ACTIVextras: How are they used?

[tai_ann2003]

I was wondering if anyone has experience with (maybe you even use) the ACTIVextras: the ACTIVmarker, Activity Wizard, ActivResource Manager, and Activ Page Picker. I am curious to learn about these some more - and it seems that the best advice on how to master a tool/strategy in ACTIVstudio is for someone to give their own personal tips and advice.


I would appreciate more information - or if someone happens to already have a flipchart regarding how to use these tools, I'd be very appreciative! http://www.prometheanplanet.com/common/html/vb_forum/images/smilies/smile.gif I don't even know what the benefits are of these options.

[Peter_Kent]

I use ACTIVmarker a fair bit. If you turn it on (via the Promethean Man menu) then open a Microsoft Office document (eg Word) a small set of tools will appear on the right hand side of the document half way up the screen. These tools are a marking pen, highlighter and a delete and a choice of colours.

These tools are mark up tools that work inconjunction with MS Office programs. That is if you choose the pen or highlighter from the tool kit it allows you to add annotations to the MS Office document. This is different to when you use an overlay as in this case the annotations do not become part of the original document.

In terms of practical uses, I find that this is good for whole class drafting, and also for correction.

With whole of class drafting what I would do is to display a word doc or powerpoint that the students or I have created, then we would anaylsis it. Scribbling all over it, adding comments, highlighting things to change and so on. The document is then saved in its original format but this time with the annotations saved as part of the file. This annotated word or powerpoint file is then distributed amongst the class who then, taking note of the annotation comments create another draft of the document (hopefully improved).

I do a similiar process with correction of student work. In this instance when student hand in their work electronically (word or powerpoint) instead of printing it off and correcting it in the normal fashion I will correct it on the screen using ACTIVmarker and a ACTIVtablet. A SAVE AS lets you keep the original version as well as a 'marked version' which can then be returned electronically to the student. (No Tree were harmed as part of this process:-/ )

Note: ACTIVmarker and Handwriting recognition cannot work at the same time. To use one you have to ensure that the other is off. If I am wrong about this I am sure I will be corrected.

In terms of the other ACTIVextras, I have use the ACTIVITY WIZARD to make dominoes games. If you fill the dominoes with key words from what ever unit or topic that I am teaching they make great discussion starters as the students justify why they have put one dominoe next to another. They are also very quick and easy to make.

In terms of the other ACTIVextras, I will leave that to other to comment on as I have fiddled with them but not really used them in any practical sense.

Cheers

Peter

[Jon' Allen]

ACTIV Resource manager allow you to quickly review the shared (and personal - when you've created some) resources in the Resource Library. It's a lot quicker than scrolling through them in the Resource Library window and you can copy/cut/paste/delete within the folders to restructure to your own needs

ACTIV page picker is great for dipping into existing f/cs and pulling out pages to create a new f/c

ACTIV page picker has its own inbuilt help. ACTIVresource manager has Help within the ACTIVstudio Help if you want more details

[tai_ann2003]

Thank you so much for the help gentlemen! That was tremendously helpful to get the advice. I am amazed to know that although I feel as if I have mastered the software, there always seems to be MORE to learn.

My latest struggle is the forum . . . It seems the format has changed and I couldn't even find this posting without completeing a "forum search" for it. It was under "Activstudio for PC and CHILD" forums or something strange like that. I used to be able to post a question and it would go straight to the main page as a new thread for ACTIVstudio PC Users. Oh well.

Anyhow - thanks again, and any additional feedback would still be greatly appreciated!!

[Margaret Allen]

Hi

I am intrigued by your comment about not finding this post... wasn't it where you left it? Sorry do explain what you mean :confused: +wave+ I don't understand :eek:

[tai_ann2003]

I have tried playing around tonight on my settings that are options at the very bottom of the screen when I scroll down once I've clicked on the ACTIVstudio PC forum. I just tried "last thread" and within the "last" day - so I think that this has allowed me to have the most recent few postings pop up . . . But I am 95% certain that I never changed that setting in the first place, and it still isn't quite perfect on the new setting - it's not back to the way it was set up. I'm not sure how it became a little goofy - but I'll keep playing with the settings and maybe I'll get it back to the way it had been before. :) :)

Thanks!!

[LisaD]

Sometimes I subscribe to a thread. Meaning, that it (the Forum) will e-mail me when someone has replied.

Do this by clicking on Thread Tools, then select subscribe.

At least I THINK this is how I have done it in the past! :)