SMART Ideas concept-mapping software 5.0 improves student comprehension and retention
New version streamlines planning, teaching and assessment
CALGARY, Alberta --- June 28, 2005 --- SMART Technologies Inc. announces SMART Ideas® software 5.0 for the Microsoft Windows® and Mac OS® X operating systems and Tablet PCs. Educators will find the many new features in version 5.0 especially useful for engaging students, accommodating different learning styles and improving comprehension and retention. SMART Ideas software enables students, teachers and administrators to create multilevel concept maps using unlimited levels, colorful symbols, connectors, clip art and multimedia files to reinforce concepts visually, organize lessons and plan projects.
Concept mapping is gaining popularity as a visual learning technique that appeals to all ages and grade levels across various curricula. Recent research findings(1) support that concept mapping is an effective cognitive tool applicable not only to classroom teaching, but also to other areas of education – including planning and assessment at the district level.
“SMART Ideas software 5.0 encourages student participation and class interaction. We have a lot of teacher buy-in with this product because it is such an easy program to integrate into the curriculum,” says Ben Hazzard, teacher and site administrator, Devine Street Public School in Sarnia, Ontario. “SMART Ideas software is a perfect complement to SMART Board interactive whiteboards. The two teaching tools are an ideal combination to captivate students and encourage creative thinking and participation.”
“According to research studies(2), learners are driven by their individual learning styles. They are more likely to be invested and engaged in the learning process if they are encouraged to apply knowledge through a creative medium such as concept mapping,” says Nancy Knowlton, SMART’s president and co-CEO. “SMART Ideas software fosters digital-age literacies and enables students to access, create and integrate information related to curriculum in ways meaningful to each student.”
New features
Enhanced, three-dimensional Global view: Get a complete view of your map and how concepts relate to one another.
Improved content management: Use Style Collections for quick access to symbols, basic and deluxe connectors, clip art, and interactive Cliplets. With menu bars and thumbnail screens more discreetly organized into tabs, more mapping space is now available.
More intuitive Outline view: See the text-based outline of an entire map, including multiple levels. Help students make the connection between visual diagrams and written text by switching between Diagram and Outline views.
Presentation view: Remove toolbars for a larger screen area during presentations.
Stickies: Place sticky symbols and clip art inside other symbols to demonstrate relationships. For example, students can place relevant objects in shopping carts or baskets during matching exercises.
Expanded language support: Switch between languages (English, French and now Spanish), making the software ideal for multilanguage classes and schools.
Legend creation: Add legends to emphasize meaning in symbols and their relationship to information.
New drawing and text-formatting tools: Copy symbols and colors, and apply styles quickly throughout maps using new Auto Color and Auto Size features.
Other new features: Boost visual and auditory appeal by playing video and sound files inside the map symbols. Customize map themes, wallpaper and alignment of text and symbols. Proofread and revise map text using more powerful Spell Check and Find/Replace functions that scan multiple levels.
Pricing and availability
SMART Ideas software 5.0 is available at a suggested list price of US$199 for an individual license. Volume discounts are available. Not-for-profit educational institutions and teachers may purchase the software for US$59 for an individual license, or US$29 per copy for an order of 100 copies or more. A school license provides unlimited copies for individual K–12 schools and is available for US$2,499.
A copy of SMART Ideas software is included with every SMART Board™ interactive whiteboard and Sympodium™ interactive lectern. Educators who already have SMART Board or Sympodium products may download a copy of the software free of charge from www.smarttech.com/support/software/index.asp#ideas.
SMART Ideas software 5.0 is available directly from the SMART website or from authorized resellers of SMART products. For a free 30-day evaluation of SMART Ideas software, additional information, specifications or a list of authorized resellers, visit www.smarttech.com/smartideas or call 1.888.42.SMART.
About SMART Ideas concept-mapping software
SMART Ideas concept-mapping software enables teachers and students to create multilevel concept maps using colorful symbols, arrows and clip art to reinforce concepts from all subjects. An unlimited number of levels can be added to any symbol in the map, along with links to video files, audio clips, documents, photos, presentations and websites. SMART Ideas software includes an extensive clip-art gallery and a multilanguage template library that offers approximately 5,000 curriculum-based images as well as a collection of built-in map templates to help teachers save time and add visual interest to their lessons. At the end of class, diagrams or outlines can be exported to Microsoft® Word, Appleworks®, or saved as HTML files for e-mail distribution or easy posting to a website. SMART Ideas software can be used on desktop computers, SMART Board interactive whiteboards and Sympodium interactive pen displays. For more information, visit www.smarttech.com/smartideas.
(1) Jennifer Isaacs, 2003. Concept-Mapping Software: How Effective is the Learning Tool in an Online Learning Environment?, Acadia University, Canada.
(2) Eric Plotnik, cited in Jennifer Isaacs, 2003. Concept-Mapping Software: How Effective is the Learning Tool in an Online Learning Environment?, Acadia University, Canada
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For more information, contact:
Public Relations
SMART Technologies Inc.
1207 – 11th Avenue SW, Suite 300
Calgary, AB T3C 0M5
CANADA
403.802.2595
Please note that SMART is written in all capital letters.