Lesson #9. Innovative and creative use of digital technology: HOT POTATOES

Fig. 1 Hot Potatoes Index where we can chosse the different activities by clicking on the different potatoes

 

Today we are learning how to use Hot Potatoes, which is a software that we can download online and which helps us design interactive exercises for our students. It is divided into different sections or tools which allows you to produce different types of activities. As an ESL teacher this is very handy to create individualised activities for our students based on their interests while they learn English vocabulary and grammar. When we use this software, we create two different types of files; one in Hot Potatoes format and another one for the website that is the end product. Here is the difference between the two formats:

 

 Fig. 2 The JCloze format is .jcl and the website format is .htm

 

First we are going to use JCloze which allows us to produce a text with gaps for children to fill in or guess between the different options that are given. This tool allows us to create texts and sentences for children to fill in the gaps.

 

Throughout this exercise we were on a parallel level learning how to use My Apps which is our university online cloud that allows us to store up to 10 GB.

We can store documents there and access them from any computer. We can also execute programmes and use them as apps without installing them in our computer. 

Here is an example of the documents that I stored throughout the sessions using Hot Potatoes:

 

Fig. 3 My Apps, R:, My Documents where I can store documents and access them from any computer

• JCLOZE: Below there is an example below of what JCloze exercise looks like. In our case we are working on Jobs and Professions so I created a text about Nikki the Mechanic paying attention to gender roles: 

 

 Fig. 4 JCloze gap filling exercise where the red words will have to be guessed or chosen between few options

 

This is the website version .htm where children can fill in the gaps. We are sharing a screenshot to see what it looks like:

 

Fig. 5 Gap fill made using JCloze. Question marks indicate that there are choices to choose from to fill in the gaps

• JMatch: association exercises

This tool is especially designed to match each element with its correct answer. Below is the html version as part of the creation process:

 

Fig. 6 JMatch exercise with terms on the left and definitions on the right which get jumbled when playing

 

The following image shows what it looks like when doing the interactive worksheet. When we click in the gap the different options appear and we must choose the correct one.

 

 

Fig. 7 JMatch exercise in progress

• JMix: unscrambling sentences 

This tool allows us to create scrambled sentences for students to unscramble. When we type in the sentence it should be in order. The software will automatically jumble them up. This is an example of the first sentence created:

 

Fig. 8 JMix allows students to learn how to unscramble sentences. 

 

Below we will show what the exercise looks like in the website format which allows us to play and learn:

 

Fig. 9 JMix working on a sentence about Clowns to unscramble it.

   

• JQuiz: questions. We can use this to make different types of questions. They can be multiple choice, short answer questions, hybrid or multi-select. 

Fig. 10 JQuiz is shown here with the different choices that have been created

 

We will show what the activity page looks like in website format:

 

Fig. 11 JQuiz is shown with the correct answer and the percentage

• JCross: crossword maker
  

It is highly interactive and appealing for children. It can be created both manually or automatically with the number of words that we decide. 

 

Fig. 12 JCross using chosen words that we want the students to learn

 

The website format looks like the crosswords we already know. Ready to use and interact and learn!

 

Fig. 13 JCross crossword in website interactive mode.

  

• The Masher: remix all exercises in educational units

Finally we will discover the tool that allows us to mix all the different excercises that we have created. It then shows us an index where we can choose which one to acces by clicking on it.

 

 Fig. 14 The Masher that includes all the projects in one

 

We have then got the index that allows us to enter into all the different activities of our choice that we have created ourselves.That is all for this section. We will continue with further topics and more ICT resources for teacher in future posts. Bye for now!