Computer Assisted Learning and Teaching/UPM1

2.  The Hot Potatoes is a software that enables you
to create interactive exercises.
 These exercises include multiple-choice, short-answer, jumbled-
sentence, crossword, matching/ ordering and gap-fill exercises.
 Hot Potatoes is free of charge and can be downloaded from its main page on
the Internet.
 So how to use it?
Hmmm….....?

3.  It can facilitate the teachers in constructing the exercises with
minimal training of using this application.
 Teachers do not have to be stressed to produce one piece of
exercise to the students.
 The exercises that have been produced by HOT POTATOES are
interactive as the teachers can includes sounds and pictures to
attract students interest in completing the tasks.
 The interactivity of the exercises will motivate the learners to act
independently and help them in keeping their motivation level high.

4.  Learners also will have more control (pace, choices, etc) in
doing the tasks rather than a paper exercise where any one
word can be the stumbling block to understanding
 This is because clues will be given to overcome the difficulty.
 There is an instant feedback in completing the task will help
the learners in their learning.

5.  It has limited interaction between the learners, teachers and
the computer itself.
 It is all too often a "click-and-go" approach, which can mean
that the student is not given sufficient scaffolding or support
in the learning process.
 It creates the tendency of the learners to operate a binary
correction strategy whereby the learners use the assumption
'If X is wrong, then Y must be the answer'.
 HOT POTATOES could only be used as a self-learning or a self
assessment tool, but does not have merit as a testing tool.

6.  The usage of authoring software helps teachers in developing
various exercises according to the level of students and teacher’s
understanding of their students
 Easy and fast, it can also be a hassle for teachers who are not
competent with computer
 Depending on teacher’s preference, authoring software can be
useful for teachers in the long run