SMART Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: SMT) (TSX: SMA) and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt(HMH) (NASDAQ:HMHC) have entered into a comprehensive working relationship to advance education through software, content and professional development offerings. The partnership will bring together HMH’s research-based, globally recognized digital curriculum and SMART software through a standards-based approach, to provide teachers and students with the ability to seamlessly collaborate and learn in new and innovative ways. Today’s joint announcement is a lead up to the British Education Training and Technology (BETT) show, the world’s largest gathering of education suppliers and decision makers, to be held in London from January 22 to 26, 2014.
The initial phase of integration will combine HMH’s trusted digital content with SMART amp™ collaborative learning software – the revolutionary, cloud-based solution that offers a single, device-agnostic learning platform on any device that has a browser. It is the ‘glue’ that connects interactive displays, PCs, laptops, tablets and smartphones while enabling teachers and students to collaborate in real time, perform in-class assessment, connect to shared digital workspaces and interact with Web-based learning materials regardless of location or device. HMH’s market-leading ScienceFusion will become one of the first products to be integrated with SMART amp software. ScienceFusion is a state-of-the-art science program designed to develop important critical thinking and inquiry skills through real world challenges and hands-on activities. The integration with SMART amp software enables students and teachers to access and collaborate with ScienceFusion content anytime, anywhere, using any device. Additional curriculum offerings from HMH will continue to become available through SMART amp software in the coming months.
The collaboration between HMH and SMART will also allow for digital content integration into the award-winning SMART Notebook™ collaborative learning software and professional development offerings to help educators optimize their use of the integrated solutions for improved learning outcomes. SMART has over 25 years of history in creating solutions that support collaborative teaching and learning. Today more than 2.6 million SMART Board® interactive displays are used by over 50 million students and their teachers, and SMART software is used in more than 175 countries around the world.
“SMART amp software will simplify the way teachers and students experience digital content — beyond one single classroom display to multiple devices and mediums,” says Mary Cullinane, Chief Content Officer for Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. “The integration of our trusted, pedagogically-sound curriculum content with SMART’s software will give students and teachers greater flexibility to access and collaborate with world-class learning resources anytime, anywhere, to ensure a better learning experience and long-term success.” “Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s world-class learning resources will enrich SMART software by offering premium content across all core subject areas that is optimized for interactive, collaborative learning,” says Greg Estell, President, Education for SMART Technologies. “The integration of HMH’s cutting-edge content with SMART software enables educators to effortlessly transform teaching and learning with visual, interactive and engaging lessons that inspire collaboration and enhance student understanding.”
SMART amp collaborative learning software will be available for commercial release in April 2014 and is now in early stage trials in a number of schools. For more information, visit smarttech.com/cloud.
About Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (NASDAQ:HMHC) is a global learning company with the mission of changing people’s lives by fostering passionate, curious learners. Among the world’s largest providers of pre-K–12 education solutions and one of its longest-established publishing houses, HMH combines cutting-edge research, editorial excellence and technological innovation to improve teaching and learning environments and solve complex literacy and education challenges. HMH’s interactive, results-driven education solutions are utilized by 50 million students in over 150 countries, and its renowned and awarded novels, non-fiction, children's books and reference works are enjoyed by readers throughout the world. For more information, visit www.hmhco.com.
SMART Technologies Inc. is a leading provider of technology solutions that are redefining the way the world works and learns. SMART products enable inspired collaboration in schools and workplaces by turning group work into highly interactive, engaging and productive experiences. SMART delivers integrated solutions of hardware, software and services designed for superior performance and ease of use. smarttech.com