Apps for maths – an index in the making
At the Association for Learning Technology (ALT), we’re currently working together with partners to develop an index of apps for maths, as part of the Maths4us initiative.
Apps, as we define them for this initiative, include a large number of online tools such as calculators or currency converters that you can download to a mobile device or desktop computer. There are many maths apps that can help you with daily tasks such as budgeting and others that can provide scientific calculators or help you learn how to use data and charts.
The index is a web platform that you will be able to visit to find useful apps whether you’re at home, work or while studying. The way it will work is that you will be able to search for everyday words such as ‘budgeting’ or ‘cooking’, as well as specific numeracy or maths terms like ‘percentages’, ‘whole numbers’ or ‘equations’. It will then display a number of results, for each of which you will be able to see a review from someone who has used the app and who has expertise in teaching and learning maths.
Often, when searching for a helpful app we’re confronted by too much choice or too little. It can also be difficult to find out which apps might be good for what purpose. Instead of having a simple rating or comments about what’s not working like in generic app stores, the apps for maths index will include reviews by people who have used the app for the same purpose as yours. We are also using research findings and evidence from a number of partners and studies to ensure that we include the most relevant apps in each section, enabling you to find what you are looking for quickly.
At the same time as working on building the index and the review system, we are also working with partners from within the initiative and beyond to ensure that we have the right research as a basis for the development.
For all of us, maths is part of everyday life. Whether we are using a recipe for cooking, comparing prices for holidays or trying to make sense of statistics – we need our maths skills all the time. Whether at home, at work or for studying, there are apps that can help you with all kinds of tasks and there are also apps that can help improve your skills in a specific area. You can take apps with you on your laptop, tablet or mobile phone or install them at work or home on a desktop computer. There are also many apps that you can use directly on the internet.
The apps for maths index is going to make finding what you are looking for quick and easy, letting you get on with the task at hand.
Maren Deepwell is Chief Executive of the Association for Learning Technology (ALT) – the UK’s leading membership organisation in the learning technology field with over 1,200 members from universities, colleges, schools and industry. ALT works to promote research, improve practice and influence policy.
I am a proficient ICT ‘visitor’ ( or ‘immigrant’ if you prefer) who is keen to find out about the usefulness of apps to learners. I’m currently undertaking a small PGCE project on use of ICT in Skills for Life and associated courses and would like to reference any relevant research or current work on the subject.