The BESSIE Awards target innovative and content-rich programs and websites that provide teachers and parents with the technology to foster educational excellence. Winners are selected annually from titles submitted by software publishers around the world.
“Smart Tutor - Reading's website design and content are the best we've seen for delivering reading materials to children in the K-5 age group,” said reviewers at ComputED. “The program offers an "Integrated Learning System" that is research-based and aligned to state and national educational standards.”
Smart Tutor Reading provides students with individualized instruction based on their ability level. The program automatically pinpoints and resolves learning gaps, ensuring that each student receives a program targeted to improve academic abilities and outcomes.
It has been used by schools, school districts, and extended-day learning centers since 2002 and has demonstrated academic gains in some of the most academically challenged students. It is the company’s mission to ensure that the program works for all children including those with special needs and those that speak English as a second language.
“The reason this award is so significant is because it proves that a smaller educational software publisher can develop, deliver, and support a world-class product as well as, if not better than, some of the large publishing conglomerates that dominate the market,” said Dale Baker, Learning Today’s CEO/President. “Our team creates a product that makes a difference, and this award is a result of their dedication and commitment to excellence.”
Smart Tutor Reading won in two categories, “Early Elementary – Reading/Literacy Website,” and “Upper Elementary – Language Arts Website.”
“We can't say enough about this superb, child-friendly program, whose effectiveness is propelled by interactive videos, cartoons and animations, with audio guidance throughout,”
Learning Today released a consumer product for home use, http://www.smarttutor.com, in May.
About Learning Today, Inc.:
Headquartered in Plantation, Florida, Learning Today was established in 2000 to develop Smart Tutor, a web-based educational software program for Kindergarten through 5th grade students. Learning Today’s primary goal is to research, develop, and deliver effective online reading and math assessment and interactive instructional content for students in order to support instruction and targeted intervention. Smart Tutor is scientifically research-based and developed by an expert team of curriculum writers, subject-matter experts, interface-designers, animators, quality-assurance specialists, and engineers. Smart Tutor supports students in need of academic remediation, maintenance, or advancement. Smart Tutor Reading and Math programs are available online at http://www.learningtoday.com for schools, school districts, and extended-day learning centers. The program is also available for parents via http://www.smarttutor.com.
