Over 100 pupils and 30 teachers from Duncan Village schools were taught how to solve maths problems with a paint brush during the Nelson Mandela University’s Govan Mbeki Mathematics Development Centre (GMMDC) experiential session last Wednesday.
Pupils were taught to create art sculptures using mathematical concepts at the Gompo Learning Centre. This was one of the run-up activities to GMMDC’s annual GeoGebra Conference, which was held last Friday.
It falls under the GMMDC schools and science support programme.
GMMDC director Professor Werner Olivier said the programme was influenced by an international education trend called Steam – the acronym for science, technology, engineering, art and maths.
“This is to show pupils that there is a way in which we can connect mathematics and art, so we invited them to take part in this programme, which seeks to improve their mathematical development,” said Olivier.
The programme was open to Grade 11 and 12 pupils from Alphendale Senior Secondary, Ebenezer Majombozi High, Greenpoint Secondary, Kusile, Lumko High, Mzokanyo High, Qaqamba Senior Secondary and Sinovuyo Secondary schools.
About 30 teachers were present to share ideas with world innovators when it comes to maths, science and arts.
Steam world leaders from overseas universities such as Finland and Hungary, who were also part of the interactive discussions.
Finland’s Kristof Fenyvesi is a Steam researcher at the University of Jyvaskyla, as well as vice-president of the world’s largest mathematics, arts and education community, the Bridges Organisation.
From Hungary came Gyorgy Tury, dean of the faculty of communication and arts at Budapest Metropolitan University and his colleague Gabriella Uhl, who is an art historian and curator and associate professor at the same university.
The programme is a component of the first-of-its-kind Maths-Art Competition. The competition, which closed earlier this month, required its 113 entrants to showcase their drawing skills using inspiration drawn from maths.
Winners of the competition were announced during the GeoGebra conference and KwaMagxaki High School pupils were the high rollers of the competition.
Masixole Mangwana won the Grade 8-9 category with his drawing Sacred Aloe.
Mangwana depicted an abstract aloe created from geometrical shapes, which symbolise the relationship of Eastern Cape people with the plant’s medicinal and other uses.
His schoolmate Mzukisi Ntshisila won the Grade 10-12 category for drawing Six-Point Stars, an abstract artwork of overlapping triangles resulting in two six-pointed stars.
East London’s Mia Brettell from Grens High won in the senior category for her “Math-O-Man” artwork, in which she created a human face entirely out of mathematical shapes. Another local winner was Shanay Archery from Beaconhurst High.
Major maths boost for Duncan Village schools
Image: Supplied
Over 100 pupils and 30 teachers from Duncan Village schools were taught how to solve maths problems with a paint brush during the Nelson Mandela University’s Govan Mbeki Mathematics Development Centre (GMMDC) experiential session last Wednesday.
Pupils were taught to create art sculptures using mathematical concepts at the Gompo Learning Centre. This was one of the run-up activities to GMMDC’s annual GeoGebra Conference, which was held last Friday.
It falls under the GMMDC schools and science support programme.
GMMDC director Professor Werner Olivier said the programme was influenced by an international education trend called Steam – the acronym for science, technology, engineering, art and maths.
“This is to show pupils that there is a way in which we can connect mathematics and art, so we invited them to take part in this programme, which seeks to improve their mathematical development,” said Olivier.
The programme was open to Grade 11 and 12 pupils from Alphendale Senior Secondary, Ebenezer Majombozi High, Greenpoint Secondary, Kusile, Lumko High, Mzokanyo High, Qaqamba Senior Secondary and Sinovuyo Secondary schools.
About 30 teachers were present to share ideas with world innovators when it comes to maths, science and arts.
Steam world leaders from overseas universities such as Finland and Hungary, who were also part of the interactive discussions.
Finland’s Kristof Fenyvesi is a Steam researcher at the University of Jyvaskyla, as well as vice-president of the world’s largest mathematics, arts and education community, the Bridges Organisation.
From Hungary came Gyorgy Tury, dean of the faculty of communication and arts at Budapest Metropolitan University and his colleague Gabriella Uhl, who is an art historian and curator and associate professor at the same university.
The programme is a component of the first-of-its-kind Maths-Art Competition. The competition, which closed earlier this month, required its 113 entrants to showcase their drawing skills using inspiration drawn from maths.
Winners of the competition were announced during the GeoGebra conference and KwaMagxaki High School pupils were the high rollers of the competition.
Masixole Mangwana won the Grade 8-9 category with his drawing Sacred Aloe.
Mangwana depicted an abstract aloe created from geometrical shapes, which symbolise the relationship of Eastern Cape people with the plant’s medicinal and other uses.
His schoolmate Mzukisi Ntshisila won the Grade 10-12 category for drawing Six-Point Stars, an abstract artwork of overlapping triangles resulting in two six-pointed stars.
East London’s Mia Brettell from Grens High won in the senior category for her “Math-O-Man” artwork, in which she created a human face entirely out of mathematical shapes. Another local winner was Shanay Archery from Beaconhurst High.
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