HP Prime too complicated

[Tim Wessman]

(07-12-2018 01:34 PM)JSBach Wrote:  But think like a pupil:

We are... and that is why Prime is how it is!

The huge majority of students who have grown up with smartphones and able to very quickly learn and operate Prime. With the touch, the idea of "apps" to do separate tasks, and consistency through the system they really pick it up quick. Oh, and if they need to know what something does - they just click that lil old "Help" key and instantly get some useful information about what they are looking at. I've been ridiculously amazed at the number of students who've mentioned that the favorite thing in Prime is the Help button. Not one of them is likely to pull out a printed manual to search for it though.

If 3rd graders can happily use it to learn about number lines, and 4th graders happily can make stat plots, and 6th graders can start to draw lines with their fingers and see some "cool math" come out, they are feeling excited and engaged with what they are learning.


I am citing what we SEE happening, and how educators are telling us they are using it. We didn't particularly plan for it to start getting used so early, but there are plenty of teachers who have seen the potential and are seeing great results. I'm not saying Prime is perfect, or that all parts of it are not difficult. For nearly all basic and intermediate stuff though, it doesn't have an equal at this time.

Used badly, something like Prime could of course be very detrimental. Used properly though, and I am firmly convinced you end up with better prepared students who like math.

Yes, we are focused on education. Focusing on the *ahem* dying segment of the market (us old fogeys) is a sure way to end things.