Hot Potatoes Checklist

Most frequent mistakes:

1. T's book missing
2. Link from ex3 to ex1 missing
3. Link to Index - should go to HP teacher's book page (HP Index - rozcestnik)

4. troubles with grammar, especially with articles!!
5. spelling errors

6. using capitals in isolated words
7. NOT using capitals and fullstops in sentences

8. Missing feedback in multiple choice



More details at http://prekladani.capsa.cz/

Memory

A quick intro to the process of learning and remebering


- we remember through associating (connecting the new information to those items already stored)
- our brain constantly creates new connections (links), compares the info, drops unused or not reliable items
- the usual capacity of working memory  is about 10 items; connecting and associating the items always supports memorisation

understanding => remembering (passive knowledge) => independent use

VISUALS always help! (images, charts, graphs...)


In the class:

1. Presentation

present the meaning of new items clearly, PREVENT any mistakes or misunderstanding

What makes a good presentation or explanation?   -  It is

*      clear

*      simple or simplified

*      brief

*      true

*      uses examples

*      applies various approaches

*      asks for feedback

How can you present vocabulary?

*      definition

*      description

*      examples - hyponyms

*      illustration

*      demonstration

*      context

*      synonyms

*      antonyms (opposites)

*      translation

*      collocations

2. Practice

~        controlled activities  - focus on form (matching)

~        guided activities (multiple choice)

~        free activities - creative, high level of tolerance, autonomy, S centered (gap fill)

Task 1:

What specific useful information do you remeber?

Excel for students

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.

TASK 1
Download the file Excel_start.doc from http://prekladani.capsa.cz/.
The tasks are described in the file.


2. Co to je směrodatná odchylka?
Přečtěte si krátký článek a vypočtěte směrodatnou odchylku vybrané skupiny dat (např. známky jednoho studenta, známky z jednoho testu).

3. To be able to analyse data, first we have to get them. 

TASK 2
Go to http://oursurvey.biz/, login.
Choose a topic you are interested in; your research field is learning and teaching languages.
Prepare 3-5 survey questions and put them online using survey.biz.
Publish the link in your website - and in the comment to this blog.
Go to each other's sites and answer the questions. Prepare statistical survey for the next lesson.

Example of a link:
http://login.oursurvey.biz/dotaznik-8581
Example of exported results in capsa - ResearchResults.docx.
Example of survey in capsa - ResearchReport_2013_10_06.docx

Tips for making a valid questionnaire:
- think first; imagine what your respondents could answer
- be clear
- ask about one issue only in a single question

- avoid open-ended (txt) questions - prefer multiple choice
- be consistent - focus on a single topic or problem
- avoid spelling mistakes
- avoid ambiguous questions

Practical Tips for Writing a Thesis

Yes, we all can use Word perfectly.
Or... Can we really?

Tasks:
1. Save the file Editing_Diploma_Thesis from http://prekladani.capsa.cz/

2. Read through the file. Add the structure, number the chapters wherever necessary, change the headlines’ styles and create the Contents (obsah).
3. Choose 10 keywords and create the Index (rejstřík).
4. Before the end of the lesson, sum up what you have learnt into the comment to this blog entry.

List of skills presented:

• creating Contents
• creating Index
• Ctrl+Enter for fixed page break
• "definice normostrany"
• Various ways of viewing the document (for reading, for print, multiple pages...)

TIPS FOR WORD IN CZECH:

Jak vytvořit obsah:

1. připravte strukturu práce
2. každé úrovni nadpisu přiděltekonkrétní styl
3. Menu Reference – Obsah – Vložit obsah

Jak vytvořit rejstřík:

1. Menu Reference – Vložit rejstřík - Označit
2. dvojklikem přímo v textu vyberte a klíčové slovo, v menu otevřeného dialogu vyberte „označit vše“ a pokračujte s dalšími slovy
3. Menu Reference – Vložit rejstřík - OK

Improving your website

Tasks for this week:

1. Web Home page
- create menu
- format the home page (columns, images, edit the text)

2. Web structure
- add a gallery page, prepare the table to put in images, description and audio
- add a HP page, informing about the target group, the topic, the list of target vocabulary, and including separate links to all three exercises.

3. Hot Potatoes
- create a matching exercise, a multiple choice and a gap fill.
- link them together (see the instructions below)
- put them online


TIPS

 This is the suggested order of HP 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.

Audio

Audio material is regularly used when teachng speaking and listening in foreign languages. Therefore the teachers and the students should be able to edit and modify audio as well as texts.
Probably the bet freeware available for editing sound is called AUDACITY.




Audacity Basics - you should be able to
- install Audacity and the lame library which enables export to mp3
- open a file in Audacity
- edit the file: cut and paste, fade in/out, change speed, delete, add silence
- create a new file
- combine two files (e.g. speech + background music)
- inserting silence (e.g. as a space for an answer)
- changing the speed or pitch (carefully!)

TASK 1
1. Listen to the story of a toddler falling into a gorilla cage at Youtube.
Download two files from Capsa: WTF_ Toddler Falls in Gorilla Cage.mp3 and Gorilla sounds.mp3. Combine them, in order to make a thrilling report on the event, max 70 seconds long.
If you feel like it, find more sounds (e.g. crowd cheering, Zoo animals sounds etc.).
Upload the story with an appropriate illustration to your web.

You can use Free YouTube to MP3 Converter to get audio from youtube easily.


TASK 2
2. What does the word "podcast" mean? Go to Podomatic, create an account and browse the site. How can we use it in teaching English?

Good examples - Teacher Luke at Podomatic, Splendid Speaking for advances learners


HOMEWORK
1. Record comments to the 12 images in your gallery (1 minute max., save in wav file)
2. Edit the recording in Audacity, add background music, cut out noises etc.
3. Export the wav to mp3
4. Upload the mp3 to your website

REMEMBER - before editing, create a backup copy of the original!

Examples of galleries with audio comments created by your colleagues:

http://www.dzblecht.wz.cz/My%20home%20town.html
http://skipit.wz.cz/galerie.html
http://vvalova.wz.cz/gallery.html
http://romankalecky.wz.cz/gallery.html
http://www.springday.euweb.cz/fotogalerie.html
http://personalpage.unas.cz/Personalgallery.html

Editing Images - Photoshop and Gimp

The basic skills you should master:


1. Compressing, saving in various formats (with different extensions) and size
2. Crop (ořez)
3. Changing brightness, sharpness, hue and other basic features
4. Making a part of the image transparent

Tasks:
1. Open your image in Photoshop. Work with Crop first (C). Remember - the main part of the image should be taken by the main object (or idea, or situation)
2.  Use LEVELS to set the Lightning (Photoshop: Ctrl+L, or Obraz - přizpůsobení; Menu in Gimp: Enhance - Adjust Lightning - Levels)
3. Adjust sharpness. play with blur :)
4. Working with layers and masks in Photoshop:

Open the image
Duplicate the layer (Ctrl+J)
Choose the type of layers combination (Měkké světlo, závoj...)
Přidejte masku vrstvy (možnosti - odkrýt vše nebo skrýt vše)
Malujeme do masky!


5. Use GIMP: Find two images and combine them into one, applying transparency (e.g. Donald Duck walking through Usti nad Labem :) )
6. Advanced: Try to do the same in Photoshop: make a collage of two photos!
tutorial in Czech


TIPS
How to make things transparent in GIMP:
Layers – Transparency – Add alpha channel
Choose the background using the magic wand.
The simplest method is to use Edit → Clear

You can also test transparency in Word - add the image into text and choose Formát obrázku - pozice - před textem.

How to make things transparent in Photoshop:
New Image - Background transparent
Import the image into a new layer
Magic wand - choose parts which should be transparent
Layer - Mask - Hide the choice (Vrstvy - maska - skrýt výběr)


Want a top quality image legally?
Visit Getty.



HOMEWORK:
Prepare 10 images which you will use in your vocabulary teaching HotPot project. Keep them in the original size + make the same set in web version (max size 40kb per image).


More information on image formats (in Czech) - HERE
How to make a good photography?

Roman Pihan - a whole web on photography, including tutorials, tips and galleries
Ondřej Neff - practiacal tips for all

Jednoduše na kompozici

GIMP online help (in English)

Your brand new website!

Let's summarise everything we have done and learnt so far, and put together a fantastic web site!

What do we need?
1. index.html file - created in NVU
2. registration at webzdarma.cz

3. texts (to be developed)
4. images
5. Hot potatoes files
6. Everything else you want to put online


Choose your own speaking avatar and put it into the homepage!
http://www.voki.com/


COMPULSORY TASKS 
1. Register at Webzdarma
2. Upload your index file
3. The index will contain:
- link to your blog
- at least one of the photos you made in the previous lesson
- a speaking avatar
- links to your hotpot files




TIPS

You can get some inspiration in the professional sites - any newspaper is a good choice, or BBC http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/, or many others. Keep the content in mind, and be creative :)

1. Draw the structure of your future web on a sheet of paper. Check the credit requirements  to get an idea what the compulsory parts are.

2. Open Notepad (Poznamkovy blok) and write the text you would like to publish in your site. Start with the content of the index page - the first page the user will see. Keep the Internet Safety Rules in mind – do not publish your personal data (the date of birth, phone number, credit card numbers …)

3. Open the WYSIWYG web editor New View (nvu.exe) and explore the possibilities of the software.
Above all, learn how to:
- modify colours
- insert images
- organise the page content using frames (tables)
- insert links into text and images
Of course there are more elegant ways of editing, but our main aim is to understand the principles of web creation. If you are safe in this field, feel free to apply your creativity and do more!

Learn more about web colours here - BARVY WEBU

4. Start new web at webzdarma.cz and upload your files (index.html, images...)

5. Publish the URL of your new web as a comment to this blog. :)


How to avoid troubles with image owners

How to write WEB? Easy and fast info

Creating a Photography

HOMEWORK:
Save the photo you made in Task 2, and use it in the homepage of your web.

Free choice of classroom tasks:
1. Create the index file of your future web, explore the menus of nvu.

2. Register into http://www.webzdarma.cz/.
3. Upload your index file into webzdarma. Check that it works.
4. Develop the index file (colour scheme).
5. Insert links to your hotpot files into the index file.

"Kreativní fotografie si neklade za cíl zobrazit realitu (takové to tam Mařenko bylo) ale zobrazit něco víc. Zobrazit emoce (pocity, nálady ...), které autor na místě cítil a chce vám předat.

Když se díváte na fotografie z vaší dovolené obvykle si vybavíte pocity, jaké to tam bylo (jé podívej - tady jsme byli ...). Díváte-li se ale na fotografie z cizí dovolené, vidíte jenom obyčejné pláže, hrady, zámky atp. Prostě emoce spojené s místem a zážitkem vám chybí a proto vám často tyto fotografie připadají obyčejné. Dobrá fotografie vám dokáže předat pocity a zážitky i z míst, kde jste nebyli. A o tom to je...

Když stojíte v lese, vidíte široko okolo sebe, vnímáte vítr, šumění lesa, vůni jehličí a do zad vás pálí slunce. Toto vše na fotografii však chybí. Je tam jen obrazový výsek a to ještě ve 2 rozměrech (3 rozměr prostoru / perspektivy chybí). A proto je to tak těžké. A proto je pokoušet se o to taky tak krásné!"

http://fotoroman.cz/

TASK 1

Look at the following photos. Do you like them? Why?

Matterhorn

Loreta

Praha

Růžička

What shall we know?

1. How to compose a photography

The basics of composition (in Czech)

Practical composition (in Czech) 

Golden ratio - zlatý řez

Do not forget:

concentrate on a single idea, object, feeling

get closer, fill almost the whole field with the target object/situation

TASK 2

Look around, go to the corridor if you want. Try to compose a photo which will show the atmosphere at school.

_________________________________________________________________

What shall we know?

2. How to save an image

raw - full data

jpg - compressed (lossy)

tiff - for print, usually lossless; can handle CMYK

bmp - full data (bitmap)

gif - small (and animated); saves only used colours; 8bit

png - lossless, successor of gif, 8-24-48 bit

More in Wiki (in Czech)

and Wiki (in English)

Formaty pro ukladani fotografii

_________________________________________________________________

TASK 3

Choose an object within the class and make a picture which show only the object - as if you needed an illustration of the word.

What shall we know?

3. How to make a photo of an isolated object

- check the background

- fill amost the whole image with the object

- search for light

- use simple aids, such as lamps, scarfs, sheets of paper

- experiment 

Product Photography at digineff

_________________________________________________________________

... want to know more?

http://digineff.cz/

http://www.digimanie.cz/

http://www.fotoradce.cz/

http://fotoroman.cz/

Vyhledávání

http://technet.idnes.cz/triky-google-c9w-/sw_internet.aspx?c=A140217_152500_sw_internet_pka#utm_source=lidovky&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=sph

A HotPot Learning Site

Lesson checklist:
1. enter your blog URL into the comment to the PREVIOUS blog entry.
2. enter the topic and target group you chose into the comments of this  blog entry.
3. create a matching exercise
4. create a multiple choice exercise
5. link them together (Configuration - buttons - next page URL)

Do not forget bout the 3 rules:
Save - all in 1 - no spaces


Hot Potatoes is probably one of the oldest freewares focused on teaching. See http://hotpot.uvic.ca/!

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, in order 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, 9th grade
Topic: Endangered animals

-----------------------------------

HP HotLine:

1. Keep all files in the same folder. Do not change the names after you link them.
2. HP create two types of files:
*.j?? (jcl, jmt...) - "Teacher's book" - can be edited; save it carefully!
*.html  - "Students'book",  the exported file - interactive, but cannot be edited
3. Save, export, check.

-----------------------------------


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

Good feedback: motivating, positive, informative

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"

IT: Evil and blessing of our life

What does Information Technology do for (or against) you?

Task 1:
Make groups of 4, choose a secretary who will put down notes.
List positives and negatives of IT in our everyday life.

Task 2:
Choose three positives and three negatives you consider to be most original and discovering among your ideas. Add them into the comment to this blog entry.
Sign the comment with the names of all the group members. Time to finish: 15:22

Homework:
1. Create your personal blog. 
2. Create your avatar.

What is a blog?

http://cabicar.blogspot.cz/2012/11/prestehovana-postel.html
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/top-20-teacher-blogs
http://edublogs.org/
http://blog.cathy-moore.com/scenario-design-online-course/
http://relax.lidovky.cz/vztahy.aspx?o=0&klic=185003


What is an avatar?


Avatar
from Sanskrit अवतार avatāra, which means "descent", an avatar refers to the human incarnation of God during times of distress on earth. Thus, Krishna and Rāma were both avatars of Vishnu, who also manifested himself as an avatar many other times, ten of which are considered the most significant.[10]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_English_words_of_Sanskrit_origin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rama

create your own avatar for your web!
http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/websites-to-create-unique-avatar/
http://www.voki.com/create.php

CREDIT REQUIREMENTS

active participation, working on classroom tasks

80% attendance

Projects: (final submission deadline May 8, 2014)

1. A personal website (includes: personal profile, photogallery of photos taken on your own, a page on your hobbies/interests including active links to references, HotPot index and exercises, links to all school projects and tasks)

2. Hot Potatoes project (submission April 15, 2013)

3. Photogallery - choose an original and creative topic, take 12 images and present them; topic example: my town as I see it (not really tourist postcards, right?)

4. Your choice: either audiocomments to the images in the gallery, or a video of cca 5 minutes, English sound, with your subtitles and inserted textual or audioinstructions for the use in a lesson.

E-learning

E-learning, teaching and  learning with the support of electronic media, is an approach to teaching which has a rich and surprisingly long history, going more than 50 years back in time.

Recently the development of communication technologies enabled a boom of e-learning, bringing its principles virtually to any class.

1. What principles?

• the use of multimedia (image, sound, video)
• interactivity (T-S, S-S, S-AI)
• autonomy
• variability

Six principles of effective e-learning

2. E-learning includes many tems and abbreviations. Can you explain what they mean?

• synchronous e-learning
• CALL
• VLE
• e-learning 2.0
• educational technology

PC-based thinking and decision making:
Vývojový diagram
Choosing your musical instrument


3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of e-learning?
Write your opinions into the comment to this blog entry.


4. MOODLE
https://moodle.pf.ujep.cz/
Moodle sandbox

Scenario in Twine

Tips for more adventures:

http://adventurecow.com/
http://textadventures.co.uk/


Tips for working with Twine:

Really simple
Wiki on twine
Gamasutra blog
Useful FAQ on styling Twine

Tests and questionnaires online

Do you really trust everything you find online?

Supposedly the anwer will be NO - as the question itself is suggestive.

Not only obviously naive people make easy prey for intentionally misleading sites. In may cases, the internet-based information  may be even dangerous, if you apply it without common sense and without a wider knowledge of the problem - e.g. information about health problems connected to hardselling sites.

Nevertheless, we can also find theories and questionnaires are more or less trustworthy, at least for the purpose of orientation. The analysis of personal learning styles is one of them.


Felder - Learning Styles and Strategies Inventory
theory: http://www4.ncsu.edu/unity/lockers/users/f/felder/public/ILSpage.html

Online questionnaire: http://www.engr.ncsu.edu/learningstyles/ilsweb.html

Everybody is active sometimes and reflective sometimes. Your preference for one category or the other may be strong, moderate, or mild. A balance of the two is desirable. If you always act before reflecting you can jump into things prematurely and get into trouble, while if you spend too much time reflecting you may never get anything done.

If you overemphasize intuition, you may miss important details or make careless mistakes in calculations or hands-on work; if you overemphasize sensing, you may rely too much on memorization and familiar methods and not concentrate enough on understanding and innovative thinking.

In most college classes very little visual information is presented: students mainly listen to lectures and read material written on chalkboards and in textbooks and handouts. Unfortunately, most people are visual learners, which means that most students do not get nearly as much as they would if more visual presentation were used in class.

Sequential learners may not fully understand the material but they can nevertheless do something with it (like solve the homework problems or pass the test) since the pieces they have absorbed are logically connected. Strongly global learners who lack good sequential thinking abilities, on the other hand, may have serious difficulties until they have the big picture.






What do the result tell about you?How do you feel about it? Isert your ideas into the comments to this blog entry.