Hot Potatoes

Review by Dawn Ebbrell, University of Hull, November 1998

Authors: Half-Baked Software, Stewart Arneil, Martin Holmes, and Hilary Street, The University of Victoria Language Centre

Hardware Requirements:Available for Windows 95/NT and Macintosh. To access the exercises, Netscape Navigator or MS Internet Explorer versions 3 or above, are required with JavaScript enabled.

Price: This suite of software is freely available to users, available from the Half-Baked Software web site http://web.uvic.ca/hrd/halfbaked/

Introduction

Hot Potatoes is a freeware programme designed to enable those with no programming experience to create interactive web-based exercises. A range of question formats are available:

multiple-choice

fill-in-the-gap

short-answer,

jumbled-sentence

crossword-puzzle

The software is suitable for creating formative tests as a resource for learning, or self-diagnosis of learning needs. There is no in-built security or record keeping which would be necessary for the purposes of formal assessment. Software such as QuestionMark Perception (http://www.qmark.com/perception/infoperception.html) or the TRIADS system, (http://www.derby.ac.uk/assess/newdemo/mainmenu.html) developed at the University of Derby are both web-based systems suitable for this purpose.

Hot Potatoes however, provides an easy-to-use alternative for those requiring informal tests which can be used as learning tools. Teachers can get started quickly to produce a range of test types. The test types available are outlined below.

Authoring Screen for JCloze

Authoring Screen for JCloze

JMix

JMix allows the creation of jumbled sentence type exercises. Alternate answers are permitted, useful if the sentence allows an alternative word order. A numeric score is not available with this test, the learner is told if their reconstructed sentence is correctly formulated, with an indication of where errors lie.

JCross

JCross supports the rapid creation of crossword puzzles. The whole puzzle has to be created before feedback is given. Incorrect letters are blanked out. Learners who are unable to solve particular clues can gain help by means of the hint button which gives away a letter each time it is used.

JQuiz

The JQuiz format allows the creation of short answer quizzes which accept text input. Since the answers are directly matched to the answers required, this is not suitable where longer responses are required, or where the number of correct alternatives possible is not highly constrained. Up to four possible correct answers can be included so there is some ability to cope with variation. This type of question may be suitable for sentence transformation exercises, for example, shifting the tense or the person, or for testing formulaic language. If the test were linked to a listening test, it could be used for transcription or comprehension exercises.

No numeric scoring mechanism is available with this question type, however, generic feedback such as Correct, Well done, Incorrect, Try again etc can be provided. Individualised feedback for each question is not possible. Learners can reveal the answer for any question at any time so from this point of view it is useful as a learning tool.

JBC

This question format allows the creation of multiple choice or multiple response questions. Up to four alternatives are possible. The degree of feedback available for this type of test is more flexible than for JQuiz. From this point of view, more effective learning is possible since individualised feedback is available for each alternative. A numeric score is available in this test.

JCloze

The JClose test format supports the creation of gap-fill exercises. Cloze tests can be automatically generated with the tutor specifying that a gap be created every nth word. Tests can also be created where the tutor chooses which words to be gapped; up to three alternatives are permitted for each gap. A hint button can be provided which gives help in the form of revealing the answer letter by letter. A numeric scoring mechanism can be supplied for these tests. A numeric score is presented if the Check button is clicked.

Extended Functionality

The tests are automatically laid out in two frames. The upper frame contains instructions and any feedback generated; the lower frame contains the main test. Buttons linking back to a main page, and subsequent tests are automatically generated. The web addresses for these pages need to be generated by the author. Font colour, size, and style can be specified by the author. Background images can be included to allow the author control over the look of the pages.

Whilst to produce simple tests no knowledge of HTML or Java is required, the layout and content of the pages can be enhanced if the author has knowledge of HTML. Some of the tests support the inclusion of HTML tags so images and other media files can be included in the tests.

Conclusions

The Hot Potatoes Authoring Suite is an excellent resource for the generation of a flexible range of tests for self-study. A flexible set of materials can be created at very low cost, particularly if supplemented with other web-based learning resources. All test types incorporate a degree of feedback, sometimes in the form of a numeric score, with some scope to include alternative answers. High level skills are not required although a knowledge of HTML can greatly extend the scope of the software.

Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics, and Area Studies