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The name of the previous Nokia Mobile Mathematics has changed due to the acquisition, in April 2014, of Nokia Devices & Services business by Microsoft. The new name for the service is Microsoft Math From 2008 to the present Nokia Corporation, in partnership with the national Department of Science and Technology, has developed and researched a mobile learning mathematics service for Grade 10, 11 and 12 learners in South Africa. Initially research focused on 10 pilot schools, where several assumptions about the use of mobile learning amongst teachers and learners where challenged (Roberts & Vänskä, 2011). Then research was conducted on the voluntary uptake and use of the Nokia Mobile Mathematics service in 30 township and rural schools, and its impact on mathematics attainment over one academic year. A core, comprising 20% of the targeted learners, emerged who used the service regularly and voluntarily. The learners who used the Nokia Mobile Mathematics service regularly achieved results for Grade 10 that were 7% better on average than their peers who did not use the service regularly. The study reveals that a sizable proportion of Grade 10 township and rural learners of mathematics can voluntarily make use of a mobile learning resource, and in so doing improve their school mathematics results. The following schools have been selected to participate in the pilot project in 2009:
The Microsoft Maths service (https://math.microsoft.com/) is a now a free online mathematics service available for Grades 10, 11 and 12 learners of mathematics in South Africa. Any learner or teacher can access the site (as long as they can access the Internet), register and get their own username and password. The service is intended to be used primarily after school hours and as a homework administration and revision resource. The content that will be used has been approved by the Department of Education and teachers have received appropriate training to support the learners. The usage of the mathematics content is free for learners. |