The program Hot Potatoes was designed to allow teachers to make interactive, Web-based exercises that can be accessed by students at any Internet-capable computer terminal with a standard Web browser. Hot Potatoes uses both HTML and JavaScript; however, one does not need to know these languages to make the Web-based exercises. Instead, teachers use the program's exercise templates to create exercises on Web pages which then can be uploaded to a server where students access them.
As for me, I have downloaded Hot Potatoes promised and praised by Deborah (http://hotpot.uvic.ca/ ) and how-to PDF (http://umbc.uoregon.edu/eteacher/webskills/material/hotpotatoes6-howto.pdf ). Then I have created every type of exercise – JMatch – to practice compound nouns , JMix –to train the order of adjectives ,JCloze – to fill in the gapped text with different parts of speech, JCross - Crosswords to check the vocabulary knowledge of the unit, JQuiz - Multiple choice Quiz on general intellect. My exercises are on our class wiki - https://sites.google.com/site/webskillssu2010/hot-potatoes-and-other-exercises.
The Hot Potatoes program, which consists of modules for creating six different types of exercises, is an excellent resource for creating on-line, interactive language learning exercises that can be used in or out of the classroom. These types of exercises can be especially useful in language learning laboratories with Internet access, or for remote learning. When matched with both appropriate content and motivated students, Hot Potatoes exercises seem likely to promote second language acquisition. Hot Potatoes' user-friendly modules also allow more adept teachers to create complex, interactive exercises. Hot Potatoes is not intended as testing software, and should not be used as such. Nevertheless, the Hot Potatoes program suite provides teachers with flexible, easy-to-use modules for creating Web-based language exercises that students can work on while also receiving feedback that will direct them towards correct answers.
The use of technology by teachers of foreign languages has many benefits, one of which includes the increase in the amount of exposure to and potential interaction with the target language outside of the classroom setting. Hot Potatoes exercises may fall into this category of beneficial technological use when accessed by students remotely as supplementary classroom work. Moreover, the exercises can be shared with teachers worldwide, as long as they have access to the Web.
THANK YOU, DEBORAH, for leading us through this course, for our priceless acquired knowledge!
Dear Victoria,
ReplyDeleteThe electronic sharing of exercises between teachers is one of the great benefits of the Internet. I remember when I volunteered in Thailand, the teachers asked us to bring as many resources as we could to their school. Now, all these resources can be easily shared over the web.
Like you, I enjoyed using Hot Potatoes this week to create a number of excercises. The ability to give our students greater exposure to the target language is extremely important. I believe the exercises you developed will do that. I'm sure your students will enjoy them. I'm also very impressed with the site you created for your students. I'm sure it will be very motivating for your students next term.
All the best,
Janet
Dear Victoria,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, the program hot potatoes was designed to allow teachers to save time and to make interactive, web based exercises that can be access by students at any time. I think this is very important because help students to develop their autonomy. I'm very impressed with the site you created for your students, thanks for sharing it with us.
The use of these kinds of tools by us as teachers of foreign languages is also important because we can share experience with others teachers around the world.
Sincerely,
Carlos