Hot Potatoes

1. Introduction to Hot Potatoes

Hot Potatoes is an authoring software suite developed by the University of Victoria’s Humanities Computing and Media Centre (HCMC). It is designed to help educators create interactive web-based exercises without requiring any knowledge of programming. The tool is widely used in language teaching, instructional technology, and e-learning environments.

Hot Potatoes consists of six applications, each focusing on a different type of interactive task. These exercises can be exported as HTML pages and used online or offline.

2. Key Features of Hot Potatoes

• User-friendly interface: Teachers can create activities easily without programming skills.

• Free for educational use.

• Web-based output: Exercises are published in HTML and run on any device with a browser.

• Customization: Colors, fonts, instructions, and feedback messages can be adjusted.

• Integration: Can be used with LMS platforms such as Moodle.

• Multimedia support: Images, audio, and video can be embedded in exercises.

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3. Components of Hot Potatoes (Detailed)

Hot Potatoes includes six main modules:

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1. JQuiz – Quiz Maker

Purpose: To create quizzes with different question formats.

Available question types:

• Multiple-choice

• Short answer

• Multi-select

• Hybrid questions

Features:

• Immediate feedback for each question.

• Option to include hints.

• Unlimited attempts.

• Scoring system and progress tracking.

Suitable for:

• Grammar tests

• Vocabulary quizzes

• Comprehension checks

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2. JCloze – Gap-Fill Exercise Creator

Purpose: To create cloze tests where learners fill in missing words or phrases.

Features:

• Multiple possible correct answers for one gap.

• Optional hint buttons.

• Automatic checking and scoring.

• Ideal for grammar, reading comprehension, and vocabulary.

Use cases:

• Removing verbs for tense exercises.

• Creating vocabulary review activities.

• Text reconstruction tasks.

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3. JMatch – Matching Exercises

Purpose: To create matching pairs or ordering activities.

Two main modes:

• Standard matching (pair A with B)

• Ordering (arrange items in the correct order)

Possible pairing types:

• Word → definition

• Term → image

• Question → answer

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4. JMix – Sentence Jumble

Purpose: To create exercises where words are mixed, and learners must reorder them.

Features:

• Supports alternative correct sentence structures.

• Suitable for teaching syntax and sentence construction.

• Useful for sequencing tasks (e.g., steps in a process).

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5. JCross – Crossword Puzzle Generator

Purpose: To create crossword puzzles automatically.

Features:

• Educator enters words; software generates the grid.

• Clue creation: short or long explanations.

• Interactive solving with auto-checking.

• Suitable for vocabulary and terminology lessons.

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6. The Masher – Activity Organizer

Purpose: To combine several Hot Potatoes activities into a complete unit or course.

Features:

• Batch processing.

• Uniform design across multiple exercises.

• Creates navigation menus and linked modules.

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4. How Hot Potatoes Works (Workflow)

1. Choose a module (e.g., JQuiz, JCloze).

2. Enter your content (questions, clues, answers).

3. Edit instructions and appearance settings.

4. Insert multimedia (optional).

5. Save as a project file (.jqz, .jcl, etc.).

6. Export the exercise as HTML.

7. Upload or distribute the file for learners.

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5. Educational Applications

In Language Learning

• Vocabulary training

• Grammar drills

• Listening comprehension (with audio embedding)

• Reading comprehension tests

In Other Subject Areas

• Mathematics formulas

• Science terminology

• History facts (matching years and events)

• Professional training modules

For Online Education

• Self-paced interactive quizzes

• E-learning assessments

• LMS-integrated activities

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6. Advantages of Hot Potatoes

• Highly flexible and adaptable.

• No programming knowledge required.

• Works offline and online.

• Supports multiple languages.

• Lightweight, fast, and stable.

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7. Limitations

• Interface is somewhat outdated.

• Limited multimedia styling options.

• Not as advanced as modern web-based quiz tools.

• Requires manual uploading for online use.

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8. System Requirements

• Windows OS for the editor.

• Any device with a web browser for opening activities.

• No internet connection needed for local use.

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9. Conclusion

Hot Potatoes remains a highly effective and accessible tool for teachers who want to create customizable interactive exercises. Despite its simple interface, it offers a wide range of activity types that support student engagement, assessment, and independent learning.