Science, Technology and Society

• Indigenous Knowledge


  The understandings, skills and philosophies developed by societies with long histories of interaction with their natural surroundings
• Indigenous Knowledge System


  • Lessons are intimately woven with the culture and the environment
  • Includes good values
  • Life stories of people on their daily life struggles
  • Views about nature
  • Reflections on their experiences in daily life in stories, poems and songs
• Indigenous knowledge that are taught and practiced by the indigenous peoples

  • Predicting weather conditions and seasons using knowledge in observing animals' behavior and celestial bodies
  • Using herbal medicine
  • Preserving foods
  • Classifying plants and animals into families and groups based on cultural properties
  • Preserving and selecting good seeds for planting
  • Classifying different types of soil for planting based on cultural properties
  • Producing wines and juices from tropical fruits
• HILOT OR MANGHIHILOT


  Acts as a midwife, a chiropractor or massage therapist to promote health and healing
• TAWAS OR MANGTATAWAS


  This practitioner uses alum, candles, smoke, paper, eggs and other mediums to diagnose the cause of illness associated by prayers and incantations
• ALBULARYO


  A general practitioner who uses a combination of healing modalities that may include prayers, incantations, mysticism, and herbalism. Albularyos claim to draw healing powers from supernatural source
• FAITH HEALERS


  A practitioner who claims divine power bestowed by the HOLY SPIRIT or GOD. A patient is required to have faith and believe in divine powers to effect healing
• Indigenous Science


  Part of the indigenous knowledge system practiced by different groups of people and early civilizations
• Indigenous science knowledge had developed diverse structures through interplay between the society and environment
• Indigenous science is collectively lived in and experienced by the people of a given culture
• Indigenous Science


  Includes everything from metaphysics to philosophy and various practical technologies practiced by indigenous peoples both past and present
• Science is a part of culture and how science is done largely depends on the cultural practices of the people
• Indigenous science knowledge has developed diverse structures and contents through the interplay between the society and environment
• Developmental stages of most sciences are characterized by continual competition between a number of distinct views of nature, each partially competition between roughly compatible with the dictates of scientific observation and method
• Indigenous Science provides the basics of astronomy, pharmacology, food technology or metallurgy, which were derived from traditional knowledge and practices
• Indigenous Science uses science process skills

  • Observing
  • Comparing
  • Classifying
  • Measuring
  • Problem solving
  • Inferring
  • Communicating
  • Predicting
• Indigenous science is guided by culture and community values

  • The land is a source of life. It is a precious gift from the creator
  • The Earth is revered as "Mother Earth." It is the origin of their identity as people
  • All living and nonliving things are interconnected and interdependent with each other
  • Human beings are stewards or trustee of the land and other natural resources
  • Nature is a friend to human beings – it needs respect and proper care
• Indigenous science


  Composed of traditional knowledge practiced and valued by people and communities such as ethno-biology, ethno-medicine, indigenous farming methods, and folk astronomy
• Executive order no. 247 of 1995 prescribes guidelines and establishes a regulatory framework for the prospecting of biological and genetic resources, their by-products and derivatives, for scientific and commercial purposes
• Republic Act No. 8371 recognizes, protects and promotes the rights of indigenous cultural communities/indigenous peoples, creating a national commission on indigenous peoples, establishing implementing mechanisms, appropriating funds therefor, and other purposes
• Republic Act No. 8423 creates the Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care to accelerate the development of traditional and alternative health care in the Philippines, providing for a traditional and alternative health care development fund and for other purposes
• Republic Act No. 9168 provides protection to new plant varieties, establishing a national plant variety protection board
• Republic Act No. 9147 provides for the conservation and protection of wildlife resources and their habitats, appropriating funds therefore and for other purposes
• Republic Act No. 8371, also known as Indigenous People's Right Act of 1997, recognizes, protects, promotes the right of indigenous cultural communities, indigenous people (IP)
• The communities in the Philippines have maintained vast amounts of indigenous knowledge, cultural practices, traditions and beliefs
• The indigenous knowledge system of the people served as the foundation for the development of indigenous science
• Even before the time of the Spanish colonization in the Philippines, various people and communities already practiced science
• They invented tools and built structures, studied the medicinal uses of plants, observed heavenly bodies to predict seasons and weather, and used indigenous science in agriculture
• These are considered indigenous science, which is one of the foundation of modern science
• Science Education


  Focuses on teaching, learning, and understanding science
• Teaching science


  1. Developing ways to effectively teach science

  2. Exploring pedagogical theories and models to help teachers teach scientific concepts and processes effectively
• Learning science


  Includes both pedagogy and helping students understand and love science
• Understanding science


  Developing and applying science-process skills and using science literacy in understanding the natural world and activities in everyday life
• John Dewey (2001): 'Stressed the importance of utilizing the natural environment to teach students'
• Nature must furnish its physical stimuli to provide wealth of meaning through social activities and thinking
• Science is going to be one of the most important school subjects in the future (Marx, 1994)
• Importance of Science Education

  • Prepares citizens in a scientifically and technologically driven world
  • Provides skills and knowledge necessary for a person to live in the age of science and to develop a citizenry that will meet the goals of science in the society
• Science Culture


  An immense responsibility for schools to develop
• Science Education in Basic Education


  • Helps students learn important concepts and facts related to everyday life
  • Develops important skills such as process skills, critical thinking skills, and life skills needed in coping with daily life activities
  • Develops positive attitudes such as love for knowledge, passion for innovative things, curiosity to study about nature, and creativity
  • Develops a strong foundation for studying science and considering science-related careers in the future
• Science Education in Tertiary Education


  • Deals with developing students' understanding and appreciation of science ideas and scientific works
  • Focuses on the preparation of science teachers, scientists, engineers and other professionals in various science-related fields