It was great to talk learning and play, especially with older kids, with Sarah Aiono of Longworth Education. You can listen to the episode here: [embed]https://open.spotify.com/episode/5hLKwRu5Igjx27BAvlpKYB?si=4D1lBnr0SWWBnaCrtlqG-A&dl_branch=1[/embed] ...
Continue ReadingIf there's one thing teachers ask the most when first enquiring about SMATA it's this: 'Can I share the data?' And the answer is, 'Yes, sort of, with a few work arounds.' You see, when SMATA was being created one of the things I was big...
Continue ReadingIt was great to get along to Kelburn Normal School and hear about how they are SMATA to power up the reflective dimension of learning. SMATA's edit button is the feature that's helping them do this. You find this when you go to review an observation. What...
Continue ReadingIf there is one question that all teachers ask, regardless of pedagogical approach, it's this: 'What do I do next?' Knowing what to do next requires recognising what is happening, making inferences about quality, and responding to them. This is easy when students are all doing...
Continue ReadingUse of Smata constitutes acceptance of our Terms and Conditions. Read them here before you get started. Smata is simple to set up and use. These two guides will have you up and running in no time. Six Simple Steps to Set Up Smata Six Simple Steps to...
Continue ReadingI've been thinking about the way information is presented in education, and the impact that has on what is valued as learning. You see, my life as a teacher and board member was informed by tables and graphs (mostly bar graphs) that sorted learning achievement...
Continue ReadingI'm Bevan, and I started Smata in 2019 as a PLD focused entity. Formerly an ex-secondary school English teacher, in 2018 I had the honour of being a Core Education Dr Vince Ham e-Fellow where I explored the impact of play in a secondary school...
Continue ReadingI was with a school, listening to a teacher talk about how she had been using Smata and how she planned on using it during the next term. This school uses learning through play in the junior school, and what using Smata during Term 2...
Continue ReadingAre you wondering if Smata might be the right tool for you? We asked the teachers who tested Smata what they thought. "I really do love using it as it just makes observing children in the play so easy and fast. I don't think I want...
Continue ReadingAs a teacher, you know that what guides your daily decision making are the thousands of tiny clues you glean as you interact with your students. No doubt, you have numerous stories of what a learner can do. Too often, this small data - the...
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