Amid the continuing pandemic, we’ve worked continuously to improve SMART Learning Suite software to make teaching and learning easier, more engaging, and more seamless. The EdTech community has taken notice of our improved solutions for teachers. Check out these interview highlights with CEO Nicholas Svensson from across the EdTech industry. Nicholas shares his take on the evolution of education and technology and the need to prioritise ease of use for teachers. #WeAreSMART
A focus on integrations with popular platforms fosters ease of use for teachers
New options enable teachers to use the engaging features of SMART Learning Suite integrated with other platforms they know and love, such as Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, ClassLink, and Canvas. Nicholas was featured in EdTech Digest’s interview series with education leaders and used the opportunity to discuss ways educators are using technology to support student learning in the midst of the pandemic.
“The best antidote to the disruptiveness of the present moment is to make tools available that help teachers not only replicate the physical classroom experience but also expand the possibilities of learning because of the access technology allows.”
- Nicholas Svensson, CEO of SMART Technologies
Ease of use for teachers needs to be the #1 focus
Nicholas also provided insights in K-12 Dive’s recent feature, “5 EdTech trends to watch in 2021.” He spoke of the need for EdTech providers to prioritise ease of use and further platform integration, so teachers can devote their energy to supporting learning and maintaining relationships rather than shifting students across technology platforms and sites.
“Educators deserve to have their preferred tools at their fingertips, without having to constantly move students across different platforms and sites,” [Nicholas] said … “Integration has always been a request of schools, but in 2021, I suspect we’ll see more teachers insist that EdTech companies consider their workflow in a more intentional way.”
- Nicholas Svensson, CEO of SMART Technologies
Coming trends enable more flexible teaching arrangements
Nicholas also shared his predictions of coming trends in education in a blog post that touched on using technology to enable more flexible teaching arrangements, student data and privacy, and coming trends in physical classroom design and hardware.
“I envision a world in which technology is like oxygen – it’s all around us and yet we don’t have to think about how to utilise it. This is most important in education where teachers have enough to navigate daily – their technology should be as simple and standard a fixture as desks or books, and SMART flat panels as accessible and intuitive as their living room TV. Soon, classrooms will operate more like studios, with more sophisticated equipment that’s in tune with a teacher’s delivery needs for blended learning.”
- Nicholas Svensson, CEO of SMART Technologies
A desire to make remote instruction more seamless and accessible for teachers during the pandemic
EdWeek’s Market Brief also noted SMART’s recent software integrations. Nicholas spoke of the company’s desire to make remote instruction more seamless and accessible for teachers during the pandemic:
“What happened during COVID was that we [noticed] the teachers needed help,” [Nicolas] said. The pandemic “actually validated and accelerated our efforts to get the integrations out more quickly.”
- Nicholas Svensson, CEO of SMART Technologies