3. How do society and culture influence the development
of science and technology?
TASK
1. Identify Filipino indigenous knowledge.
2. Research on the connection of indigenous knowledge to
science and technology.
3. Present the result of your work to the class.
