Experts praise SMART’s contribution to education and business
CALGARY, ALBERTA --- February 9, 2007 --- SMART Technologies Inc. announces that it has won four awards in China recognizing excellence in technology. Recently, a panel of experts organized by the China Computer Education Newspaper with representatives from China’s Ministry of Information Industry, the Ministry of Education and the China Centre of Electronics and Industry Development Research, named the SMART Board™ interactive whiteboard the Top Whiteboard in Education for 2006. The panel cited the SMART Board interactive whiteboard’s performance, variety of functions and overall influence on the modernization of education in China as key elements for the award. This was the first time that interactive whiteboards were included in a separate award category. The China Computer Education Newspaper is one of the most prominent journals in China focusing on IT in the education field. It also named the SMART Board interactive whiteboard the 2006 Product of the Year, recognizing its high quality and outstanding performance.
PC World China Magazine, the Chinese version of the most influential IT magazine in the world, has also named the SMART Board interactive whiteboard its 2006 Product of the Year. The magazine says the SMART Board interactive whiteboard’s varied functions are easy to use and give it unparalleled advantages over other interactive whiteboards. The newspaper China Information World, one of the top IT publications in China, has given the SMART Board interactive whiteboard an Award of Excellence for 2006. The editors at the newspaper cited SMART’s contribution to distance learning as key. Using the SMART Board interactive whiteboard and Bridgit™ conferencing software, the Beijing Yucai School and the Hong Kong Pui Ching Middle School were able to more effectively communicate and collaborate during lessons.
“The SMART Board interactive whiteboard is offering China many opportunities for education development,” says Xu Xialon, vice-president of the China Centre of Electronics and Industry Development Research. “It gives us effective solutions to improve teaching and learning.”
“China is increasing its use of interactive whiteboards and other collaborative tools in both education and business and realizing the benefits,” says Nancy Knowlton, SMART’s CEO. “SMART is proud to be a key contributor to the rapid advancement of education in China.”
