Edzai Conilias Zvobwo, Chief Genius at MathsGenius Leadership Institute delivered his presentation on "Platform Thinking for Educational Success" at Africa's biggest Digital Education Show at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa

1. CONFIDENTIAL
This document is solely for the use of MathsGenius Leadership Institute personnel and Advisory Board. No part of
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Leadership Institute..
Platform Thinking for Educational Success
Gaussian Mind Trading and Projects
T/A MathsGenius Leadership Institute
Phone: +2778 585 8937
Title: Chief Genius
Website: www.mathsgenius.co.za
Email: edzai@mathsgenius.co.za
Presenter: Edzai Conilias Zvobwo
MathsGenius Leadership Institute
Twitter: @edzaizvobwo
Digital Education Show Africa – 7 October 2015

2. MathsGenius Leadership Institute 2015 ©
Media Articles by Edzai Conilias Zvobwo
Educational reform for the social media age
http://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/371/129436.html
Platform thinking is not a pipe dream; what SA can learn from Google
http://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/659/124914.html
Throwing laptops at schools won't solve the maths problem
http://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/659/124682.html
Google Helpouts shuts down: Are live video tutorials viable?
http://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/659/124518.html
Maths not SA's innovation holy grail
http://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/498/124206.html

3. MathsGenius Leadership Institute 2015 ©
Hi, My name is Homo Naledi
I am the coolest guy of my era.
I am a genius I discovered fire
Hi , my name is Edzai
I am the coolest guy of my era.
I am keeping the fire burning.
“We started from the bottom now we are here…” – Drake (Musician)

4. MathsGenius Leadership Institute 2015 ©

5. MathsGenius Leadership Institute 2015 ©

6. MathsGenius Leadership Institute 2015 ©

7. MathsGenius Leadership Institute 2015 ©
Dude, Google is overworking us
I am jumping ship to Uber

8. MathsGenius Leadership Institute 2015 ©

9. What is Platform Thinking?
• Platform thinking is the art of conceptualising
and implementing inclusive places (physical or
virtual) where different actors can interact,
communicate, co-create and share …
• A successful platform is able to
1. Attract users
2. Facilitate the exchange of information
3. Foster co-creation of value
Andrea Cocchi

10. MathsGenius Leadership Institute 2015 ©

11. • Value is created upstream
• Knowledge is acquired from
teacher
• Lessons are designed to
meet specifications
• Value is given by restricted
consumption
Pipes and Platforms
PIPES PLATFORMS
• Value is co-created on the
spot
• Learners are co-creators of
knowledge
• Products emerge through
interaction
• Value is appreciated by
interaction

13. Enabling innovation culture
• “Companies (teachers) might consider a managed
process of idea generation that rewards risk taking and
effectively harvests entrepreneurial (mathematical)
ideas.” (Accenture 2013)
• Today, there’s a glut of highly trained (creative) but
underemployed scientists (learners). Let’s harness their
idealistic passion before they turn grey, using social
networks and data sharing to create an open, interactive,
dynamic model of (mathematics education) basic life
sciences research. (Ethan Perlstein)
• It's always a tremendous opportunity for us to tap into our
fan's (learner’s) passion, creativity and their own
interpretation of "Peace, Love and Ice Cream.”
(mathematics) (Ben & Jerry's – Do the Flavor a Favor
competition)

14. What can be improved?
MathsGenius Leadership Institute 2015 ©
• Emphasis on platform development.
• Use of Blended learning
• Appreciation of changing roles in
education.
• Room for creativity, open-mindedness and
versatility. (Treat learners like platforms)

15. www.mathsgenius.co.za
MathsGenius Leadership Institute 2015 ©
“Maths is to the mind, what love is to
the heart” – Edzai Conilias Zvobwo

16. Bibliography
“Accenture Management Consulting (2013) “Corporate Innovation Is Within Reach: Nurturing and
Enabling an Entrepreneurial Culture”, downloadable from Accenture website
Andrea Cocchi (2012) “Platform Thinking - How to foster cooperative innovation and creativity”, New
York, USA
Bianchi M. (ed (2007) “Evolution of Consumption: Theories and Practices”, Bingley, U.K. : Emerald
Bianchi M. (ed.) (1998) “The Active Consumer Novelty and Surprise in Consumer Choice”, London:
Routledge
Choudary (2013) “Why Business Models Fail: Pipes vs. Platforms” Wired
http://www.wired.com/insights/2013/10/why-business-models-fail-pipes-vs-platforms/
Bonchek and Choudary (2013) “Three elements of a Successful Platform Strategy”, HBR blog
(blogs.hbr.org/2013/01/three-elements-of-a-successful-platform/‎CachedShare)
Evans, Hagiu, Schmalensee (2006) “Invisible Engines How Software Platforms Drive Innovation and
Transform Industries” The MIT Press Cambridge, Massachusetts, London, England
Dayport, Sviokla (1995) “Exploiting the Virtual Value Chain” Harvard Business Review 1995 (november-
december), pp. 75-85
Shapiro and Varian (1999) “The Standard War”, California Manegement Review , Vol. 41. No 2
Edzai Zvobwo (2010), The Mathematical Genius in You, Pretoria, South Africa
Edzai Zvobwo (2014), Spreading Mathematical Happiness, Johannesburg, South Africa
Keith Devlin (2011), Mathematical Thinking, USA