I admit I still have no idea how to say the bookstore name "Eslite." The bookstore"s homepage says the name originated from the French word "elite", but does not tell how it should be pronounced. Then, should the second syllable be pronounced as "leet", as with "elite", or should it be pronounced like the English "lite"？
到了今天，如果我要製作PPT，我一定不會立刻打開PPT. 而是先在WORD document把要present的要點打出來，這樣做好處是一眼看到整個演示的組織和發展，要修改也很容易。完成後就用WORD 的網上版打開這Word document, 加入少許格式化(主要是Heading 1 and Heading 2)，然後export 成PPT, 乾手淨腳，而且生成的PPT 的每張slide 已有很精美的設計。
以WORD 開始還有另一個好處，就是今天那麼多AI tools, 隨時可以把內容generate 成另一用途， 例如reading comprehension questions,例如Google Form, 又例如數日前我提到的Quizizz Game。總了以一個文字檔為開始，便無限用途。如果你也經常製作PPT, 不妨改變習慣：Start with WORD.
The former podcast production app (recording, and podcasting) called 'Anchor' has been absorbed by Podcasters for Spotify.
The biggest advantage is using Podcasters for Spotify is that from the same dashboard, you can record a podcast episode, add background music if preferred, and post it on your podcast homepage immediately. In other words, there is no need to first create a voice recording, and then upload the voice file to a podcasting site.
回想去年年初當ChatGPT出現時. 香港有大學即時有强烈反應，限制學生使用CHATGPT, 當然這是因為憂慮學生利用ChatGPT去抄功課。其實只要設計功學時花點心思，不要學生寫純資料性的essay,這其實不是大問題。
相反，如果学生做功課，開始時利用ChatGPT 找出基礎的資料，然後再在功課中深入發揮，這絕對是好事。
到今天，我甚至在三小時的一課中，加插一些ChatGPT任務，去代替以前我就相關知識的direct instruction。這除了作為課堂活動外，我亦想乘機培養學員的Self-directed learning 和终身學習的精神。
21世紀的教師不應只是the sage on the stage, 而更要做a guide on the side。
This is the first time that ChatGPT has somewhat disappointed me with its answer to my language question. I asked it whether it's OK to say 'I feel amazing.' Below is its answer. (Traditional grammar would distinguish between 'The story is amazing/interesting/exciting' and 'I feel amazed/interested/excited.')
All that ChatGPT needs to say is something like 'In recent years, people have started to say "I feel amazing" to mean "I feel great/good/fantastic."
We still need humans when it comes to language awareness.
Just ran into an example illustrating the trend for people to use certain verbs ergatively. A few years ago, one would say 'Work you create IS SAVED to ....'; today, it is 'Work you created SAVES to ...' (You can find many other examples in ICT jargon.)
Another example: More than 10 years ago, Amazon would tell you that 'your order has been shipped.' Today, it's always 'Your order has shipped.'
This is one thing for ESL teachers to watch out for when teaching the Passive Voice.
真是後知後覺，一直不知道Google workspace extension 有Form builder 這extension, 可以直接把Google Doc 和Google Sheet 的內容export 成 Google Form. 這當然比在Google Form中逐題打快得多，而且在Google doc中先準備好問題當然效果會更好。
Edtech就是這樣，有時一些好用的功能卻一直不知道其存在，以致浪費了不少時間。
Just found out that there 's a Google Doc/Sheet extension called 'Form Builder Plus' which can easily turn a Google Doc/Sheet into a Form.
Of course we teachers usually work with a Google Doc. What this means is that I can simply type out, or even copy and paste, my questions on a Google Doc (or covert from a WORD doc), and use this extension to convert it to a Google Form.
The other plus is that, if you dive into a Google Form and write your questions, it's not easy to maintain an overview of your poll/quiz content. Starting with a Google Doc will give you that overview, not to mention the ease to edit your questions.
I should have known about this Extension long ago; I would then have saved myself a lot of time.
終於決定這一期的Nearpod Gold 到期後不再subscribe, Nearpod 有很多獨有的interactive 功能，例如Time to Climb, 但問題是：⑴太慢， （2）太貴。
Nearpod 的主要alternatives有Kahoot Lesson (不是Kahoot game), Pear Deck. 和Quizizz Lesson (不是Quizizz game), Kahoot Lesson 要付費，而且functionality 不算超卓。 Pear Deck 的賣點是在Google Slides install Pear Deck extension 後，便可立即加插interactive slides, ,而且它的Lesson management slides我頗喜歡，可以培養學生的self directed learning 的素質，但它的interactive functions 太少，連MC quiz 也沒有。
最後我決定由Nearpod migrate 往Quizizz Lesson, 它的free plan 已很不錯，可以無限create interactive lessons, interactive task functions 也不少，雖然最酷的interactive functions 仍然paid plan 才能用，但它的free plan 仍可以embed external links, 我只要將我的Wordwall, Bookwidgets, Blooket, Learningapps.org， Thinglink, Genial.ly, Formative， Classkick........已有的interactive tasks的share link embed 入Quizizz Lesson, 便可以製作既精美又engaging 的interactive lesson,而且不用花費分毫。
這樣計算好像有點那個，問題是我要自費subscribe to各種eLearning app, 如果太疏爽，可以是不小的開支呢。
