Activstudio vs Activprimary?

[mern]

My school is getting ready to buy it's first Activboard (I've been asking for one for 2 years!) and it will be installed in my room.[clap]
I teach second grade and I'm wondering which software we should go with ~ Activstudio or Activprimary. Besides using it with my students, I'll be using it for demostration lessons for staff members and to our PTA. I'm thinking we should go with Activstudio, but wanted to know what people who have been using the Activboard thought.

Thanks!

[htemske]

Congratulations on the board. I had to wait and beg for mine as well. Now I can't imagine teaching without it. I personally use Activstudio with my 4th graders but I have heard (and seen) wonderful things about Primary. I know in the UK Primary is used in elementary much more than Studio but in the US it wasn't promoted as much from the start hence there are a majority of Studio users. Hopefully some actually Primary users can hop in and add input.

[Dug]

There was a recent discussion about this very issue.
http://www.Prometheanplanet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6084

Ok, so I'm in the UK but I think the arguments are sound wherever you are.

For me it would be AP every time in elementary/primary classrooms.

[Cindy H]

I use AS with my 3rd graders and they love it. We were told AP is for K-1 when we got the boards but even most of our 1st grade teachers use AS. I think whichever is your preference is fine. Some of our K teachers are learning AS and then presenting in AP in their classrooms. Have fun!
Cindy

[Peter Lambert]

Activprimary - no question/no debate. Your staff and PTA will love it too because they will be able to see the easy functionality it offers

[ealilly]

I teach first grade and use Activprimary. I started with studio and switched to primary. It is very intuitive and you can do everything in primary that you can do in studio. The tool bar area is much cleaner with primary. I would recommend trying primary.+wave+

[gpatrenos]

As an Art teacher, k-5, I have to say ActivSTUDIO[clap][clap][clap]
I love designing my own flipcharts and ActivSTUDIO gives me the freedom, resources, and tools "to do it my way".

[Margaret Allen]

Thanks Dug, I looked and looked and couldn't find that thread!!

Our experience in the UK has been overwhelming in terms of AP in Primary/Elementary schools... as Heather says it took a while for the US to "find" AP and so switching is always hard... but thats because people are unsure of the unknown, if they would just do it, they would too be converts.....

Whole Authorities/Districts in the UK who were "early" adopters (ie before AP was invented 5/6 years ago now) have switched their users to AP from AS within the Primary/Elementary phase. AND one in particular was adamant that his Authority/District would be staying with AS and at the beginning of last year wrote to all his Primaries and said that all future training/input/support would now be in AP only as it was without doubt the most appropriate for the Primary phase.... POWERFUL STUFF....

+wave+

[ictfacilitator]

I use both every day over a variety of ages. AP for the juniors would be a good take.

[Alison]

Definitely AP!! I read that thread Dug, interesting!! I would not have chosen Promethean prior to AP coming out. Luckily for me I was there the day it launched at BETT back in January 2002. From that day on, I was sold.

I have showed my staff and the children AS. I did think about using it higher up the school. Perhaps it's because we're used to AP, but the response was overwhelming. Not one person wanted to use AS!! Guess that makes me biased, but I'd go with AP every time. I think it's because it is specifically designed for Primary/Elementary children. That's one thing that sets it apart from the other makes of boards out there.

[Laura OHalloran]

Hi

I'm sitting with the Activprimary camp here! Mostly FOR THE SAKE OF THE CHILDREN ! What I mean by this is that the software has been produced for children to use. Interactively used by children NOT just for a teacher to 'present' with (of course I'm not saying at all that Astudio is used for 'presenting'). I used to love using Powerpoint but when I think back on that it was more for my amusement than for any sound learning reasons!

Sometimes I do find myself authoring in Activstudio but when using the software in a classroom situation with primary/elementary age children will open up in Activprimary.

Laura +wave+

[Lara]

My children would second you there, Laura - and I have to agree with Alison's pre-Activeprimary comment - I wouldn't ahve wanted to go with Promethean until primary came out (although I can see the benefits of studio now I'm used to it).

So Primary then!

[kevhogg]

AP pour moi!

We just fell for the clean white page and the familiar pen tools - we knew that as soon as the children saw them that they would want to draw something on the page.

And, of course, there are so many songs to accompany ActivPrimary. ActivStudio doesn't stand a chance.

My own favourites are:

If you're AP and you know it clap your hands - Mother Goose version by Bono.

APness by Ken Dodd (showing my age with this one).

Then there's the forum's very own signature tune from the grand old musical, South Pacific - AP Talk.

Sing-along-with Kevin

[Lara]

[clap]Fantastic, Kevin!!

[Sarah Carpenter]

Very funny Kevin - do you sing these ones too?!

Don't worry, be AP - originally by Bobby McFerrin

AP Days - originally from the TV show of course.



Back to the thread - I'm with the AP camp too.

Sarah +wave+

[wgamage]

I teach grade four and use Activstudio. We just had a board installed in a grade 2 and grade 3 room. They're also using Activstudio, but are planning to installed Primary. It's really a personal preference. Does anyone know if the items in your resource library work interchangable...what I mean is, if I were to install ActivPrimary on my board (so I had the capability of running either one) would My Flipcharts that I already use in Studio, be available for use in Primary?

Thanks
Wendy

[davidlloyd]

OK so you've won me over but only because of the songs. When can we have a sing a long?:D:D And Activ International Summer Camp next year perhaps?

[griffinc2]

I've used both Primary and Studio with my fourth graders. The students liked Primary because of the colors, size of buttons, etc. but as a teacher it was easier to design my lessons in Studio. When my students designed flipcharts, they liked using Primary. Whatever the discussion, it'll be great![clap]

[alydon]

I use both lots and train in both.... it really annoys me that I can only have one flipchart open in AP......

[kevhogg]

To Sarah:

Thanks for your favourite AP tracks.

To David:

O AP Day by the Edwin Hawkins Singers would seem to fit the bill now that you've seen the light.

As does AP Together by the Turtles (and many others).

Enjoy and Be AP.

Kev-along with Sing

[Louise Chew]

I teach grade four and use Activstudio. We just had a board installed in a grade 2 and grade 3 room. They're also using Activstudio, but are planning to installed Primary. It's really a personal preference. Does anyone know if the items in your resource library work interchangable...what I mean is, if I were to install ActivPrimary on my board (so I had the capability of running either one) would My Flipcharts that I already use in Studio, be available for use in Primary?

Thanks
Wendy

yes, you can use the same flipcharts & resources in both studio & primary