Abstract
This study investigated Life Sciences teachers' pedagogical practices when using interactive whiteboards (IWBs) to integrate indigenous knowledge (IK) in Grade 11 teaching and learning. Guided by Cognitive Justice and the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning (CTML), the study adopted a qualitative research design. 10 Life Sciences teachers were purposively selected from schools implementing IWBs in Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni metropolitan municipalities in Gauteng province of South Africa. Data were collected through classroom observations guided by the Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol (RTOP). The study addressed the research question: What pedagogical practices are employed by Life Sciences teachers when integrating IK using IWBs? Data were analysed thematically, allowing themes to emerge from the dataset. Findings revealed that although teachers valued the integration of IK using IWBs, their pedagogical practices were largely limited to displaying static images and videos rather than utilising interactive features to support meaningful engagement with IK. Additionally, teachers experienced challenges including limited IK-aligned digital resources, technical and infrastructural constraints and this showed lack of insufficient professional development. These challenges restricted the effective pedagogical use of IWBs for culturally responsive teaching. As such, this study recommends ongoing professional development focused on pedagogical integration of IK using IWBs, the development of IK-specific digital resources compatible with IWBs, and improved school infrastructure. Notably, the study was limited to a small qualitative sample within one province, which restricts generalisability. Therefore, future research should include multiple provinces and examine the influence of IK integration using IWBs on learner engagement and academic performance.