Masicorp constantly strives to be at the forefront of the latest developments in education for the people in Masiphumelele. We keep up to date with the latest Masiphumelele news and current affairs worldwide so that we can keep tailoring our approach to meet the needs of the people from the community. Keep reading for the latest Masiphumelele news and trends in education that are truly ‘out of the box’.

The power of a smartphone is fascinating – with a few touches of your screen you are instantly connected to the world. The great debate over how to spend your screen time has left humanity in a strange situation – especially now, since all we can do is spend time looking into that glossy back-lit display that feeds us with the latest news, trends and work information. Even more so, we try our best to provide our children with a balanced life and that means less time on their smartphones.

These top free educational apps for students are making waves in homes all around the globe. Follow us as we investigate how technology has infiltrated learning – with educational apps creating a virtual classroom for students to keep up to date.

Prioritize Learning with Google Classroom

Google Classroom is a teacher’s new best friend. The intuitive software acts like a mediator between Google Drive and teachers / students. The platform allows teachers to upload and manage all the documents that their students need. From here, students can access documents effortlessly and edit them in Drive’s apps such as Google Docs and Sheets. Teachers act like group admin on Google Classroom, you can post announcements, add other important docs and each time you do your students will get an email notification. The platform is user friendly and even allows students to send peer-to-peer emails for effective communication in the virtual classroom.

Using WhatsApp Wisely

WhatsApp is not a traditional educational App for students. In fact, many only see the alluring opportunity to engage with friends and make video calls. The South African lockdown changed life and we were hurled into a new normal that demanded we adapt our strategy towards education.

If you haven’t yet, then please read Sisange’s inspirational story – an 11-year-old girl who overcame monumental personal challenges so that she could learn to read. One of our dedicated volunteers taught Sisange to read over WhatsApp video calls during lockdown. She was started on level 1 books and can now read level 7 books. This piece of Masiphumelele news warmed our hearts and we were exceptionally proud of our dedicated team here at Masicorp that went above and beyond for the community of Masi during these unprecedented times.

Learn More with Khan Academy

Readers will be delighted to know that Khan Academy is a non-profit educational organisation that specialises in online learning tutorials. The platform is completely free and allows anyone in quest of further knowledge to access video tutorials that are presented in a virtual classroom setting. This free educational app is perfectly optimised for students and teachers alike. The platform monitors your progress and can be a useful tool for teachers to engage with learners on a new level. The educational app caters to a diverse audience and currently offers video learning on over 5000 subjects in multiple languages.

Next Level Learning with PhotoMath

Photomath has taken the number one feature of a smartphone and made it even more interactive. The free educational app is a calculator with a twist. Users can capture an image of any mathematical equation and the app will display the step-by-step solution on screen. Whether you are having trouble solving equations as a student or if you are a parent who spends nights awake pulling out your hair trying to solve your child’s math problems. This unique educational app offers users an interactive learning experience that can even be accessed offline.

Just Quiz it with Kahoot

Kahoot is an educational app that propels learning using quiz tests. Quizzes are fun, engaging and interactive, which can accelerate the learning curve in young minds immensely. This clever use of gamification in educational apps fosters a sense of community spirit around learning. Users of the app can create quiz tests for a specific group or participate in one of the readymade live quizzes on any topic. Teachers can also use the app to test student’s knowledge on any subject.

Online Learning in Communities like Masiphumelele

The digital age of information where humanity and technology not only meet but coincide is upon us whether we like it or not. Blended education is starting to gather loads of momentum and interactive educational apps for students have taken our learning limitations and surpassed them at a rapid rate. The future of education will have solid roots in the online community and with this in mind we need to adapt to a new way of learning.

Communities like Masiphumelele would greatly benefit from these types of learning platforms, however, not everyone in Masi has access to these educational apps. People living here do not have mobile data or Wi-Fi on demand. Initiatives like zero data for specific pages is a great start but it is simply not enough. We need to do more to enable access to these amazing online learning opportunities in underprivileged communities. Smartphones have become the norm for most and even though many people in the township of Masiphumelele do own this type of device, the data or internet connectivity to fuel this type of learning is out of reach.

For more on the latest Masiphumelele news and what we are doing to make a measurable impact for the community of Masi keep checking our blog page.