Blast Furnace

The blast furnace is normally used in the extraction of iron from its ore. During this process, the iron ore, coke, and limestone are added at the top of the blast furnace and hot air is blown into the bottom of the blast furnace. The blast furnace process is characterised by numerous physical, chemical, physico-chemical, mechanical and hydraulic processes, homo- and heterogeneous reactions which occur simultaneously and affect each other (Babich, Senk, Gudenau, Mavrommatis, Spaniol, Babich, & Formoso, 2005). It is a chain of metallurgical processes at integrated steel works. That is, the blast furnace is a metallurgical installation used for smelting to produce industrial metals, especially iron (Petrescu, Popescu, & Gligor, 2014).

The oxygen in the hot air reacts with coke (carbon) to form carbon dioxide while limestone (calcium carbonate) breaks down to form calcium oxide and carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide reacts with more coke (carbon) to form carbon monoxide, then the carbon monoxide reacts with iron ore to form iron and carbon dioxide. In the process, the iron oxide is reduced to iron and carbon monoxide is oxidised to produce carbon dioxide. The molten iron runs to the bottom of the blast furnace where it is collected because it is denser. The diagram of a blast furnace is illustrated below to show how it is used in the extraction of metals, for example, iron.

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Figure 2.1: Adopted from chemistry made clear, GCSE edition (Gallagher & Ingram, 1984, p. 146)

In this study, a blast furnace was used as an intervention for the integration of IK in a westernised science classroom as a mediating tool to help learners understand the concept of malleability. It goes hand in hand with Vygotskian theory that stipulates that the development of the child’s higher mental processes depends on the presence of mediating agents in the child’s interaction with the environment.

Equally, Cobern and Loving (2001) argued that good science explanations will always be universal even if indigenous knowledge is incorporated as scientific knowledge. Horton (1994) affirms that much of traditional African thought at the lower level does not differ substantially from scientific explanation. It had been shown that the inclusion of IKS into mainstream curriculums can promote conservation as well as cultural revitalisation for indigenous peoples (Saenmi & Tillman, 2006). This supports Dziva, Mpofu, and Kusure’s (2011) claim that using local or indigenous knowledge in science classrooms motivates learners and helps address some ‘myths’ which are against the acquisition of scientific concepts.Concurring, Govender (2016) affirms that local or indigenous knowledge is a valuable teaching resource that engages and motivates learners to participate actively during science lessons (Sedlacek & Sedova, 2017;

Vygotsky, 1978).

Mukwambo (2017) suggests that in under-resourced schools’ teachers should make use of activities from their communities that reflect science. He concurs with Abrams, Taylor, and

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Guo (2013) that using community-based resources and integrating local practices and issues into school science teaching, can help engage learners in science and give them useful practical knowledge that instils a sense of confidence that can be transferred to other aspects of the curriculum and life in general (Klein, 2011; Mateus & Ngcoza, 2019).

Extending on Asheela’s (2017) as well as Shinana’s (2019) studies, the blast furnace was used in the study as an easily accessible material to teach the concept of malleability to the grade 9 Physical Science learners. It was hoped that the use of mudukuto to teach the concepts of malleability would demonstrate that indigenous knowledge co-exists with westernised knowledge (Keane, 2008; Ogunniyi, 2007). Many science education researchers had argued that science is more appealing to learners when it is viewed as relevant to their home background knowledge and livelihoods (Aikenhead, 1996; Ogunniyi, 1988; 2004).

However, westernised science is often praised by people as superior to local or indigenous knowledge, but it does not have the cultural fingerprints that appear to be much more conspicuous in other knowledge systems (Gough, 1998). The study critically explored the use of a blast furnace in a rural science classroom and learners’ participation and interactions when they were accorded an opportunity to work with the traditional materials used in their surroundings to explain the scientific concepts of malleability. In essence, exposure to this indigenous practice is perceived as prior everyday knowledge as emphasised by Kuhlane (2011). Furthermore, the traditional blast furnace was used as an indigenous technological knowledge in the study to facilitate learners’ understanding and ignite a passion for science.

The fact that indigenous knowledge is mostly evident in practical activities (Senanayake, 2006), qualifies it to be referred to as indigenous technology (Kimbell, 2008; Robyn, 2002).

For example, material (physical) technology such as bows and arrows are of a visible and tangible nature and these expressions are technologies because they are meant to address people’s problems, needs and/or wants (Gumbo, (2016). Indigenous technical knowledge (ITK) is knowledge that has been developed by people based on their experiences and tested over long periods of use, adopted into local culture and environments through informal experimentation (Roy, 2014). Thus, this was technology learnt through observation and hands- on experience. However, it remains ironic that most development of technology in science is Eurocentric, as lack of indigenous knowledge about indigenous practices in many technologies might lead to failure (Khodamoradi & Abedi, 2011). In light of this, it was my assumption that

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the use of indigenous technical knowledge in the study might also debunk the belief that modern technology is not the only viable alternative to enhance learners’ understanding.