UP professor develops apps to help learners

The head of the department of science, mathematics and technology education at the University of Pretoria has put the institution on the map with his innovation.

Professor Gerrit Stols recently developed five mobile applications for Android now available on Google Play Store to assist high school teachers and learners, Rekord East reported.

The five apps – lesson study, interactive maths, circle geometry, factorisation and number systems.

UP spokesperson Candice Jooste said Lesson Study was developed in collaboration with professor Yumiko Ono of the Naruto University of Education in Japan.

She said it enabled teachers to plan and research a lesson together, present the lesson, reflect on and improve the lesson.

Jooste said Lesson Study was about teachers preparing and planning together and integrating teaching, research, theory and practice.

Interactive maths is for grades 8-12 learners and consists of more than 200 interactive mathematics applets that help learners discover and enjoy maths.

“The first version of interactive maths has been downloaded 12 629 times and had a rating of 4.28 out of 5 in March. The interactive applets were designed using open-source software called GeoGebra,” she said adding that circle geometry tackled a grade 11 topic that was problematic for both teachers and learners.

She said the interactive nature of this app helped users to visualise, understand and enjoy geometry.

“The app gives users the opportunity to explore interesting properties of circles. It has already been downloaded 500 times and had a rating of 3.8 out of 5 on 13 December last year,” said Jooste.

Factorisation and number systems for grades 8 and 9 learners.

Stols’ other teaching innovations include the development of two interactive e-books for mathematics teachers and learners, and a website to support maths teachers with information and communication technology (ICT) intervention.

Jooste said more than 30 000 copies of his manuals had been downloaded.

“His iBooks, interactive circle geometry and geometry notes: coordinates geometry, are available from USA iBooks Store. The second book was co-authored with doctor David Thomas of Great Falls University in the US,” said Jooste.

– Caxton News Service

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