Excel and Avatars

1. Basic statistical analysis is something every university student and every shool teacher should master. Let's work with a typical situation first, to organise our data, and then we will see what they tell us.

Download the file Excel_start.doc from http://prekladani.capsa.cz/.
The tasks are described in the file.

2. How to create your own avatar
click the play button below!




To create your own avatar, register at
http://www.voki.com/
make your avatar and place it into your website! :)
Explore the avatar's ability to talk in various accents and languages.


3.  Internet safety??
http://www.novinky.cz/internet-a-pc/bezpecnost/296878-deti-ohrozuje-na-internetu-webcam-trolling.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-14897948
http://www.scambusters.org/webcamsafety.html


TASK: browse the net and find more detailed and reliable information concerning this fenomenon.
Enter the URL reference you found into the comment to this blog entry.

4. Extra task: What is "Second Life"? How is it used in education?

Big files + Editing sound

1. How to save big files online to be shared and downloaded?
For example:
Capsa.cz – private space, shared through password only
Dropbox.com – private space with the possibility to share files or folders through sharing the URL
Ulozto.cz – less private,  even when you lock the file
Uschovna.cz – NOT PERMANENT!


2. Editing sound - AUDACITY
Within the requested minimium, you should be able to
- open and save a file, export it into different formats
- use effects (fade in, fade out, changing speed, tempo, pitch)
- cut and paste
- combine more files into one


Homework:
download this file and do the task described in it.
You will need the ACTIVE INSPIRE program (a software for interactive board) for working with the file: you can download and install it, using the registration key from room 226. Or you can just copy and save the text, to work in any other software :) Good luck!

A HotPot Teaching Site

TASK:
Choose a topic and target level for your HotPot exercises.  Insert this information into the comment to this blog entry.
Tips:
Imagine a real child to be able to imagine the target group.
Specify the target group through age or school year.
Choose a topic suitable to the age and level of your target group.

WRONG:
Target group: 11-13 years
Topic: Animals

RIGHT:
Target group: 15 years, 9the grade
Topic: Endangered animals



You can create a whole  HotPot site, combining and connecting various task formats. This is the suggested order of exercises (Can you guess why?):

1. Matching
- 10 items (target vocabulary)
- if using pictures, set the same height for all of them  (e.g. 100 pixels)
- find out how to set the timer, shuffle questions, show a limited number of questions

2. Multiple choice
- 10 questions
- 4 distractors (no mistakes!)
- use sentences, not isolated words
- feedback - additional information, input

3. Gap fill
- 10 gaps
- context (e.g. a story)
- choose the gaps wisely  :)

Tips:
+ Create feedback which is interesting and informative; do not hesistate to include facts from our real life.
+ Do not skip determiners, e.g. articles:)
+ do not hesitate to include images, links, or audio!


HP exercises can be interonnected using the menu Configure - Buttons.
Suggested course of actions:

1. Create HP matching exercise Ex1. Connect it to the index.html. Make sure you have all the files, including images, in the same folder as the exercise. Save, export.
2. Create a HP multiple choice exercise Ex2.Connect it to the index.html. Carefully fill in the feedback! Save, export.
3. Create a HP gap fill exercise Ex3. Connect it to the index.html and Ex1.html. Save, export.
4. Connect Ex1 to Ex2, and Ex2 to Ex3. Save, export.
5. Open your index.html in NVU. Add links to all three HotPot exercises. Save.
6. Upload all files (index.html, Ex1.html, Ex2.html, Ex3.html, all images) to the web.



Do not forget:
+ No diacritics, no spaces in filenames.
+ Save everything you want to put online into a single folder. No subfolders.
+ Regularly save your changes.

 FAQ:

1. Do I have to use an authentic text in jcloze (gapfill) exercise?
YES.
Try to find an authentic text which will focus on the topic; some of the target vocabulary items should be included, but not necessarily all of them.
Such a text activates the passive vocabulary of the student, helps them understand the new words in context, and is much more informative than isolated sentences.

Tip: explore primary level sites for native speakers, e.g.
BBC for kids
British Council
Encyclopedia for kids


2. How do I make a good feedback in multiple choice?
Just follow these simple tips:
- DO NOT use capitals, exclamation marks, "NO!" "Unfortunately..." etc.
- be positive :) - do not start the feedback with "Sorry, no..."
- add extra information, eg.
Where do lions live? Chosen answer: "India"
Feedback: "Tigers live in India, but lions live in Africa."

3. How should I set the colour scheme?
- Remember that the text should be easy to read - the font and the background should be constrasting.
- The backgroud itself should not bee too bright, not to tire the eyes.
- study the Color Wheel site

4. What is the HotPot index?
It is a html file which includes links to all three hotpot exercises, and the basic info:
- the author
- the aim of the exercises, e.g. "Teaching the names of family members"
- the target group description, e.g. "Third grade, basic school, elementary level"