Hot Potatoes

Introduction - Features

JCloze – Gap-fill exercise JQuiz – Question-based exercise, example

MCQ JCross – Cross-word exercise JMix – Jumbled-sentence exercise JMatch – Matching exercise

INSTALLATION OF HOT POTATOES

Step 1: Download from http://hotpot.uvic.ca/

Step 2: Select and download the installation files depending on your operating system.

Step 3: A command box will pop up for the installation, select a drive to install the program in.

Step 1: Open the program.

CREATING QUESTIONS WITH HOT POTATOES

Step 2: Click on the “JCloze” potato to begin creating a gap-filled exercise.

Step 3: Insert the title at the top row

Step 4: Type the question with answers.

Step 5: To create the blank, highlight the word to be missing from the sentence and click on the button “Add Gap”.

Highlight the word to be missing

Click to add gap

Step 6: Clues and alternative answers can be provided.

Step 7: Export the file to Hot Potato Webpage when the quiz is done.

Step 8: A box will pop up to prompt you to name the file and select the format of the file.

(i) Select “View the exercise in my browser” 

The file will be created and saved in your computer. 

(ii) Select “Upload the file to the hotpotatoes.net Website” to upload to the websites. 

The program will prompt you to type in the user name.

If you are a new user, click on “Create a demo account for me on hotpotatoes.net” and click “OK”.

The program will create a password for you.

After typing in the password, you can select to view the page as public or private. Then a URL will be created.

Student- centred Lesson:Lesson 1: (2 Periods- Classroom)

1) Teacher will introduce to students the five applications of Hot potatoes.

2)  Students are spilt into groups of 5 to come up with questions based on the application that they have chosen to deal with.

3) Students are to post up the questions created on class wiki page- http://chem3b.pbworks.com/FrontPage

Student- centred Lesson:

Student- centred Lesson:Student- centred Lesson:

Student- centred Lesson:Lesson 2: (Take-home activity- Online)

1)Students will critique another group’s work by posting comments on class wiki. - Refer to Appendix 1

2)Each student will be given a set of Hot potatoes manual to bring home and read.

Student- centred Lesson:Student- centred Lesson:Student- centred Lesson:Student- centred Lesson:

Lesson 3: (2 periods- Computer Lab)

1)Students will edit their questions using the suggestions from teacher and classmates.

2)Students will create the questions using Hot potatoes application.

3)Students will send the questions created to the teacher via email.

Student- centred Lesson:Teacher follow-up:

1)Teacher will upload students’ questions to Hot potatoes website.

2)Teacher will post the respective URLs onto the class wiki. – Refer to Appendix 2

3)Students will be able to access the questions using the class blog which will allow them to revise their work on the topic or as self-assessment.

PEDAGOGICAL AFFORDANCES

Student-Centered Learning When students come up with questions on

Hot Potatoes, it allows them to revise their concepts on the topic

By seeking alternatives and providing hints to questions, it trains their thinking skills

TECHNOLOGICAL AFFORDANCES

Ease of Learning Scores are computed automatically by the

program which allow students to monitor their progress easily

Hints are provided to guide students through questions which they are unsure of

Ease of Use It is a relatively easy to use program; students

should be able to use the different applications easily with a demonstration and a manual provided

TECHNOLOGICAL AFFORDANCES

Ease of Access Questions easily accessed through the URLs

Students can do the questions anytime as revision on the topic

LIMITATIONS

Lack of social affordance; Students cannot offer their comments through the program during the critiquing process, thus a class blog is used

Animations cannot be inserted into the different applications in the program

In setting short answer questions, the answers have to be precise with alternatives offered if necessary

LIMITATIONS

The scores obtained by the students cannot be tracked down by the teacher

The teacher cannot track whether the students have attempted the questions

Appendix 1

Students critiquing one another’s work

Appendix 2 URLs of students’ works posted on class wiki

Chemical Reactions of acids: http://uk1.hotpotatoes.net/ex/46421/

CKTAXOFD.php

http://uk1.hotpotatoes.net/ex/47432/RGFMFKAC.php

http://uk1.hotpotatoes.net/ex/47432/REIRYSZT.php

General questions: http://uk1.hotpotatoes.net/ex/46421/RCJTTGVS.php