Showing posts with label e-learning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label e-learning. Show all posts

9 Dec 2012

Hot Potatoes

Hot Potatoes is an open source suite that enables you to make lessons and quizzes in various formats. You can download the software here.
The suite consists of:

  • JQuiz
  • JMatch
  • JCloze
  • JCloze
  • JMix
and of course, The Masher.




                                                  

My favourite Hot Potato application is JQuiz, so in this post I'll focus on that.

Quiz formats 

Multiple choice , short answer or hybrid questions  (e.g. short answer questions that turn into mcqs after two incorrect answers). Feedback can be given for every answer. 

Menu Options

File

- Save your JQuiz file for later use.

- Create a web page / zip package
Save the Jquiz as a web page for your students to take the quiz. These web pages can be uploaded to your server,  file host or LMS. If your students don't have access to the internet, they can copy the files to their computers and still do the exercises. All they need is a web browser.
Screenshot of a HotPot quiz

- Add a reading text
This text will appear on the left side of the page. Students can scroll down and are still able to read it while they are answering the questions. 

- Create a SCORM 1.2 package

- Export for printing.
This is a very useful option. Even if you don't need to make browser-based materials for your students you can use JQuiz to prepare pen and paper quizzes. You can shuffle the order of questions and answers (from the Manage Questions menu)  and have different versions of the same quiz. It's also a lot faster to make quizzes like this as you don't need to keep typing a, b, ... etc. as you would do when creating an mcq quiz on a word processor.  Your exercise is exported ready for printing including a key.

Options (Configure output)

-Appearance
Selcet the font and font size of your choice along with the background colour of the page and exercise.

There are many more options in the menus, but these are enough to get you started. If you are new to Hot Potatoes, give it a try and let me know how it goes.






14 Mar 2011

What is Web 2.0 anyway?

When discussing technology and EFL not a minute goes by without mentioning "Web 2.0".

What is Web 2.0 anyway?

The term Web 2.0 does not refer to a new version or update of the World Wide Web as some might believe. It refers to the different way we now use the Web.The end-users  are no longer just users, limited to passive viewing of a website, but  participants who create their own content and share their opinions. The emphasis is on collaboration  and open sharing of information within web-based communities. Users do not need technical knowledge to publish information and share media.  Blogs and wikis are examples of  Web 2.0 applications.


Still don't get it?
A simple example of the difference between Web1.0 and Web 2.0 is online encyclopedias. Britannica Encyclopedia Online is written by experts and published periodically whereas Wikipedia relies on user contrubutions which are constantly updated.

Web 2.0 tools for EFL
Last but not least ... my favourite tool - Moodle
Read an introduction to moodle here.

A Web 2.0 word cloud from wikipedia.org




An interesting video on Web 2.0
         The Web is us/ing us 


For more information about Web2.0  visit wikipedia.

21 Feb 2011

Introduction to Moodle

Moodle 
 Modular Object-Based Dynamic Learning Environment


One of my favourite teaching tools is moodle. Moodle is an open source Learning Management System (LMS).  Getting started with moodle is quite simple. You can download it from here. Next all you need is a host. Setting up your own moodle platform does require some knowledge,  but there are many sites (free & commercial) that offer moodle hosting.




Moodle Facts


  • used in 210 countries
  • available in more than 75 languages
  • almost 50.000 registered sites 

What can I do on moodle ?

  • upload resources (handouts, presentations, podcasts etc)
  • create lessons & courses
  • create quizzes & tests
  • teach online (web meeting , Illuminate , DimDim)
  • create a webpage
  • create a game
  • embed other material (hot potato ,  WiZiQuiz ,  jClic )
  • create a forum , blog 
  • create a glossary
  • create a wiki
These are just a few of the things you can do. I will  include more details on how to use moodle in following posts. Meanwhile you can visit the moodle demonstration site and try out some of the features.