Why Is Mathematics Important for Kids?
Many parents think that Mathematics is a subject best left until secondary school. However, research shows that early numeracy skills are incredibly important for a child’s future success, both academically and in their professional lives.
A New Dawn For Maths And Digital Schooling
iRainbow has left no stone unturned to ensure that when a child embarks on the iRainbow journey, they:
- Enjoy the program;
- Progress quickly
- Understand the challenges Challenge themselves
- Work independently and eventually,
- Grow confidence and believe in their ability to do maths.
The visionaries from iRainbow decided to update and upgrade their already impressive maths programs for primary and high school learners – long before Covid-19 struck.
The future is technology-driven, and the value technology adds to the education of South Africa’s learners is recognised and respected.
Hence the drive to ensure that the program remains mostly internet independent and data-friendly to suit users with limited connectivity.
This journey started by revisiting the most valuable shareholder in this partnership – the learners. iRainbow provides educational lessons via technology to learners from Grade 0 to Grade 12.
So when an upgrade was planned, the planning started with our target audiences in mind:
- Who are they? What do they do?
- How do they respond to technology and self-driven learning challenges? What is important to them?
- How do they develop physically, socially, and cognitively?
- What do we need to respect and provide to keep them interested and persevere to succeed?
For us, too – this was a valuable learning experience.
The following three major considerations were used as motivation and inspiration to develop a new, trendy, dynamic, and attractive product:
- Learners’ stages of development;
- The success rate of mathematics in South African Schools; and
- Best practices to consider when delivering education with
1. Stages Of Development For Learners In Primary And Secondary Schools:
We went back to the “father of childhood development” – Jean Piaget. Piaget’s four stages of development were revisited to understand and learn about our most important partners.
We focused on the basic development of the latter two stages of Piaget’s theory to get an understanding of the age groups seven to eleven (concrete operational stage) and the group aged twelve and older (formal operational stage).
Piaget’s Informed That Children Are Not Merely “Little Adults” But Are Capable Of Making Sense Of Their Surroundings In Their Own Way, And Can Solve Problems In Their Own Time, Space And Manner.
For the age group seven to eleven, the following facts were taken into consideration:
- Children start thinking logically,
- Make sense of their environment (short glass is equal in volume to tall narrow glass)
- Organise their thinking more logically – although still very concrete (say things as it is!)
- Starts reasoning from specific things to a more general principle.
The older age group (formal Operational Stage) – illustrates the following characteristics:
- Start thinking more abstractly and begin reasoning about hypothetical problems.
- Develops abstract thoughts.
- Begin thinking in terms of moral, philosophical, social, and ethical issues of life.
- Deductive logic develops from general to specific areas of application.
With the above in mind, we also learnt that learners avoid being “wrong” and do not take chances.
Are VERY sensitive socially and almost always avoid situations where they may be wrong. This has a direct influence on their confidence and skills to solve mathematical problems.
This serious problem eventually has a negative impact on their ability to do maths and grow their skills and their self-belief.
2. South Africa’s Mathematics Crisis
Secondly, it is common knowledge today- that South Africa struggles to provide enough students who passed Grade 12 and can stand their ground on university level.
Much of the blame is passed on to teachers who are not qualified to teach maths. On 24 Feb 2021 the South African media reported the following after the annual Grade 12 results were announced:
“Of The 233 315 Candidates Who Wrote Mathematics, 125 526 Passed, Resulting In A 53.8% Pass Rate, Down From 54.6% In 2019. “
“Half Of All Matrics Who Wrote Maths Fail It Each Year” – Bongani Nkosi (The Star, 24 Feb 2021).
3. Digital Learning Trends And Best Practices
With all the basic principles of development in mind, the IRainbow team took a
hard look at current trends on education with technology. What are learners
interested in? Why do some programs get attention while others don’t? What will
motivate our target groups intrinsically?What is important to parents today?How
can we avoid the self- destructive conversation that learners often have with
themselves? How can we delete the thought that they can not do maths?
First, by looking at what do today’s learner love doing when learning.
How can they build confidence and self-worth – even when struggling with
mathematics?
The following trends in digital learning were considered:
- To have fun;
- Work in private, yet not alone;
- Make mistakes and learn from them;
- Competition causes pressure and motivation to achieve success;
- Repeat at will;
- Explanations and help is available when needed.
- Short digestible exercises – to keep momentum;
- Diverse and ranges of exercises with various question types;
- Confidence is more important than being correct and high scores;
- Foundations are formed and revisited.
- Directly related with SA CAPS curriculum.
The new iRainbow product is based on research, recognizing that teachers try their best with what they have and can do, and that today’s learners want to use technology, and want to be challenged by it. iRainbow provides a New Dawn for it’s customers and most importantly almost guarantees a child with mathematical confidence and perseverance to try, and try again. To fail and even fail smarter, before tasting success after success. To enjoy the journey and grow into a confident South African student
Dr Herman Moolman
Educational Specialist & Instructional Designer, PhD in Computer assisted education
How to Get Back into School Routine with Ease
Tips for Getting Back into Your Child's School Routine
If you are starting back at school soon, you may think you will be able to easily slip back into your routine. However, without the proper preparation, you’ll find it difficult, so it’s important to put some time and effort into properly preparing yourself and your schedule for the forthcoming school term.
The best way to have a successful term is to start it the right way and to help you do that we are going to highlight 5 simple tips.
Establish A Better Sleeping And Waking Schedule
During holiday time, it’s okay to go to bed late at night and get up late in the morning or afternoon. When you start back at school, however, your body will experience a terrible shock to the system when you need to be up early and have all that homework and studying to do. Don’t leave it until you start back at school to get out of holiday mode, though. Aim to start going to bed earlier so you can get up earlier in the last couple of weeks of the holidays, so you have a fully established routine in place by the time your first day comes along.
Read more – how to teach your child responsibility
Make Sure You Have All You Need
Another aspect of school that you shouldn’t leave until you actually arrive to sort out is getting the supplies you need. The best time to tackle this is during school holidays. Start stocking up on what you will need for the year ahead. It can be frustrating and distracting to find that you have no pencils or pens to take with you for the first day back. Avoid this from happening and you will feel a lot more positive from the word go.
Make Proper Use Of Time In Class
While it can be a lot of fun to goof off and have a laugh with your friends, especially if you are still feeling very much in holiday mode. However, it’s only your own time you’re wasting. Therefore, you must get the best out of class time by concentrating on your teacher’s lessons. Throw yourself into each task you are assigned, and you will find it much easier to adapt to good study and school habits. Any time at the end of classes or free time should also be used wisely. Not to sit back and relax, but to get started on any homework you’ve been given. This will allow you the chance to get the jump on it, meaning you have less time to spend working when you get home and more time to recuperate.
Turn Off All Your Devices
Following nicely from the above tip, don’t waste time in class texting friends or looking at social media. Turn off your devices, so you can focus on what’s important – your lessons.
Always Do Your Homework On Time
Homework can be a drag. No-one is going to argue that point. You’ve come home and all you want to do is watch some TV, spend some time with the family or friends and chill out. However, if you let your homework slip and pile up, rather than giving yourself a break, you will only give yourself more work and find yourself in trouble very quickly.
Aim to complete all homework you are given by the set deadlines, or before if possible.
Best Tips to Study Effectively for Exams
Studying Effectively For Exams
As August draws to a close, that means that your exams are only a couple of months away. We know how stressful this can be, but don’t worry, we are here to help. First, calm down and then take a look at some of the great tips we have put together to help you get the best out of your exam study time.
Switch Off Your Phone and Keep it Out of Sight
One of the most distracting things, when you are trying to study, can be your smartphone. It doesn’t even need to be a call and usually isn’t. All you need to get is a simple text or social media notification and your focus is impaired. Therefore, it’s best to switch your phone off and put it away somewhere you can’t see while you study.
Read more – common mistakes learners make during an exam
Tidy Up Your Study Space and Introduce Some Organisation to it
Although it may not seem like such a big deal, where you study and what it’s like can have a huge impact on the effectiveness of your study. Think about the furniture, background noise and lighting. You want to study somewhere tidy and well-organised, but also somewhere that is comfortable and well-lit. Try and find a quiet space or inform anyone who lives with you or who is in the vicinity that you are going to study, so they know to be quieter.
Determine the Study Method That Works for You
We are all unique, and as such, we all learn in different ways. Therefore, if this is your first time studying for exams, it may be a good idea to give a variety of study methods a try to see which works best for you. While some prefer to use diagrams and flow charts because they are more visual, others like to write out and print off notes. Others still prefer to use stimulating music (like classical, not noisy and distracting pop music) to help them focus.
Don’t just study a certain way because your peers do, or your parents have suggested it. Have a look at the various methods there are and find which works best for you.
Start Your Own Study Group
Are there concepts and subjects you are having a hard time understanding on your own? Get help. Even if your teachers and lecturers are unable to give you time, you could start up your own group for others in the same boat as you. You will find that there is a huge difference between working together, discussing and thinking about subjects in a group and writing down your own notes. It could be that you understand things better than they don’t and vice versa.
Obviously, it may be worth it with more specialist and technical areas of study like science and maths to seek out extra lessons to bolster the knowledge and understanding you already have.
Keep Testing Yourself
One of the best ways to study and prepare for exams is to actually go through the process of sitting them before you actually do it for real. Get some old papers and try following exam conditions and answering the questions. As well as giving you a better understanding of what questions are likely to come up, it will also give you a feel for the amount of time you have and how it feels in that pressured environment.
Find Educational Tablets for Kids in South Africa
Learning on blackboards has given way to learning on virtual whiteboards as technology in education has advanced. Today, education is expanding to provide e-Learning on smartphones, handheld computers, and notebook computers. Technology is an integral part of our society today, as well as our children’s world. Tablets and other innovations are here to impact, and they will evolve to transform the way we do things, including how we train and teach our kids.
Tablets have a role in the growth and learning in classrooms and at home. It has created tremendous opportunities for a child’s schooling. But, as with anything, discipline is essential, and nothing beats actual hands-on educational experiences for our youngsters. Many tablets for homeschooling now have parental controls to help you keep track of screen use and the amount of tablet time you use every day; you can also schedule it to be used only at those hours. Controlling your ‘tablet time’ would enable you to track your consumption and hopefully give you peace of mind.
Does your child need help with math? Consider using iRainbow for grades 1 through 7 math. Sign up today.
Educational Tablets for Kids in South Africa
You will find online e-carts and stores flooded with educational tablets, but only a few are suitable and the best tablets for 7-10 years old. Finding the right educational tablet is hard these days, and therefore making the right choice should be a priority. There are a few that may satisfy certain criteria and may not satisfy the others. Hence, it is crucial to consider the whole package before jumping to pick the tablet for a kid.
IRainbow Tablets for kids
The iRainbow Tablet was created out of a need to provide learners with greater access and exposure to new learning resources and technologies. It was created to empower students to be productive in a knowledge-based economy and provide them with a forum to improve their learning experiences and results.
IRainbow is one of the best tablets for 7-10 years old you will find in South Africa. The tablet was designed keeping in mind the need for standard education and a high-quality learning experience for the kids. Children with working parents can now easily access assistance with their homework and learning through IRainbow tablets.
IRainbow invests in high-quality technology to provide easy and fast solutions to parents and their kids. Parents have full control of how the tablet functions and for what the kids use it. You can teach your children online with a classroom-standard learning experience and allow them to explore the world and satisfy their curiosity with IRainbow tablets.
The best part about using tablets for homeschooling is that it allows the children to develop better pre-reading skills, vocabulary, mathematical skills, and more even before they begin their formal education in school. They can quickly grasp and learn about concepts of interest at home and stay ahead in class. iRainbow not only provides a dynamic learning environment but also gives a platform to let your kids’ imagination and curiosity run free.
Does your child need help with math? Consider using iRainbow for grades 1 through 7 math. Sign up today.
The iRainbow Deal
The eight-inch iRainbow comes with a robust Quad-core processor that facilitates smooth video delivery, quick app launching, and inordinate performance throughout. The tablet comes with an Android 8.1 Oreo (Go edition) operating system with a 1GB memory capacity and 16GB storage capacity that supports wireless WiFi protocol. It has a screen resolution of 800*1280 IPS and is excellent for viewing educational content for kids. iRainbow has an intelligent gravity sensor and also supports an external 3G dongle.
The tablet has got everything you need and more wrapped in its eight inches.
The B12017 Model has a dual camera, dual sim slot, and built-in GPS feature. Hence, it can be used beyond educational purposes as well. iRainbow tablet also provides BlueTooth support and has a battery capacity of 4500 mAh. You can connect the tablet to any Bluetooth speaker and let your kids enjoy their learning session for as long as they want (with screen time restrictions, of course).
The best part about this tablet is that it provides multi-lingual support that can help teach your child different languages. You may also let your children study everything in their native language or try to explain complex concepts in whatever language they want. iRainbow removes the language bar in education. Children, at a young age, can quickly grasp and learn many languages at once. This tablet can help children learn new languages, making it one of the best tablets for 7-10-year-olds kids.
Does your child need help with math? Consider using iRainbow for grades 1 through 7 math. Sign up today.
Features of iRainbow Tablet
8 Inches of Power
iRainbow has a powerful Quad-core processor that provides smooth video and audio performance along with quick app responses. It has excellent performance and is perfect for kids’ educational needs. They can learn, play, have fun, and enjoy the capabilities of tablets like never before!
Native Android Version
iRainbow tablet is GMS certified and has the latest, subtle, and most efficient Android Operating System version known yet. The Android 8.1 Oreo Go edition gives you complete access to Google Play and all the apps you or your child may need.
User-friendly IPS HD Display
One of the essential features of any tablet is its display and the strain it can cause. Children tend to spend a lot of time on their devices, which may affect their eyes. The iRainbow tablet adopts an IPS display screen, which presents crisp and sharp images on the screen. This prevents strain on the eyes, a feature that is rare, making it the best tablet for 7-10-year-olds.
Compact Entertainment and Educational Device
iRainbow has a 4500 mAh battery capacity and a low-power consumption CPU that allows you more than 12 hours of reading time on the device. Not only that, but you can also watch movies, TV shows, search the web, play games, or do anything you want. It is a lightweight device that is easy to carry anywhere and can become your travel partner. This is, indeed, the best tablet for 10-year-olds.
Expandable ROM up to 32GB
The iRainbow tablet offers 16GB ROM and also includes a micro SD card slot. Hence, you can install an external memory card and extend up to 32GB on your device for easy storage. Now you can store videos, photos, educational content, music endlessly.
iRainbow also Comes with Loaded Educational Apps
There is a reason this tablet is one of the best for 7-10-year-olds. It is a wholesome package of fun and learning wrapped in one device. Children are not only able to learn but also use it for entertainment.
Snappily.com
The Snappily reader application comes installed on the tablet where students and educators can go through the prescribed textbooks, leisure books, and more. The app also contains interactive audio-visual content, interactive sessions, PDFs, and ePub content that are useful in the teaching-learning process. It fully supports offline reading and also functions as a primary academic app on the tablet. You can get versatile content easily on the platform.
PaperVideo
PaperVideo allows you to gain access to an available teacher at any time, anyplace. This app offers papers from past exams along with subject maps and a step-by-step guide for every concept and question. The papers are available for students from grade 6 to grade 12 in South Africa.
MSM
This Maths and Science app introduces a comprehensive teaching-learning process for students and teachers of all grades based on CAPS. This blended learning method uses various interactive tools and solutions to cover every question and concept.
It makes the teaching process easy and allows the students to learn concepts through audio clips, picture presentations, videos, worksheets, exams, and more. This is based on a learning management system and facilitates a better learning environment for the students.
Does your child need help with math? Consider using iRainbow for grades 1 through 7 math. Sign up today.
Get your Tablet now!
iRainbow is a homeschooling tablet best for children between 7-10 years old. It can help them learn and understand concepts through a dynamic audio-visual space and stay ahead and updated in their class.
You can easily get the iRainbow tablet from the website along with the cover and get your kid learning today! It is one of the best educational tablets you will find in South Africa and is also based on the latest android editions and comes with educational apps that can help you homeschool your child.
5 Tips to Enhance Mathematical Skills
How do I improve my math skills?
Given the important part, maths plays in our daily lives, from calculating how much time it may take approximately to finish a task to working out the shopping budget for the week, our children need to develop sound mathematical skills at a young age. The best way is to incorporate maths into normal parts of their everyday life so that it doesn’t ever feel like they are actually being taught anything.
If you are struggling to find ways to help enhance your children’s mathematical skills, the following 5 tips will hopefully help.
Introduce the Concept of Size
You can help children to understand size by highlighting things in your children’s lives and their sizes about them. For instance, draw their attention to how big they are compared to different chairs by asking if they could fit underneath their little plastic chair, and then asking if they can get under a dining room chair.
Read more – how to pass maths in South Africa
Discuss Numbers
It doesn’t matter what you are doing. Whether it’s counting cars of one specific color on the journey home from school, preparing the dinner table, or portioning up vegetables, always try to get children involved in it.
Assign Your Child Jobs Related to Maths
Children often pick up concepts better when there is some kind of activity involved in the learning process. Use this to your advantage and assign them a task, such as handing out treats or snacks to friends or siblings. Use the opportunity to talk about the numbers that are involved. Think about questions to ask them to stir their minds a little, like “how many sweets are there?” and then ask them to give one or two to everyone.
Put Things into Classifications and Categories
Another great thing you can do easily with your children is by gathering all their toys together you can help to teach them about categorising and also classifying items. You can suggest that they do it by type, size and colour. Lead by example to help give them confidence, by doing one or two yourselves.
Make everything relevant to their daily life, by saying things like “Let’s take the farm animals back to the farmer” and “Let’s park all your cars and trucks over in the corner there”. Most important of all, make sure everything is fun.
Cooking
To cook things properly, exact calculations and measuring are required. That is what makes cooking a great activity to help instil in your kid’s crucial maths skills. Where recipes you are following ask for a certain measure of sugar or flour, show them how to properly measure out a cupful and tip it into your mixing bowl. You can then let them do it for themselves, counting out the rest of the cups that are required.
Even just reading out the recipe and asking for your child’s help in getting the necessary ingredients and utensils can teach them about the mathematical processes at work without them even realising it.
Teach Them How to Identify Shapes
Shapes are all around us and makeup everything in our lives. The best way to start introducing shapes and teaching your children how to identify them is by cutting the basic shapes out of paper. Give your children the task of naming the shapes and then playing around with them, to see what smaller shapes can be used to make up larger shapes. How many triangles does a square contain? You can then also use different shapes to make real-life objects.
E-learning Software Solutions In South Africa
Online education and educational software are booming in almost all regions worldwide, and South Africa is no exception, with growth in the educational software sector. Statista projects the online education sector in South Africa to grow 10.25% annually between 2023 and 2027.
Educational software is implemented in schools and classrooms and used at home by students trying to grasp concepts and better understand their subjects. This allows them to set a good tone for the basics of higher education and equips them for the future.
Does your child need help with math? Consider using iRainbow for grades 1 through 7 math. Sign up today.
Educational Software for Kids in South Africa
With the transformation in the education industry, educational software makes education easily accessible and makes learning more interesting for students, no matter their age. With a lower communication gap between educators and students, online educational software allows children to see concepts in a new light. Here are our picks for the top 8 educational software for kids.
1. iRainbow
Among the educational software options available in South Africa, iRainbow stands out for its user-friendly, engaging, and comprehensive approach to learning. Designed specifically for South African children, iRainbow requires no internet connection, ensuring learners can focus on their studies without the distractions of social media, online games, or cyberbullying. Parents and teachers can easily monitor learners’ progress to identify areas of strength and those needing improvement.
iRainbow delivers a personalised learning experience by allowing users to create their own avatars and select a virtual friend to guide them through the material. With its levelled approach to learning, iRainbow’s progressive curriculum breaks down concepts into small steps, preventing learners from feeling overwhelmed or bored. This software allows children to learn independently, catering to their learning styles.
Compatible with desktop computers and Android devices, with iOS compatibility coming soon, iRainbow can be accessed on various platforms for a seamless learning experience. When connected to the internet, the software automatically updates to include the latest additions to the curriculum. Proudly made in South Africa by a local team of experts, iRainbow currently offers Maths for grades 1-7, with plans to expand to other grades and subjects soon.
Does your child need help with math? Consider using iRainbow for grades 1 through 7 math. Sign up today.
2. Mathemagics
The Mathemagics educational software has been helping students understand concepts for over 14 years and is focused on all students from preschool to grade 12. Trusted and used by over 4000 schools in South Africa, the software is approved by the Department of Education and follows the set curriculum.
This easy-to-track software allows students with learning disabilities to make education fun, holding their focus for much longer. In addition, it will enable you to track progress and see results. With step-by-step explanations and continuous evaluation of progress over short periods, this is a great educational app for preschoolers and higher grades. They also have an excellent technical support team eager to address any concerns you might have with the software. Learn at your own pace with explanations available anytime with the Mathemagics educational software.
3. Daptio
Daptio is a Cape Town-based platform that facilitates online learning. It hopes to provide personalised learning with the help of deep analytics and learning for teachers, students, and content creators. According to Snapwiz’s research, students in adaptive learning environments perform much better and earn higher achievement scores consistently.
This is the premise behind the platform that started the Together We Pass program to improve the 15% pass rate from the University of South Africa (UNISA). The founder, Tabitha Bailey, calls it “the first content-agnostic adaptive learning platform in Africa.” It has enabled students to “move away from the current one size fits all education model that is failing.”
Daptio is built uniquely, aiming to help in easing local challenges. The mobile-first platform provides content broken into chunks with small sizes to ease consumption and reduce data usage. Daptio is a great platform that helps you learn at your pace without creating a dreaded information overload. With video sections for learning and curated content, especially for a student’s current level of education and learning, it’s a good choice.
4. IQ Smart
IQ SMART is an educational software that allows students to approach learning in a fun and interactive way. With over 20 years of experience, IQ Smart is used by more than 10,000 schools and 400,000 students internationally. The educational software supports learning Mathematics, Science, Reading, and English. IQ Smart allows students to use a creative and holistic pedagogical approach to the instruction process. This will include the scope and sequence of skills designed by teachers who follow the same curriculum per the National Council of Teachers of Math, Language, and Science.
IQ Smart can be used for as little as 15 minutes daily for 3 to 4 days a week, and this can provide a 30 per cent improvement. It also offers students the ability to avail themselves of options in tertiary education and better opportunities in their careers long term due to a firm grasp of the fundamental concepts.
One of the teachers at Frank Ryan School says, “I have used IQ Smart for three years with my Grade 7 and 8 classes and am impressed with its ease of use and adaptability for students of varying ability levels. It is an invaluable tool for introducing and reinforcing concepts, and the accompanying manuals provide a wealth of supporting resource material.”
Does your child need help with math? Consider using iRainbow for grades 1 through 7 math. Sign up today.
5. Extramarks
Extramarks is a global education tech platform with a broad presence in South Africa, with more than ten years of experience in the education sector. The education platform offers coverage for students in preschool to K12 classes. World Education Summit awarded Extramarks with the Jury Award for the Best Multimedia Content for K12 education, a feather in the cap of the software. Schooladvisor.co.za has high praise for Extramarks. Its CAPS-aligned end-to-end digital learning solutions are equally helpful for teachers and learners.
Instead of forcing an international education pattern, they localise and adapt their e-learning material, and this makes it relevant to the education system in South Africa. Their continuous content updates are another benefit, and they have more than 300 educators who curate content and update it frequently. They even offer customised content on demand, so if you are an educator looking to implement it in your school, you are in luck.
Their e-learning solutions are compatible with most devices, which helps overcome the infrastructure constraints you’ll likely face.
6. Inspireware
Inspireware educational software covers the Learning Outcomes and Assessment Standards set by the South African National Curriculum Statement. They pride themselves on being the future of education. The software caters to three primary learning styles, visual, kinaesthetic, and auditory. Their multi-platform software can be used on various devices and helps students in primary and high schools.
They offer animations to explain topics visually, making them extremely simple to grasp. This helps students retain more information. It also teaches via simulations and activities, which guide students to see the changes and phenomena. This is a bonus for schools or students who need access to labs and equipment. They also strive to gamify education, reinforcing significant concepts in a fun way. The assessments are carried out as a combination of static questions and interactive puzzles. They are marked instantly and can be tracked by educators. This allows them to keep track of student’s progress and provide additional support when needed. Vodacom also lists Inspireware as an excellent online career guide that supports learners and engages in their strengths and weaknesses to identify the right job and study choices.
7. Compu-IQ
Compu-IQ offers students education software for multiple levels. From preschool to grade 12, this software covers the different aspects of the child’s academic growth and learning. You can learn at your own pace and use this software to understand concepts and brush up on the basics. This is a great way to prepare for classes, get additional help for complex topics, and even improve perceptual skills. The courses are available in English and Afrikaans. Preschool programs consist of perceptual skills, English phonics, and Afrikaans phonics. Reading and language development is the next step with Compu-IQ. Math programs are available for primary as well as high school students.
Compu-IQ software is currently implemented across several schools, but even individual students can use it for personalised learning. With over 15 years of experience internationally, Compu-IQ is a great provider of multimedia education. You can use this educational software for remediation tuition, an extension of topics covered in school and even use the exercises to broaden your understanding of the subject. Rivonia Primary School, a user of this software, deems it the most popular computer learning software.
8. GetAhead by EvaluNet
Guaranteed to help students understand schoolwork and better their results, GetAhead offers you the freedom to browse through lessons at your convenience. With software that teaches English, Afrikaans, Maths, and Natural Sciences, this educational software is based entirely on the South African CAPS curriculum. The interactive curriculum-based activities make learning both fun and easy. With contextual feedback for continuous improvement, the student can access hints, explanations, and visual cues that lead to better results overall. It is available for students from grades 1 to 7 and gives a great learning experience to all.
Does your child need help with math? Consider using iRainbow for grades 1 through 7 math. Sign up today.
Why Educational Software is a Crucial Part of Learning
It is commonly thought that educational software helps students across all age groups. Technology has revolutionised education, making it available for all. It lets users quickly grasp concepts and listen to ideas until they understand them well, making for better overall learners. A J-PAL review states that out of 30 studies associated with computer-assisted learning programs, 20 reported statistically better effects in learning, a 66 per cent improvement.
But what are the main reasons we should make it a point to implement educational software as a part of our daily learning? And what benefits do they offer students, teachers, and institutions? Let us take a look at some significant advantages.
Benefits of educational software in South Africa
Clear Content
The software can revolutionise how ideas and content are created and, more importantly, presented to students. Digital content can adjust to an individual learner’s skill and knowledge and quickly adapt to different generations of learners. With the help of visual information, animations make concepts more straightforward, and AI-based prediction of a student’s skill level can provide personalised content that helps students learn better and makes learning pleasurable.
Better Communication
The introduction of educational software facilitated accessible and open communication between all involved in the learning process. Using portals, forums, and interactive elements makes it a cakewalk to maintain a strong bond with learners. The parties involved also have all the equipment to facilitate the communication process much more quickly.
This helps create an adequate and effective system that brings the issues of different parties to light. Instructors can clear any queries regarding course guidelines and techniques. Parents and instructors have access to the student’s performance reports.
Better Data
With educational software, information is readily available. Students no longer have to browse multiple sources; everything is available in a common repository. The focus on related data and analysis and prediction of facts makes it a trustworthy source of information. Since data is curated and reviewed by multiple educators over different periods, the data tends to be up to date. What’s more, it is also easy to update the information, unlike traditional textbooks or e-books. This frees the learning process from any doubts about the validity of the content available.
Effective and Consistent Learning
Educational software allows students and administrators to increase their efficiency. Students can focus better and learn at their own pace, making it a safe haven for knowledge. They can revise concepts multiple times until they are convinced they have a firm grasp of the topic. This sets an excellent tone for future learning and makes it relevant for their vocations. It also allows them to track their progress, clear any doubts, and move forward confidently. Educational software recognises the student’s skill level and gives appropriate content, making it easier to learn with them in the long run.
Administrators and parents are tuned in and can shape decisions and policies that benefit students. They can keep track of the work done by students, their progress, scores on the interactive test, and so on. It also helps those institutions without laboratories or other facilities to provide excellent education despite their infrastructure constraints.
Why iRainbow is Our Top Pick
While all software options offer valuable learning experiences, iRainbow goes the extra mile to ensure students have a productive and engaging journey. Its focus on a personalised experience, timely updates, no online distractions and a commitment to catering to students across all skill levels making iRainbow a standout platform in the South African educational landscape.
Does your child need help with math? Consider using iRainbow for grades 1 through 7 math. Sign up today.
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