Australia Impact Report

Addressing Important Topics Facing Administrators Today

The Power of the Learning Loop

Seesaw, a Learning Experience Platform trusted and loved by 25 million educators, students, and families worldwide, is having a profound impact on some of the most important topics school administrators are facing today. Tailored for PreK - Year 5 students, Seesaw enables schools to actively involve parents, carers, and family members in what we call “the learning loop”, fostering a collaborative partnership in their child’s educational journey. Engaging students in these crucial developmental years can yield positive and enduring effects academically, socially, and emotionally, instilling a lifelong love of learning.

This impact report includes testimonials from educators and school leaders from Australia, highlighting successful strategies they are employing to implement Seesaw, and the positive impact it’s having on their school communities and student achievement.

Seesaw’s Learning Experience Platform supports OECD Future of Education and Skills 2030 Conceptual Learning Framework from the Student Agency for 2030.

Reference #1: “Students with involved parents or caregivers earn higher grades and test scores, have better social skills and behave better at school.”

Reference #2: “When students play an active role in shaping their lessons, they are more likely to participate, ask questions, have open and candid discussions, express opposing opinions and make challenging statements.”

Reference #3: “Research shows that responsible and positive family engagement with schools improves student achievement, reduces absenteeism and strengthens parents’ confidence in their child’s education.”

Reference #4: “An effective learning environment is built on ‘co-agency,’ i.e. where students, teachers, parents, and the community work together. Teachers play a key role in designing a learning environment that values agency.”

*Source: https://www.oecd.org/education/2030-project/teaching-and-learning/learning/student-agency/Student_ Agency_for_2030_concept_note.pdf

Family Engagement & Communication

Seesaw helps schools develop strong family relationships as partners in their child’s learning. This is particularly critical for supporting families of all types including immigrant families, divorced families, families overseas, and those with non-English speaking family members. Seesaw helps foster a sense of belonging, provides support, bridges geographical gaps, and ensures families’ inclusive participation in their child’s education. Parent-teacher interviews, translation assistance, and involving extended family members all contribute to building a strong foundation of learning that is key for a child’s success in life.

“Our families consistently affirm that Seesaw gives them a window to their child’s learning and helps them feel connected to the school, despite leading busy lives that sometimes prevent them from physically being here. Our students LOVE sharing their learning progress with their families and the fact that their work is being ‘published’ and shared with their families, motivates them to show their best selves and aligns perfectly with our high expectations culture. Seesaw is a wonderful platform that supports us in celebrating learning and working in partnership with our families and community.”

- Karen Morris, Assistant Principal Curriculum and Instruction, New South Wales

“Working at a school where parents often are required to travel for work and many students have grandparents and other family members overseas, Seesaw has been an amazing tool for sharing students’ learning. My favourite memory is a boy whose family moved to Perth, Western Australia for his dad’s work. He shared the family code with grandparents in New South Wales and grandparents in England. It was amazing that families in different parts of the country and world were part of our classroom.”

- Glenda Harnett, Project Coordinator - Teaching and Learning, Western Australia

“Seesaw allows families, no matter where they are or how often they see the child, to engage with the child’s schooling. I share videos and photos of skills they are learning and developing and I always get such great feedback from families about how they enjoy seeing these.”

- Jade Morrison, Year 2/3 Classroom Teacher, Western Australia

“86% of our families are from non-English speaking backgrounds. Although they may not always feel comfortable communicating, the engagement from parents as we provide real-time sharing of work, is fantastic. The ability to translate texts/messages in over 100 languages has assisted in increasing family engagement across the school.”

- Graham Maher, Assistant Principal, Western Australia

“Using Seesaw to engage families within my class has been a game changer. I love that families have a direct link to the classroom, viewing work that is occurring and hearing conversations that take place. It has also been particularly helpful in assessing students’ learning because, parents view the task and can provide additional support at home based on what they are seeing.”

- Danni Mattiazzo, Head of Curriculum and Assessment, Northern Territory

“Our school no longer has walls because of Seesaw. Our parents enjoy the transparency Seesaw creates. Families are part of their child’s learning journey and can see and discuss everyday learning experiences.”

- Natalie See, Principal, New South Wales

Student Engagement

Seesaw is instrumental in promoting student engagement through its versatile features that are tailored to support diverse learning needs and preferences. Seesaw’s “Daily Check-Ins” enable educators to gain insights into students’ interests, well-being, challenges, and situations, and foster a supportive and empathetic learning environment. Seesaw also enhances learning experiences by animating diagrams, incorporating audio elements, and allowing for annotations, making complex concepts more accessible and engaging for students. Whether documenting a science experiment or a STEM project, Seesaw facilitates hands-on learning experiences that promote active participation and deep understanding. Seesaw supports joy and celebration in the classroom, reinforcing positive behaviour and creating memorable learning moments that inspire students to thrive academically and emotionally.

“Watching the joy of the students that for the first time, can articulate their learning in a style that suits them is the most magical moment.”

- Laura Lang, Year 3/4 Primary School Teacher, Western Australia

“Students learn the best through creativity and inquiry. Using Seesaw allows students to design and develop their responses in the best way THEY see fit. This means higher student engagement, ownership, and academic results.”

- Daniel Mavroleon, Instructional Technology Coach, Queensland

“I feel it’s really important that students are involved in their learning, not just passive receivers of knowledge. Part of this is being able to track their growth in learning using Seesaw as a digital portfolio, which allows students to review their learning journey and the growth they’ve made over time.”

- Ben White, School Leader, Australian Capital Territory

“Each time we publish work to our digital portfolio, we spend five5 minutes at the end of the lesson showcasing each student’s work. They love seeing their work up on the screen. We use the TAG peer feedback strategy, where students think, pair, share, and then tell us something they liked, ask a question, and give a suggestion. The students love this time and often end up using the suggestions from their peers in future lessons.”

- Brittany Warton, Year 2 Teacher, New South Wales

“I love that Seesaw gives my students ownership over their learning, empowering them to choose their best work to upload to their digital portfolios and share with their families.”

- Alyssa Hudson, K-6 STEAM Teacher, Queensland

School Participation & Attendance

Students are much more likely to participate in school when they feel supported by their family and educators. Seesaw helps increase school participation by creating joyful and inclusive experiences that engage all types of students to have a positive learning experience. This helps teachers effectively reach students that are new, or shy and reserved, and facilitate remote learning for students unable to be within the classroom. These factors help foster improved attendance rates and continuous learning experiences for all students, regardless of their circumstances.

“As principal of our school, Seesaw allows me to have a snapshot of each classroom each week. Often, I can physically visit classrooms and engage with the students and their learning but if I am unable to, I can jump onto Seesaw and see what students have been learning. I love the fact I can ‘like’ what they have done but also that I can give students feedback, encouragement, or feedforward. Parents love seeing this too! I have also loved seeing some of our reluctant readers progress in their reading and capture this in Seesaw. It is so rewarding to be able to look back to where students were at the beginning of the year and just how far they have now come.”

- Mary Jones, Principal, Victoria

“I had a student working three years below his grade level. He was showing negative behaviours because he couldn’t complete the set work. When I began using Seesaw within his classroom and differentiated his work, his engagement skyrocketed. He was able to show his learning without the fear of other students knowing that his assignment was different from theirs. He used text-to-speech so the questions could be read to him and he could record the answers rather than having to write or type them. His confidence grew and his attendance also improved substantially.”

- Jessica Sluyter, Year 2-5 Classroom Teacher, New South Wales

“Seesaw has empowered students to write messages to me when they have missed school. In their eyes, it is a big thing to be heard and valued.”

- Natalie Gladman, Student Learning Leader, Queensland

“A reluctant and shy student rarely participated in class discussions. One day the task was to share your understanding of angles. He worked with a peer and recorded himself in Seesaw explaining the different angles. I was so proud!”

- Mai Lu, Relieving Deputy Principal, New South Wales

“Seesaw gives voice to the voiceless students in our class. We have those students who find it difficult to share their ideas and knowledge with a class of students, they are nervous and shy. Seesaw unlocks a new world for these students, they can present and be creative without needing to be anxious or shy about talking or presenting in front of the whole class.”

- Luke Vine, Assistant Principal, Western Australia

Student Achievement

Seesaw’s Learning Experience Platform correlates with improved end-of-year assessment outcomes by focusing on learners’ unique needs. Unlike other products, Seesaw enhances the student, teacher, and classroom experience with age-appropriate solutions. It equips teachers with tools and curriculum to maximize students’ potential during their crucial foundational years. Seesaw fosters critical thinking, comprehension, and fluency assessment, facilitating tailored interventions. It promotes collaboration between families and teachers, aligning strategies with classroom curriculum and empowering both educators and families alike to drive academic growth and student success through joyful and dynamic learning environments.

“Seesaw was able to help my students look at their learning and self-reflect to understand what they need to improve on. One of my students noticed their reading fluency was something they could work on and through recording and listening to themselves back they worked on it, and it eventually led to better outcomes.”

- Lauren O’Connor, Year 4 Teacher, Western Australia

“I utilise Seesaw extensively in my STEAM classroom due to its exceptional capacity for building comprehensive digital portfolios of students’ achievements. What truly sets it apart is its versatility, empowering students to express themselves through various mediums. This diverse toolkit not only fosters individuality but also supports differentiated learning, ensuring that every student has equitable access to the educational experience.”

- Tam Scharf, STEAM Teacher, Queensland

“When my families see their child’s actual work and hear their voice, I know they are hooked with us on this learning journey. I’ve completely thrown out my old way of sending newsletters. It’s about so much more than updates. They can see the growth and the student is so proud. I feel like a rockstar teacher by making this happen.”

- Morgan Huggett, Special Education Teacher, Queensland

“When teaching, Seesaw gives me the chance to allow all students to succeed. I can differentiate my lessons easily for small groups without having to create many resources. Within Seesaw I often give my students options as to how they present their learning e.g. videos, photos, drawings, or even just typing the response. Seesaw allows me to see the growth in my students and know I’m helping them to achieve.”

- Laura Espinoza, Year 4 Teacher, Western Australia

Teacher Support, Retention, & Positive School Culture

Equity & Access

Schools across the world are facing teacher shortages. In light of this reality, keeping existing staff happy and engaged while developing teachers who are new to the profession, are critical drivers of positive school culture and academic achievement. For experienced teachers, Seesaw helps to alleviate their workload and enhance their productivity with easy-to-administer assessments, ready-to-teach lessons aligned to their standards, multiple ways to differentiate learning, and parent communication tools that are seamlessly connected to student learning. For beginning teachers, Seesaw provides tools that align with effective teaching practices like promoting student voice and choice, providing scaffolds and opportunities for differentiation, and lessons based on effective teaching methods (gradual release of responsibility, for example).

“I teach seven Year levels, and keeping track of everyone’s work is a huge task. Seesaw makes collecting work and marking so much simpler.”

- Nikki Muller, Prep - 6 Technology Teacher, Queensland

“In times of teacher shortages, the Seesaw voice recording tool is a blessing for students with special needs like dyslexia. Students with ADHD love the games menu, which I was able to link using Seesaw templates. The games motivate participation and engagement. I just cannot imagine the ease with which I can give flipped learning experiences to different ability groups and differentiate the content. The multimodal presentation facilities provided by Seesaw are the best way to facilitate multiple means of representation. Seesaw has even helped me understand the interests of my students through their choices.”

- Manju Senan, Year 5 Grade Teacher, Victoria

“Seesaw has been the most amazing tool for connecting with our families and creating a community. As many speak English as an additional language, Seesaw’s translation tool has been amazing for us. It is fabulous to be able to share notices with families that also include photos, videos, and links to important websites. Families shared photos/videos with us on our recent school holiday break, and it has helped to be able to share student work via Seesaw with our families so they know what is happening at our new school”

- Rachael Lehr, Associate Principal, Western Australia

“Catering to a range of learning needs in my class has never been easier. I use math rotations almost daily and can easily differentiate between a student’s needs. At times, I have had students working several years below their peers, and others working well above. Seesaw allows me to create specific activities based on their needs.”

- Jessica Thorburn, Year 4 Teacher, Queensland

“When working as a digital technology specialist and teaching 20 classes across the school, Seesaw is an incredibly useful tool to track student learning through their digital portfolios. After a lesson, I was able to quickly go through student responses to Seesaw tasks that I had created and mark against my criteria, making assessing and reporting so much easier.”

- Eilis Smart, Digital Technology Specialist, Northern Territory

Seesaw serves as a powerful tool for promoting equity and access in education by addressing the diverse needs of all learners, regardless of their backgrounds or abilities. Seesaw is designed to meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) content accessibility guidelines and equip teachers with the resources and tools they need to implement Universal Design for Learning (UDL), multiply their reach, and personalize learning to ensure that every learner receives the assistance they need to succeed. Seesaw also serves as a source of motivation for populations with ASD and ADHD, and facilitates the documentation of learning for students with special needs, supporting educators in implementing individual education plans (IEPs) and differentiating learning. Moreover, Seesaw breaks down barriers related to poverty, educational challenges, and language barriers by providing students and their families with equitable access to educational resources. For example, Seesaw supports multilingual students and their families by providing resources in multiple languages, fostering inclusive learning environments. By ensuring equitable support and attention to all students, Seesaw promotes inclusivity in education, ultimately empowering every learner to achieve at their fullest potential.

“Seesaw allows me to effectively provide differentiated learning tasks for my students. One of my students, who required 1:1 assistance to complete learning tasks, recorded themselves on Seesaw during a lesson where adult assistance was not available. The student was not able to write their response, but was able to explain their answer and draw their process on Seesaw and used topic language I had never heard them use before. Through the use of technology, this student was able to showcase an understanding that I would never have seen or known.”

- Marni-Lee Dickson, Year 5 Teacher, Victoria

“With all the different tools, students have a voice and choice as to how they want to showcase their learning. It engages all students and gives teachers important assessment data that can be used for reporting. Seesaw is a one-stop shop!”

- Mai Lu, Relieving Deputy Principal, New South Wales

“Teaching in a small remote community, I initially found it difficult to teach such a huge range of diverse learners. With the help of Seesaws and groups, I was able to set up differentiated learning for all areas of the curriculum. Within a week, I saw students’ confidence in their ability improve because the rest of the class didn’t know what level they were working on, so there was no shame involved in them doing slightly less difficult work.”

- Jessica Sluyter, Year 2-5 Classroom Teacher, New South Wales

“I have a large range of abilities in my Year 5 class. I have one student reading at the preschool level while others are reading at the Year 10 level. I use Seesaw to differentiate their work. This saves me time and energy which can be used to create more interesting lessons for all my 27 students.”

- Erillee Lyons, Year 5, Queensland

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