Can digital technology be used for addressing digital literacy in the dissemination of Indigenous Knowledge in rural areas?

Abstract

Adults in rural contexts, show little productive use of digital platforms in addressing their information and knowledge needs. This is so, in spite of the ubiquitous proliferation of digital technology. The purpose of this study was to address the problem of the disappearance of nutritional knowledge found in indigenous food plants in rural contexts. A qualitative research design incorporating action research was used with a community in Libode Eastern Cape. A collaborative theoretical perspective, drawn from three theories; namely, andragogy, situated learning and eZiko anchored the study. The study showed that though many ICTs are being used in the management of indigenous knowledge (IK), in general very little has been documented about their use in developing digital literacy that leads to community’s participation in the management of knowledge on indigenous food plants. The foregrounding of an appropriate framework such as the Participatory Collaboration Framework as an operational process, resulted in the engagement and empowerment of adults to participate in the dissemination of IK. Addressing the digital literacy gap has potential to facilitate non-technical adults’ participation in the dissemination of indigenous knowledge.   Keywords: d andragogy, digital literacies, eZiko, Indigenous Knowledge, situated learning, participatory collaboration framework, ICTs