Paul Webb

Paul’s interests lie in the promotion of thinking and reasoning skills and he is passionate about promoting research and postgraduate research supervision in Africa.

Port Elizabeth, South Africa

Current professional activity

  • DIGI-FACE Co-Project Leader Africa – Nelson Mandela University
  • CERM-ESA Project Leader – Nelson Mandela University, South Africa
  • Distinguished Professor Emeritus – Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth

Slogan about myself

People, innovation and technology. A heady and powerful mix.

CONTACT


PROFESSIONAL

University Way
Summerstrand
Port Elizabeth
6031
South Africa

paul.webb@mandela.ac.za

Education Faculty
South Campus
Nelson Mandela University
Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
Cell +27836516991.

PRIVATE




South Africa

paul.webb@mandela.ac.za


Languages Rating 1-10

English
speaking: mother tongue (10)
writing: 10

Skills and Interests in Keywords

Thinking skills. Dialogic argumentation Scientific literacy

Publications and Projects

Publications

“Asibizi”: teaching human reproduction in rural Eastern Cape schools

The primary focus of this paper is to explore the possible influence of cultural taboos when teaching human reproduction content knowledge by isiXhosa speaking teachers in rural secondary schools of the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Previous studies on Xhosa culture...

The effect of an intervention using GIS-generated geo-spatial data on the promotion of spatial cognition and spatial perspective taking in grade 11 learners

A question asked at the first national conference on the educational applications of geographical information systems (GIS) in Washington 1994, namely what learning does GIS allow that other ways do not and whether teaching GIS at school level is worth...

The effectiveness of brain-compatible blended learning material in the teaching of programming logic

Blended learning is an educational approach which integrates seemingly distinct educational approaches, such as face-to-face and online experiences. In a blended learning environment the classroom lectures can, for example, be augmented with learning material offered in a variety of technologically...

Science education and literacy: Imperatives for the developed and developing world. Science

This article explores current language-based research aimed at promoting scientific literacy and examines issues of language use in schools, particularly where science teaching and learning take place in teachers' and learners' second language. Literature supporting the premise that promoting reading,...

Xhosa indigenous knowledge: stakeholder awareness, value and choice.

This study investigated a sample of isiXhosa mother tongue-speaking science teachers’, their pupils’, and adult local community members’ awareness of Xhosa indigenous knowledge. It also investigated what aspects of this knowledge they value and think should and could be integrated...

Teaching strategies in language-diverse mathematics classes: A case study.

This study was located in a mathematics classroom in a township school in Port Elizabeth. After an intervention designed to raise awareness of dialogic teaching practices, three teachers introduced exploratory talk, with varying degrees of success, into their mathematics classrooms....

Towards an integrated learning strategies approach to promoting scientific literacy in the South African context

The focus of this paper is on selected recent South African research studies that have explored efforts to promote the discussion, writing, and arguing aspects of scientific literacy in primary and middle schools, particularly amongst second-language learners. These studies reveal...

African-German cooperation towards decolonising higher education: CERM-ESA approaches and lessons learnt.

This paper looks into decolonisation as a guiding principle for North-South academic cooperation cowards the United Nations 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development adopted in 20I5. The purpose is to examine the German Academic Exchange Service (DMD) funded African-German cooperation within...

A culturally responsive strategy for teaching sexual concepts in rural Xhosa secondary schools

While research shows that the recognition and integration of indigenous knowledge (IK) is an important issue for developing culturally responsive strategies when teaching and learning science to, and by, indigenous people, little has been said about cultural taboos of a...

Effects of a 6 Brick Duplo Block guided play intervention on pre-literate learners’ visual perception

Background: Literature reveals that guided play promotes the development of visuospatial abilities essential for learning to read, write and do mathematics. However, most of these findings have focused on older children who are already literate, and the tests and the...