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Put Prof pi in your pocket

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Prof pi
Prof pi

In a joint project between the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University Centre for Community Technologies and the University of Pretoria Community Project Module (JCP) in the Faculty Engineering; the Built Environment and Information Technology, South African school pupils can find help with their mathematics homework as close as in their pockets.

Prof ? is an Android application which was developed at the Centre for Community Technologies at NMMU. The application links pupils to volunteer tutors from the University of Pretoria’s Faculty of Engineering; the Built Environment and Information Technology JCP module in order to get assistance with their mathematics homework.

Director of the Centre for Community Technologies, Professor Darelle van Greunen, explained “Smartphones are becoming more and more prevalent in schools. By having the Prof ? application on their phones, pupils can get help with their mathematics homework whenever they need it in a way that is safe and secure.”

Dr Martina Jordan, senior lecturer in charge of the JCP module at University of Pretoria says, “Most of the volunteers who take on the role of Prof ? are second and third year engineering students at the University of Pretoria and have progressed beyond first year university mathematics. Not only is their mathematics knowledge excellent, they are still young enough to remember back to the problems they encountered with school mathematics and have a good understanding of the school pupils’ questions.”

The actual management of the Prof ? project is done by Dr Laurie Butgereit (also of NMMU). “You can find Prof ? on the Google Play store by either searching for ‘Prof ?’ or ‘Prof Pi’ depending on your keyboard settings”, Dr Butgereit explained. “There is also a browser based solution for pupils who do not have Android phones.”

For more information or posters for your classroom, contact laurie.butgereit@nmmu.ac.za

For Android downloads, search for “Prof Pi” on the Google Play Store.

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.