Change the world

31/01/2023

Nelson Mandela University’s Govan Mbeki Mathematics Development Centre recently participated in an international conference and co-hosted a national congress on Maths and Science Education.

Professor Werner Olivier and Carine Steyn presented papers on M-learning of Mathematics via mobile phones and factors that influence the adoption of STEAM education practices in secondary schools, at the recent 14th Annual Southern African-Nordic Centre (SANORD) Scientific Conference.

The conference was hosted by the University of Limpopo in Polokwane and the GMMDC also exhibited some of the South African learners’ Math Artworks at the third session focusing on STEAM education and the GMMDC’s national MathArt project in schools.

This session was presented together with the GMMDC’s Finnish STEAM research collaborator, Dr Kristof Fenyvesi, who also attended the conference on behalf of the Finnish Institute for Educational Research at the University of Jyväskylä. 

Conference delegates showed great interest in the Centre’s STEAM education approach, the innovative National MathArt project in schools and were impressed by the promotion of trans-disciplinarity and 4IR skills among teachers and learners.

Dr Fenyvesi was also invited to the Finnish embassy in Pretoria, to hand over a copy of the GMMDC’s MathArt project book to the Finnish ambassador to South Africa, Anne Lammila. The coffee table book, MathArt Expressions by South African Youth, was published in June 2022 and showcases the works by SA youth who participated in this project from 2018 to 2021.

The GMMDC also cohosted a recent Science Technology Engineering Art & Mathematics (STEAM) Education Congress with the theme The Advancement of Inter- and Transdisciplinary Pedagogies of Mathematics and Science Teaching in South Africa.

The other partner was the Science Faculty of Academia University in Pretoria and education research experts and STEAM education practitioners from across the country participated. 

GMMDC staff presented a paper on the MathArt project in schools and a workshop on innovative practice to teach Mathematics with mobile phones.

Dr Fenyvesi presented an overview of STEAM education initiatives in Europe, and Professor Diego Lieban from Brazil shared the creation of Maths and Science games for education using open-source technologies and 3D printing.

The GMMDC’s recently published MathArt project book and learner artworks from the 2022 MathArt project in schools, were also exhibited during this congress.

Plans are in place to make this congress an annual event as part of the GMMDC ‘s STEAM engagement programme.

The GMMDC’s Professor Werner Olivier, Carine Steyn and Flora Olivier together with Mandela University International Office staff Qhama Bona and Dr John Mashayamombe at the 2022 SANORD conference.

Finnish Ambassador in SA, Anne Lammila, receives the GMMDC’s MathArt book from Dr Fenyvesi at the Finnish Embassy in Pretoria.

Participants in the Science Technology Engineering Art & Mathematics (STEAM) Education Congress

Contact information
Ms Elma de Koker
Internal Communication Practitioner
Tel: 041-504 2160
elma.dekoker@mandela.ac.za