Cultural heritage can provide interesting aspects to computing education. For instance, conceptual understanding of learners can be supported by exemplifying computing concepts with cultural practices. If we are, however, to adapt an indigenously relevant curriculum, then we need to model a learning space that aligns with learners' background in underrepresented communities. In this article, the authors explored indigenously relevant learning space for computing studies in the context of Ghana. Altogether forty-one (41) computing educators completed a questionnaire and twenty-two (22) educators were interviewed using a semi-structured interview method. The authors also propose a conceptual model for designing culturally enriched learning environments. The main components of the model are indigenous learning resources, scaffolds and learning activities. Finally, they discuss what should be taken into consideration when cultural artifacts are used in computing education.
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According to Kim (2000) and Chahine (2013), culture and indigenous knowledge systems are formed based on cultural products (e.g. art, music, dance, dress, symbols and customs) and psychological constructs (e.g. attitudes, values, beliefs, and norms). The indigenous knowledge systems and cultural practices are used to represent and communicate the thought, beliefs, values, and rich culture of native people (Botha, 2010; Omatseye & Emeriewen, 2013). There are two types of indigenous cultural constructs, tangible and intangible, which can have completely different connotations in different parts of the world (Opoku, 2011). The tangible cultural constructs are architecture, indigenous games, bead work, weaving, natural habitats, and other cultural artifacts, which have a physical presence. The intangible cultural constructs are traditions norms, values, customs, beliefs and inheritance, which are nonphysical in nature. Both indigenous cultural constructs can be conceptually modeled in a learning environment (Rodil & Winschiers -Theophilus, 2015).