SMART Technologies Integrates with Microsoft Teams, Enabling Educators to Increase Student Engagement and Easily Navigate Blended and Remote Learning Environments

Integration between SMART learning software and Microsoft Teams gives educators better insight into student learning, and enables a more seamless teaching and learning experience in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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SMART Technologies

Sep 15, 2020, 09:00 ET

CALGARY, AB, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, SMART Technologies -- the education technology company with a 30-year track record of pioneering learning solutions that encourage student collaboration and engagement -- announced a new integration with Microsoft Teams.

As schools prepare for remote and hybrid instruction next semester, educators are looking to blend technologies that enable live instruction and student interaction while also supporting a deeper, more collaborative learning experience -- whether in the classroom or at home. The new integration between SMART and Teams allows educators to minimize disruptions due to toggling across multiple screens and tools, and to create a seamless learning environment.

For example, within the SMART Learning Suite, teachers can work through a new concept with their in-person or virtual students, and then easily transition students to explore the concept in small breakout sessions or through individual activities without disrupting the flow of class. Minimizing these in-between moments wherein teachers must oversee an entire classroom switching from one platform to another is key for keeping classrooms on track -- especially in an era where instruction could be delivered in-person one day, and at-home the next.

"The transition to remote learning has required creativity and agility in my teaching practice, but SMART Learning Suite has enabled me to replicate so much of the classroom experience -- keeping my learners engaged and excited," said Bobby Brian Lewis, Instructional Technology Coach at Bibb County School District. "This new integration with Microsoft makes it easier for me and my students to contribute to great content and activities while we collaborate together on Teams."

For students unable to meet in person, this integration is key to continuing to build social-emotional learning skills during a pandemic. Shared workspaces allow group members to contribute different kinds of content simultaneously, in class or from home. Individual contributions are tagged with student names, providing teachers with valuable insight to learning.

"The integration with SMART and Teams makes it easier to create the most accessible, engaging learning experiences possible," said Mike Ammerlaan, director, Microsoft 365 Ecosystem at Microsoft Corp. "SMART meets teachers where they're at by integrating with Teams -- where they can create a collaborative classroom setting."

SMART Learning Suite Online empowers teachers to deliver engaging lessons and interactive content, formative assessments, and collaborative workspaces to students through their devices, no matter where students are. Students can access lessons and activities and easily demonstrate their progress, all from their existing Microsoft workflow. The integration also gives teachers the power to create, edit, deliver, manage, and share engaging, interactive lessons directly within Microsoft Teams, enhancing instruction directly from within the platform and workflows they already use.

Available now, this app can be deployed by administrators or teachers from MicrosoftAppSource.

To install the app, visit smarttech.com/teamsapp.

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