Liberty’s move to partner with Mindset Network to launch an education mobile app is part of the evolution currently being witnessed in the learning landscape, said Nomaxabiso Matjila, lead specialist for corporate social investment.
Matjila made the comments at media event to showcase Liberty’s education app. The event took place at the Sci-Bono Discovery Centre in Newtown, Johannesburg earlier today.
Liberty, which pioneered SABC 3’s learning channel, has partnered with Mindset, an African educational technology and media NGO, to deliver maths and science education via a mobile app.
Dubbed TenFold Education, the app offers educational content and extra learning material to South African learners in grades 10 to 12. Maths content is offered across all three grades, while the science learning material is only for grade 12.
Matjila said promoting the development of maths and science has always been a key driver behind Liberty's corporate citizenship endeavours. This, she said, is to address the need for highly-skilled professionals in fields such as engineering, medical science and finance, where maths and science are critical.
Commenting on the partnership, she said Mindset has extensive experience in the development of tech education. “The department of education talks about the shift in increasing technology within the classroom…therefore partnering with Mindset was really key to make sure we provide access to under resourced areas to teach these subjects.”
TenFold Education is zero-rated with Vodacom and discussions with MTN are ongoing, she added.
Mindset’s operations executive Grant Watt explained that every section of content on the platform is accompanied by a concept video, which tries to explain maths in real terms for the learners to gain further understanding of the subject.
“TenFold is our new brand under Mindset,” said Watt. “Everything is animated currently on the TenFold app, whereas on Mindset we’ve got all the hour-long programmes that we have had over the years for various subjects.
“At the moment the TenFold app is just focused on maths and science, but we are in talks to maybe expand it to include English in future. The lessons are shorter and structured in such a way that learners move from one video to the next, teaching the basics, giving lessons and letting learners do some examples.”
Watt further noted the app also features a tutor section, which allows leaners to submit voicenote, image and video questions. “We are trying to drive all the interaction through the app.”
Furthermore, Mindset is looking to grow this specific feature into a helpdesk function, he indicated.
Although Liberty and Mindset are not the first to launch apps geared towards maths and science education, Matjila believes TenFold is above the rest. “Mindset has extensive experience within education and tech, so there is nothing that compares with what they currently provide.”
Other similar apps available in the local market include Math Expert, Toca Lab, Khan Academy, MathU app and the WhizApp.
In addition to TenFold, there is a 60-minute interactive television show on DSTV channel Mindset TV, according to Liberty. “It offers a full learning experience aligned to the CAPS curriculum, and is broadcast every day during school terms.
"The content on the TenFold app provides interactive nuggets of the same information, and houses hundreds of hours of instructional video resources, and exam style assessments.”
The TenFold Education app is available for download from the Google Play Store and the App Store.
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