In the context of this study, the use of traditional music and dance in teaching science might help enable learners to master the concepts of waves and echo, on the topic of sound. For instance, the traditional music and dance among Vakwangali and many other African traditions such as Xhosa dances, use similar movements when they move to the rhythmic pulses of their dance (see photograph, below) through their postures, gestures and steps (Mbusi, 2011).
Figure 3: Postures and steps Fig 4: Males using their palms to play drums
The concepts of sound obviously relate to many daily phenomena and thus may be considered as useful knowledge for learners in helping them to understand their surroundings (Eshach, Lin & Tsai, 2016). For example, the curriculum in Taiwan includes an introduction to instruments such
as guitar and erhu (a traditional Chinese stringed instrument), sound-related phenomena, such as echo and the use of the cathode ray oscilloscope (CRO) (Eshach, et al., 2016).
According to a study by Mansilla (2007), conducted in Kampala for interdisciplinary teaching of sound in Music, learners learned about sound waves in Physics and about musical instruments and composition in Music only. However, the study did not facilitate learners to learn sound and identify the phenomena of sound. Certainly, this study was planned to use traditional music and dances in a social context in teaching the components of sound, namely, echo and waves were central in the learning process. The unit went beyond using music to motivate learners’ learning in Physics. It sought to help learners appreciate and understand sound waves. The study revealed that in the case of both teachers and learners in her example, understanding how instruments work and creating music with their hand-made instruments was a valuable learning outcome. It enabled learners to create a compelling artistic experience out of materials in their natural environment and appreciate instruments they encounter and the people who make them. It also invited them to learn about design and problem-solving.
Considering the potential integration of the traditional aspects of music, it is essential for learners to understand how musical instruments work and what constitutes a sound wave, how sound changes depending on wave’s frequency and amplitude, how sound waves travel through different media and how sound resonates with different materials. Involving traditional music and dance in teaching science assisted learners to master the concepts of wave and echo, in the topic of sound.
In the study conducted in Cordillera region of Luzon Island by Balocnit (2016), Physics in the
Traditional Musical Instruments of the Kalingas, it was found that the physical properties of
each instrument had noteworthy relations with the science of sound in physics. The size, shape, length, and diameter of instruments affect the sound produced. In terms of educational content, providing and receiving education through non-traditional methods of teaching and learning, enables learners to integrate different perspectives, cultures, beliefs, values and languages in mainstream education systems and institutions. Balocnit (2016) emphasized that most - if not all - learners considered Physics as a very difficult subject; it was also regarded as unexciting by learners who were not scientifically- and mathematically-oriented.
Given that attitude towards physics, making the subject interesting and enjoyable is a challenge for all Physics teachers. The interest factor could make learners appreciate the lessons and may make to topic easier to understand. The physics behind musical instruments is beautifully simple when understood. The sounds made by musical instruments are possible because of standing waves, which come from the constructive interference between waves travelling in both directions along a string or a tube. Studies on traditional musical instruments and their link to scientific concepts are not only a very interesting topic, but also a valuable instructional reference resource for the next generation (ibid).
Among the Kalingas, a group of people in the Cordillera region of Luzon Island, sound is often made by playing a gong. The players hold the largest gongs directly before them, and then they start striking their own gong. Balocnit (2016) explained that, in the toppaya, a player uses his bare palms to play corresponding combinations of accepted dampened and sliding strokes until there is a rhythm and melody to the sound produced, as shown in the photograph below.
Figure 5: Toppaya of the Kalingas Community (Balocnit, 2016)
When teaching the concepts of echo and waves on the topic of sound through traditional music and dance, learners (customarily, males) use their palms to play drums in order to create rhythm and melody of the sound. This has demonstrated that sound travels in a straight line. At the same time, female learners and other males enjoy the handclaps to strike the rhythmic pattern of the
sound perceived. They form a straight line to come up with a good rhythm and melody of the sound.
The traditional drum performs a similar function to the guitar. In Physics, teachers often use the guitar or use folk music to demonstrate factors that affect sound waves. Therefore, to have a practical application, the traditional drum can be used to help learners understand the concepts by relating the theory to their experience in the home. There is value in using indigenous knowledge and education in the public school system. Learners of all backgrounds can benefit from being exposed to indigenous education as it can contribute to clearer understanding and admiration of the subject matter. Learners also find practical applications of the physics concepts in their own activities. The insertion of indigenous knowledge into the curricula, instructional materials, and textbooks has the effect of preparing learners for the wider world as in other educational systems, such as the Western model.