SMART Learning Suite Advances to CODiE Awards Finalist Round in "Best Collaborative Learning Solution for Students" Category

CALGARY, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- SMART Technologies, the edtech leader with a 30-year track record of pioneering learning solutions that encourage student collaboration and engagement, announced that its SMART Learning Suite^TM (SLS) software has been named a finalist in the 2021 CODiE Awards competition in the "Best Collaborative Learning Solution for Students" category.

The honor recognizes SLS for empowering teachers to create engaging lessons students interact with through their devices, in class, remotely, or on their own time. The software supports active learning and collaboration and enables educators to transform lesson content, ignite engagement, and capture insight into learning.

Acknowledged as the premier awards program for the software and information industries for over 35 years, the SIIA CODiE Awards are produced by the Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA), the principal trade association for the software, education, media, financial information and digital content industries.

The honor comes on the heels of several other recent recognitions for SMART's flagship classroom software. In April, EdTech Digest's 2021 EdTech Awards named SMART Learning Suite the winner of its "Collaboration Solution" category, in which SLS placed ahead of a field of 20 finalists. SLS was also named a finalist in that competition's "E-Learning, Blended, or Flipped Solution" category. Earlier this school year, SLS won two honors from Tech & Learning — "Best Remote/ Blended Learning Tools for Primary Grades" for 2021, and "Best of 2020" — and was recognized by District Administration in its inaugural Top Ed Tech Products of the Year awards.

"We are honored to see SMART Learning Suite be recognized at this year's CODiE Awards — especially in an awards category emphasizing the software's core strength as a collaborative learning tool," said SMART CEO Nicholas Svensson. "We have been proud over the past year to support teachers and school systems in their work to create dynamic learning spaces for their students during the pandemic, and we are excited to continue doing so going forward."

"The CODiE Awards recognize the most exciting and transformative products in Ed Tech," said Jeff Joseph, SIIA President. "This year, these leaders helped our nation respond to the historic pandemic, enabling learners, educators, administrators and parents to remain connected to each other and to critical educational resources via an array of innovative services and platforms. Congratulations to this year's finalists for demonstrating the vitality, resilience and importance of this important industry."

The SIIA CODiE Awards are the industry's only peer-recognized awards program. Educators and administrators serve as judges and conduct the first-round review of all education nominees. Their scores determine the SIIA CODiE Award finalists and account for 80% of the overall score. SIIA members then vote on the finalist products and the scores from both rounds are tabulated to select the winners. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Education Technology category winners will be announced during an online winner announcement celebration June 23, 2021.

Over the past year, as teachers increasingly relied upon SLS to connect with students during the pandemic, SMART rolled out a number of enhancements that have enabled even smoother and more powerful teacher/student interaction. New features included a library of ready-made activities and lesson resources, enhanced image functions to spur student interactions, improved ability to personalize activities to support better connections with students, and integrations with popular classroom management and video platforms created by Google, Microsoft, Zoom, and others.

Teachers and administrators can access the improved SMART Learning Suite today at www.suite.smarttech.com.

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 award-winning 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 create connections that matter. To learn more, visit smarttech.com.

SOURCE SMART Technologies