KICD, Japanese firm Casio partner to make maths enjoyable to students
The Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development and Japanese electronics manufacturer Casio have partnered to provide free educational resources and ways to solve mathematics.
The Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) and Japanese electronics manufacturer Casio have partnered to provide free educational resources and ways to solve mathematics.
The collaboration aims to make learning maths enjoyable and the use of a new scientific calculator congenial.
This, the partners believe, could improve students’ performance and prepare them for careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
Casio said the resources are aligned with KICDs Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), and they consist of tutorials that show simplified and interactive operations of the scientific calculator.
The new CASIO fx-82EX calculator or ‘ClassWiz’ is an upgraded version of the fx-82MS model which is popular among secondary school students.
Solving real-life problems
The newer version is KICD approved for use in secondary and higher education levels, and it displays input and results as seen in textbooks to make operation easier.
KICD chief executive Prof Charles Ong’ondo said while the new curriculum focuses majorly on the acquisition of knowledge, skills, attitudes and values, it is also geared towards the acquisition of knowledge and skills in solving real-life problems.
“The Casio scientific calculators are user friendly and can help learners, especially at the tertiary level of education. They can contribute a lot in facilitating teachers and learners who handle STEM subjects.”
Materials developed to include a digital emulator that demonstrates how the calculator can be used to solve mathematical problems, infractions, powers, algorithms and formulas with ease.
Integrates technology
The emulator integrates technology into the classroom and promotes interactive learning.
Mr Takashi Seimiya, Managing Director, Casio Middle East said mathematics is the base for all subjects because it plays a crucial role in critical thinking.
“We provide training for educators to encourage mathematical reasoning and its application in real life. We encourage the change of mindsets about mathematics being difficult by removing some of the obstacles that students and teachers face in the classroom,” he said.
By integrating technology like scientific calculators in learning the subject, students spend more time understanding concepts that can then be applied in different scenarios and improve their mathematics abilities.
