Prof Josef de Beer
Position: Director Email: Jdebeer@uwc.ac.za
Tel: 021 959 2649

Biography

Josef was appointed as the Director of the Science Learning Centre for Africa in April 2022. Previously, he held the position of research professor at North-West University (2015 – 2022), and he has a C1 NRF rating.

Josef’s  research project “Teachers without borders: Creating indigenous knowledge science labs in rural schools” was selected as one of twelve flagship programmes funded by the Fuchs Foundation.

He has 31 years of teaching experience in higher education (three years in the Faculty of Science at the University of Pretoria; the other 28 years in teacher education (at respectively Vista University, the University of Johannesburg, the North-West University), and currently at UWC. Teaching accolades include the HELTASA National Excellence in Teaching Award that he received in 2009; and the University of Johannesburg’s Vice- Chancellors Distinguished Award for Teaching Excellence in 2008. Research recognition includes the USA-based National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT) Research Award that he received in 2012.

In September 2019 the National Research Foundation awarded Josef with the “NRF Award for Excellence in Science Engagement” for his work on engaging societies in the natural sciences. Accolades for his community engagement includes the nomination of “Teachers Without Borders” that he lead as a Finalist in the 2020 NSTF-South32 Awards.

Selected publications

Books

• De Beer, J., Petersen, N., Mentz, E.; Balfour, R. (2022). Self-directed learning in the era of the Covid-19 pandemic: Research on the affordances of online virtual excursions. Cape Town, AOSIS.
• J de Beer, N. Petersen & H van Vuuren (eds), Becoming a teacher: Research on the work-integrated learning of student teachers. AOSIS.

Journal Articles

• De Beer, J. & Van Wyk, B-E. 2021. Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Western Science: The conundrum of validation. Indilinga- African Journal of Indigenous Knowledge Systems, 20(2): 170-193.
• Mentz, E., & De Beer, J. (2021). Cultural-Historical Activity Theory as a lens in mixed methods research on self-directed learning. South African Journal of Higher Education 35(5), 1-22 (in press).
• De Beer, J. (2019). The affordances of project-based learning and classroom action research in the teaching and learning of Natural Sciences. Perspectives in Education 37(2), 75 - 87.
• De Beer, J. & Petersen, N. (2018). The use of puppetry and drama in the Biology classroom. The American Biology Teacher, 80(3), 173– 179. 
• De Beer, J. & Petersen, N. (2017). Post-harvest physiology of cut flowers: A problem-based, cooperative learning activity for the Biology classroom. The American Biology Teacher 79(7), September 2017, 578 – 583. 
• De Beer, J. & Petersen, N. (2017). A laboratory investigation on the role of ethylene on seed germination from an indigenous knowledge perspective. The American Biology Teacher 79(1), January 2017. 
• Cronje, A.; De Beer, J. & Ankiewicz, P. (2015). The development and use of an instrument to investigate science teachers’ views on indigenous knowledge. African Journal of Research in Mathematics, Science and Technology Education 19(3), 319 - 332. 

Position: Lecturer
Email: tsebotsa@uwc.ac.za

Biography

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