Every couple of months or so we will review 2 or 3 new products or services, which can be used by teachers

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March 2002

Virtual Classrooms / Virtuellt klassrum
Easy to use e-Learning Platforms for Teachers and Course Leaders. www.Ikt.nu	Enkel e-learning kurssida och plattform för lärare och ledare. www.Ikt.nu

APRIL 2000

This month we review

Resurscentrums comments
Selingua "Mycket snyggt och bra svenskt språkträningsprogram för engelska, tyska och spanska." --Passagens Filarkiv "This is a fun and easy-to-use program." --Rocket Download "Selingua is a well-designed learning tool and very easy to navigate." --Hotfiles.com "Detta program är mycket bra och kan varmt rekommenderas." --Mats Ernofsson, Barnens Internet "Selingua är ett av de bästa sharewareprogram vi sett på länge." --MaxiData nr 2, 1997		Selingua - ett språkutbildningsprogram. Träna ditt engelska, tyska, svenska, franska och spanska ordförråd! För Windows 3.1, 95, 98 eller NT.   Selingua i Java - Här kan du testa Javaversionen av Selingua on-line. Programmet kan köras under Internet Explorer 4.0, eller någon annan browser som stöder JDK 1.1.

JANUARY 2000

This month we review

Hot Potatoes

Hot Potatoes is a software package developed by the University of Victoria and available free from http://web.uvic.ca/hrd/halfbaked that enables you to write interactive/self correcting quizzes easily.

Write exercises/quizzes for any subject (languages, economy, maths, history etc).

The exercises can be uploaded to internet OR just saved on a PC. You can even put the exercises onto a floppy disc or CD-Rom for you students.

There are 6 tools in the software package:

1. JBC multiple-choice exercises: JBC allows multiple correct answers, specific feedback for each answer, and gives a running percentage score.
2. JCloze - gap-fill exercises: JCloze allows up to four acceptable answers for each gap. Students can ask for a hint and get a free letter in any answer. A percentage score is given at the end.
3. JCross - crosswords: JCross crosswords include automatic answer-checking and a hint facility.
4. JMatch - matching/ordering exercises: JMatch exercises allow students to do matching of text to pictures, or ordering of a sequence of phrases or sentences.
5. JQuiz - short-answer questions: Students type in their answers, which are then checked against up to four acceptable answers. When the answer is checked, the exercise tells the student which parts of the answer are right and which are wrong, and there is also a hint facility.
6. JMix - jumbled sentences: Students re-order the words to create a correct sentence. Multiple correct answers are allowed, and there is sophisticated answer-checking as well as a hint facility.

NOVEMBER 1999

This month we review
Voice Chat
Yahoo Briefcase
Crossword Compiler

Voice Chat

Forget text only chat, Voice and text chat is here!

I first noticed this on EF Language's website. It is now available free, from amongst others Yahoo.
You and all the participants have to download the required software, you will all need Windows 95 or 98, a microphone and speakers etc, but then you can chat away.
Hold down the control button to transmit, just like an RT transmittor. Could we use this in group distance education?

Main features

• Free - You only have to pay the cost to be connected to the internet. No long distance charges to talk to anybody anywhere.
• Talk to several people - You can talk to several people at the same time. It's a great way to do long distance family reunions.
• Text and Voice messages - You can either talk and listen to other people talking, or you can send text messages too!
• Great Sound Quality - Try it and see how it works! The sound quality is great even if you are talking to somebody on the other side of the world!
• Easy Setup - Voice Chat is really easy to use.
• Once you have Yahoo! Messenger, all you have to do is right-click on a friend's name and you can instantly start a voice chat with them.

More info and download here: http://messenger.yahoo.com/intl/se/help/voicechat.html

An easy way to share files and exercises with your students. You decide who sees and has access to which folders:

Choose between giving access to:

• everybody (who knows the address..........the address will be http://briefcase.yahoo.com/your.name)
• just my friends and invitees (different folders visible to different students or classes)
• totally private (just yourself or fellow teachers etc - access your private material etc from anywhere)

Check it out: You will only see 1 folder..........http://briefcase.yahoo.com/resurscentrum

Sign up: http://briefcase.yahoo.com

The Crossword Compiler

 

How can we use a crossword puzzle in the classroom?

The Crossword Compiler is an invaluable aid to making your own crossword puzzles in a matter of minutes! The program does the work for you. You can decide decide words you want to include in your puzzle or use the at random function where the program chooses words for you. You can choose the puzzle format you want and write all of the clues yourself.

Crossword puzzles can be used in the following ways:

• Reading comprehension - reading the clues
• Vocabulary practice - guessing the right word
• Spelling practice - by writing in the correct spelt word in the squares
• Speaking practice - (pronunciation) monitored by the teacher
• Pair work - where each student has half a crossword and tries to guess the other half by asking questions about the words and listening to clues given by his partner.
• Revision - going back over the vocabulary individually or as pair work

Try it and Buy it from http://www.x-word.com/