New Family-Facing Platform Offers Elementary Kids Safe, Fun, and Educational Learning Content at Home

SMART Technologies launches Funterra, an educator-approved platform with videos and activities that gives elementary-aged kids the freedom to explore and discover learning experiences outside of the classroom while building learning habits for the real world

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SMART Technologies

May 06, 2021, 08:01 ET

CALGARY, AB, May 6, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As parents and teachers seek safe, fun, and educational screen time options for K-6 graders, SMART Technologies — the edtech leader with a 30-year track record of pioneering learning solutions that encourage student collaboration and engagement — announced the launch of Funterra, an online destination offering a wide range of games, videos, and activities designed to foster self-directed home learning. Funterra is SMART Technologies' first subscription-based educational offering for families at home.

A recent report by Common Sense Media found that only about 4 percent of videos young children are viewing online today had "high educational value," and 95 percent of those videos on YouTube include some form of advertising.

Funterra curates its content from a wide variety of sources that include standards-aligned supplementary curriculum providers, developmentally appropriate videos created exclusively for children, innovative game designers, and kids themselves.

"Parents seeking educational content for their young children face a wild west of unsafe, non-educational videos on one side, and an array of uninteresting, mechanical-feeling learning content on the other," said SMART CEO Nicholas Svensson. "Funterra was inspired by classics like Reading Rainbow and Oregon Trail, which created entertaining experiences that were also educational. Parents can have peace of mind that when their children have at-home screen time — both during the pandemic and long-after — they will be engaging with high-quality, carefully curated content designed to foster a love of learning, and that they will truly enjoy the experience."

Funterra presents a vast landscape of content and experiences that plant seeds for self-motivated, lifelong learning — and by excluding features like grades and assessments, does so without feeling like an extension of students' schoolwork. Students can enjoy 'kidsplainer' content exploring intuitive questions like "why is the sky blue," with characters driving the narrative. Content on Funterra comes from some of the most innovative creators in the video and gaming spaces, including Arcademics, ZapZapMath, Crash Course Kids, and Sci Show Kids. SMART's popular Monsters vs. Fractions — an immersive, game-based narrative that teaches Common Core fractions while solving mysteries' — will also be available on the site.

Parents can try Funterra for free at www.funterra.com. Subscriptions to access the full library are $7.99 per month. Teachers can also use the platform to help create breaks in instruction or reward students for a job well done.

About SMART Technologies Inc.
SMART is a world leader in education technology, providing interactive solutions to help every person discover and develop the greatness within them. A consistent innovator for over 30 years, SMART is the inventor of the SMART Board® and the developer of SMART Notebook®, the world's most popular collaborative learning software, and part of the SMART Learning Suite. With their full range of interconnected displays, software, and accessories, used by millions in education and business, SMART helps students, colleagues and teams around the world achieve better outcomes. To learn more, visit smarttech.com.

SOURCE SMART Technologies