SMART Board interactive whiteboards boost student involvement at Queenwood School for Girls
School to equip every classroom from kindergarten to Year 12 with SMART products
CALGARY, Alberta --- March 16, 2005 --- SMART Technologies Inc. and ELECTROBOARD Pty Ltd, SMART’s distributor in Australia, announce the installation of SMART Board™ interactive whiteboards at Queenwood School for Girls in Sydney. SMART products, including SynchronEyes™ computer-lab instruction software, were first installed at Queenwood in 2003. Now, all classrooms at Queenwood will have SMART Board interactive whiteboards by mid 2005, taking the total number of interactive whiteboards in the school to 55.
When SMART Board interactive whiteboards were first installed at Queenwood two years ago, both students and teachers took to the new technology tool, finding ways of integrating it into the classroom. The new position of “SMART Board monitor” was created, allowing one student in the class to take ownership of the classroom interactive whiteboard for a period of time. The monitor rearranges pages, changes and customises backgrounds, and generally takes care of the product. This initiative substantially increased student involvement and engagement in lessons that used interactive whiteboards. Encouraged by student response, teachers soon found ways of using the tool to teach more effectively. The overall teacher and student enthusiasm prompted the school authorities’ decision to install SMART Board interactive whiteboards in every classroom. To help teachers use the products more effectively, ELECTROBOARD has conducted a number of training sessions to help teachers learn the many features and applications of the product.
“It didn’t take long for the girls to make up a nickname for each SMART Board interactive whiteboard in the school, and the acceptance of the product is so complete that the majority of whiteboards and blackboards have been thrown away,” says Tony Slater, IT administrator of Queenwood. “One class even made a film about using SMART Board interactive whiteboards to help train junior students. There is definitely a new learning culture at the school with teachers more focused on interactive learning activities and our students experimenting with new features. It’s not just the teachers that get excited about this technology – SMART Board monitor is the most sought-after position among students in any class.”
“One of the greatest benefits of using SMART Board interactive whiteboards in the classroom is how they improve student engagement and outcomes,” says Nancy Knowlton, SMART’s president and co-CEO. “Queenwood School for Girls has established itself as a role model by building an infrastructure and system that is keeping both students and teachers motivated and excited about learning.”
About SMART Board interactive whiteboards
The SMART Board interactive whiteboard is a large, touch-sensitive display. Connected to a computer and projector, the interactive whiteboard is like a giant computer screen that students and teachers simply touch to operate. Using their finger or a pen as a mouse, teachers and students can access and control any computer application, file or multimedia platform, including the Internet, CD-ROMs and DVDs. They can also write over applications in digital ink, then save their work for future study and review. The SMART Board interactive whiteboard engages students with diverse learning styles by providing both immediate access to a wide range of digital materials and a common focus for the entire class – not something easily achieved with other technologies. It is the number one choice among primary and secondary school educators in more than 75 countries worldwide because the pioneering software interface captures the imagination of students of all backgrounds and abilities in order to help them learn together, understand better and achieve more. For more information, visit www.smarttech.com/smartboard.
About Queenwood
Queenwood is a non-selective, non-denominational day school for girls from kindergarten to Year 12, setting high academic goals enriched by strong cultural and sporting programs. The School is large enough to offer many different subjects and extracurricular activities, yet small enough for each girl to be known and for her individual needs to be met.
The School is based on Christian ideals but girls of all faiths are welcomed. Understanding and acceptance of different beliefs are encouraged. The School emphasises self-discipline and independence in study combined with strong self-esteem and personal values.
About SMART
SMART Technologies Inc. is both the industry pioneer and global market leader in easy-to-use interactive whiteboards and other group collaboration tools. SMART products include the family of award-winning SMART Board interactive whiteboards, as well as interactive pen displays, interactive digital signagemultimedia cabinets and software. Using SMART products, groups can access and share the information they need to meet, teach, train and present. SMART has been issued and maintains a broad portfolio of patents with numerous other U.S., Canadian and foreign patents pending. SMART customers in education include New York City Board of Education (U.S.), Oxford University (UK), Tokyo Nampei Senior High School (Japan), University of Ottawa (Canada), United World College (Singapore), Realschule Pritzwalk (Germany), Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind (U.S.) and Harvard University (U.S.). SMART is a private company founded in 1987. Employing more than 600 people, SMART is headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, with assembly facilities in Ottawa and Calgary, and offices in Bonn, Tokyo, New York City and Washington, D.C. In 1992 SMART formed a strategic alliance with Intel® Corporation that resulted in joint product development and marketing efforts, and Intel’s equity ownership in SMART. SMART products are sold through dealers across North America and through distributors worldwide. For more information, visit www.smarttech.com.
About ELECTROBOARD
SMART products are distributed in Australia by ELECTROBOARD Pty Ltd. ELECTROBOARD has been Australia’s leader in innovative education technology for over 19 years and has become recognised for its outstanding presentation, products and customer services. ELECTROBOARD’s education customers include The University of Sydney, University of Melbourne, Queenwood School for Girls, Eltham College of Education and Christ Church Grammar.
As part of its commitment to provide the highest standard of products and services, ELECTROBOARD is the authorised distributor for some of the world’s leading manufacturers of education presentation equipment such as SMART Technologies Inc., Sanyo, Polycom, LG and Epson. For more information visit the company’s website at www.electroboard.com.au.
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For more information, contact:
Public Relations
SMART Technologies Inc.
1207 - 11th Avenue SW, Suite 300
Calgary, AB T3C 0M5
CANADA
Phone +1.403.802.2552
pr@smarttech.com
Please note that SMART is written in all capital letters.