This year's enrollment on the Master's degree course on Computer Assisted Language Learning

 這Master's degree的Computer Assisted Language Learning 一科，由最初offer時的三十多學員選修，逐步躍升到今學年的63位學員選修，真是既擔憂又興奮，擔憂是到學期完後要在短時間內改大量的term paper, 興奮的是看見這一科那麼受歡迎。

Apps in the Google Classroom App Hub work with my personal Google Classroom

 I've just tried one the apps (Kahoot) included in  The Google Classroom App Hub I mentioned two days ago. I'm only using a personal Google Classroom. Anyhow, I went to Kahoot, and created a self-paced Kahoot assignment. When asked how I would like to share this Kahoot assignment, I chose 'Google Classroom', which was one of the destinations. 

Voila, in no time, this Kahoot Game appeared in my Google Classroom! So, it means I don't have to copy the Assign share link and post it somewhere as long as I use Google Classroom regularly. 

Puzzel.org

 Puzzel.org is like Wordwall and Learningapps.org, and is for creating interactive games. The images of the various puzzle types look interesting. But the free plan only allows for 2 puzzles. So there is no way I can tell how overall it compares with Wordwall and Learningapps.org. 

https://puzzel.org/

Becoming MIE Expert 2023-24

 新學年收到的最好的禮物，尤其是今年等申請結果等得

特別久。

The Google Classroom App Hub

https://edu.google.com/get-started/apps/ 

This webpage lists the apps that are integrated with Google Classroom.

I can see that many of these apps are popular and often used by teachers (and me). 

Unfortunately, the university does not subscribe to Google Classroom, so I cannot see with my own eyes how the app integration works within Google Classroom. 

Slides with Friends

SLIDES WITH FRIENDS is an app for creating presentations that contain interactive tasks, such as polling, quizzes. 

What distinguishes it from similar apps such as Mentimeter, Pear Deck, and Quizizz Lesson is that it has 2 additional special response options: (1) Pass the microphone, and (2) Share your photo. 

A standalone stack of cards with Sway

 We can create a standalone stack of cards with Sway. Ss will then scroll through the cards to find out something. The content of each card can be either Text, or Image. 

The resulting Sway link can be inserted into a Nearpod lesson. 

Thinglink Scenario Builder: My first taste

 This is a function within Thinglink which allows you to create a branching learning unit. I have yet to learn the nitty gritties, and to look for ideas to turn into a learning scenario. So far, I have noticed that: 

- each branched block can contain Text, an external URL, and a previous Thinglink image/tour; 

- you can insert MC questions and Open-ended questions into different points in the journey; 

- at any block, you can take the learner to any other block; 

- you can award points for accomplishing something. 

+++++++++++++++++++

This reminds me of two other strategies that I have tried: 

1. Padlet (not really reactive to learner's decisions or answers; no inserted questions); 

2. Symbaloo Learning Path. 

Thinglink 360 Image vs Thinglink Guided Tour

 Thinglink Guided Tour is a new function in Thinglink. In the former 360 image, viewers have to move the image around, and click on the tag to see the 'Knowledge Card'. The Knowledge Card can consist of Text Description, an explanatory Image, or an external link. 

With Thinglink Guided Tour, when you create the tour, you add 'focal points' to the 360 image. For each Focal Point, you add a text description (text description only). You can add as many focal points to a 360 image as you like. 

Then when viewers view the Guided Tour, they can: 

Either

drag the image around, and when they reach a previously focal point, the corresponding explanatory text will pop up near the bottom;

Or

there is a 'previous - next' button near the bottom of the screen. Click on 'next', and the image will revolve to the next focal point, togther with the text explanation. And so on. Hence, unlike the traditional viewing mode, this mode of viewing is sequential. (Hence, 'guided'.)

Google Forms vs Microsoft Forms: Converting a poll to a quiz

 With Google Forms, you can convert an existing Poll to a Quiz. 

With Microsoft Forms, this can't be done. To create a quiz, you always have to start from scratch. 

Obtained ScreenPal Certified Educator badge

 Completed the ScreenPal online course and obtained the ScreenPal Certified Educator badge.

ScreenPal: the new version of Screencast-o-matic

 Screencast-o-matic was the first app that I used for screen-recording. Later, Screencastify and Loom came about, and as they were Chrome extensions, they were more convenient to use. I then abandoned Screencast-o-matic in favour of Loom and Screencastify. 

Yesterday, I happened to discover that Screencast-o-matic had become ScreenPal. I tried ScreenPal, and found three important pluses which would take me back to the improved version of Screencast-o-matic: ScreenPal: 

1. I like the clear small yellow circle which accompanies the cursor movement. Screencastify has a similar function but the effect is not good. 

2. ScreenPal will give me a public share link as soon as I have finished a round of screen-recording. Screencastify allows users to export the screen-recorded video to Youtube, but the process takes too long. 

3. The free plan of Loom and Screencastify has a recording time limit of 5 minutes only, and a limit on the number of videos that can be produced. Screenpal's recording time is 15 minutes, and there is no limit on the number of videos you can make. 

https://screenpal.com/home

Google Earth Voyager

 Google Earth Voyager are like Google Earth projects, but they are exemplary curated (also created?) collections by Google. The project are presented under a few themes, such as 'Education', and 'Culture'. 

Creating a Google Earth Project

 To create a new placemark: 

1. You can of course just click on a named place on the Google Earth map, and then click on 'Add to Project' on the right. 

2. But if it is not a place which is already named on the map, then you can do 'Capture this view', or click 'Add placemark', both appearing at the bottom left corner of the map itself. The left-hand pane will then ask you to 'Name this place'. After that, it will be included as a 'Feature' in the project.

3. The 'known/named' places on the Google Map will, by default, come with a Knowledge Card (top right corner). To use your own description or images, click 'Replace' on the left-hand pane. You can then use your own description and images. 

 

One difference between Loom and Screencastify

 Loom has a more generous (25 videos) quota under the free plan, while Screencastify allows for 10 free videos only. 

But with Screencastify, you can export the screen-recorded video directly to Youtube, while with Loom you have to download it to your computer first. 

Taking a photo sphere image with my mobile phone and viewing it in Ricoh Theta

 I'm using the mobile app 'Go Street-view Camera' to take 360 photo spheres with my mobile phone.Ｉcan then open it for viewing with the app Ricoh-Theta, a desktop app as well as a mobile app. 

The result is not bad even though I'm only use a mobile app, not a 360 camera like Ricoh Theta. 

Gearing up for the 33rd, or 37th, year

 是時候收拾心情，開展在中大教育學院第33年的教學。(如果加上先前在羅富國教育學院的4年，這便是第37年從事教師教育。)能夠這麼長期從事自己喜愛的工作，這工作又可以讓我不斷學習和不斷進步，我真的非常非常幸運啊。

Padlet's 2023 summer release

 This summer, Padlet has released some new functions. The following seem particularly useful to me: 

1. Create a poll on a Padlet wall which viewers can respond to. 

2. AI-generated images. (To me, I'm not sure whether the images are really AI-generated. Do they already exist on the Web?)

3. I can create Sections in all templates (except Canvas). 

4. I can embed a Padlet slideshow in another app. 

5. I tried the 'Export slideshow as PDF' function. The resulting PDF does not look great. Maybe OK if I just want to keep a record. 

I have also rediscovered that I can present a Padlet wall as a slideshow. 

https://padlet.blog/the-2023-summer-release/

The most rewarding compliment

 The most rewarding compliment a teacher educator can ever receive from a former teacher student.

教學是一個很獨特的行業

 昨天和當年初為人師時教過的學生午膳敍舊，她們有快將退休的，有甚至已經提早退休的。

感嘆歲月流逝之餘，也覺得教學是一個很獨特的行業；其他人對人的專業，例如醫生，社工，臨床心理學家，服務完結後便不能，或不宜，和服務對象繼續有接觸；但當教師，分分鐘可以和舊學生保持數十年的聯繫！

Thinglink add-in for Powerpoint

 Just realised that Powerpoint has the Thinglink add-in. After inserting the Thinglink add-in, while creating a PPT, just paste in the link to the Thinglink you want to show in the PPT. All the interactivity will appear in the PPT. 

Jigsaw Planet for creating free jigsaw puzzles

https://www.jigsawplanet.com/  is a free app for creating jigsaw puzzles. Just upload a picture, tell the app how many pieces you want to break it down into, and click 'create'. The resulting puzzle can be shared with students via a share link. 

Thinglink, 360 image, Escape Room

 In an Escape Room game, players are expected to explore the different parts of a place (on their own). It follows that these different parts should not appear in a linear fashion. 

The objects of exploration may provide the clues to the over-riding question, or sub-questions during the game. 

The above make Thinglink a suitable app for creating an Escape Room: 

1. the starting point can be the image (flat or 360) of the inside of a room; 

2. interactives are inserted into different parts of the room for students to explore. These interactives may provide information, or clues to certain questions. 

How students present their answers to the questions embedded: 

In the following example, the teacher puts (a) the Thinglink 360 image, and (b) a Google Form on one Google site. 

https://www.thinglink.com/blog/escape-rooms/

(I think the Google Form can also be inserted into the Thinglink image for students to download?)

Students explore the image to find the answers, and provide answers on the Google Form. When they are done, they submit the Google Form. 

In sum, Escape Rooms with Thinglink have the potentials of: 

1. gamifying a series of quizzes; 

2. promoting multimodal reading (the information inserted can be multimodal);

3. nurturing students as self-directed learners (as self-paced learning units). 

=========

One challenge for the interested teacher, on top of the technical skills and the time needed, is to think of a storyline to make the Escape Room feel 'real'. 

Converting a panorama pic taken with my mobile phone to a 360 image

 Just learnt that: 

1. I can convert a pano(rama) pic I've taken with my mobile phone to a 360 image using the Thinglink link: https://www.thinglink.com/pano-to-360

2. When viewed using a 360 image viewer app (such as Ricoh Theta), I can view the panorama pic in a full circle. But then of course because the original pic was not taken with a 360 camera, the top and bottom parts of this 360 image will be just blurred shades. 

Downloading a street view image from Google Maps

 Just found out that: 

1. I can download an app for downloading and saving a street view 360 image from Google Maps to my computer. The one I've downloaded is called Street View Download 360. 

2. I can also download an app for viewing 360 images saved. The one I've installed is Ricoh Theta. 

3. With downloaded 360 images, I can go ahead to find out how to create interactive 360 tours within Thinglink. 

How to download a Google Map for offline use

 Just learnt that we can download a Google Map for offline use. This is useful to me as, when I go to Macau and return on the same day, I may not want to buy foreign data connection to use in Macau just for navigating my ways around. 

How: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-ADQIzc5a4

Where to find the downloaded map on one's mobile phone: 

Open the Google Maps app. Tap on your profile picture in the top right corner. Tap “Offline Maps.” Tap “Select Your Own Map.”

What should we beware of?

 Yes, fruit drops can be dangerous. But seeds?

星加坡 vs 新加坡

 剛才電視新聞報導新加坡旅遊業復甦，字幕是「新加坡」，但報導員由始至終都是讀「星加坡」。

香港人習慣說「星加坡」，但Singapore 正式的中文國名是「新加坡」，不知要再過多久，香港人才會改口說「新加坡」。

至於我，說formal speech 時說新加坡，說informal speech 時說星加坡。

(至於為甚麼「加」讀做「架」，要請教研究方言的歷史學家了。).

「灣」vs「環」

 前天談到小時候，香港人用第四聲說「銅鑼灣」的「灣」(音環)，到後來才變為用第一聲(音彎)，當時還舉了另一個「灣」讀「環」的例：長沙灣。

今天又想到另一個例：土瓜灣。

如果有三個例存在，這「灣」讀「環」應該不是巧合，問題只是甚麼原因有這變調。.

Seeing my books at the 2013 Book Fair

 很高興在今年書展中，仍然看見自己的名字出現在4本展出的書本上。(其餘的兩本應該沒有再印製了。) 驀然回首：

2022，<喜歡上學的野孩子>，收錄於《香港百人童年》，香港兒童文藝協會出版。青田教育中心印製。

2019，《芵語本色: 翻轉港式英語發音》，牛津大學出版社出版。

2015.  VOICES FROM THE FRONTLINE: Narratives of Nonnative Speaking English Teachers. Co-authored with Prof Icy Lee. Published by The Chinese University Press. 

2015，《英文秘道: 踏上學習英文的成功路》，牛津大學出版社出版。

2012，《中英大不同2:錯了就爆的語法問題》，與歐陽偉豪合著，青桐社出版。

2011，《中英大不同:語法解密》，與歐陽偉豪合著，青桐社出版。

Technology and the ability to write in Chinese

 不要說青少年，連我也發覺自己寫中文字時愈來愈記不起筆劃，用手機或手寫板書寫時，會彈出幾個筆劃相近的字供選擇，於是令我更不在意正確的寫法。到今天有時候還要依賴google 的語音輸入才記起原來的筆劃!

https://news.mingpao.com/pns/%e7%a4%be%e8%a9%95/article/20230718/s00003/1689617302475/%e7%a4%be%e8%a9%95-%e6%9b%b8%e5%af%ab%e6%96%87%e5%ad%97%e5%8a%9f%e8%83%bd%e6%bc%b8%e5%87%8b%e9%9b%b6-%e6%96%87%e5%8c%96%e5%82%b3%e6%89%bf%e5%8a%9f%e8%83%bd%e9%a0%97%e5%a0%aa%e6%86%82

A school that highly values good teaching and learning

 今早因著賽馬會Blended Learning Project, 再次到香港道教聯合會圓玄學院第二中學觀課，再次被該校對學與教的重視，和老師們的教學熱誠所感動。他們有很有組織的同儕觀課計劃，今早觀課時有多位老師一同觀課，包括非英語科教師和負責SEN的教師，連校長也為了表示支持，兩節不同的課也全程参與觀課。授課的老師也習慣了同儕觀課，課室中坐了7位觀課者也揮灑自如。至於學生，"more able" class 固然主動積極回應，"less able" class也專注和投入。課後的debriefing, 老師們的認真程度令人敬佩。

這樣的精神，對我也是一種激勵呢!

AI for generating visual designs

 試完Microsoft Designer，再試另一個AI-powered 的Picsart，已經差不多可以結論人工智能generate visual design, 相對於generate essay的chatGPT, 效果仍然有一段距離。

useful little functions in eLearning apps

 一個eLearning app有時用了很多年，也沒有發現當中一些有用的小function,例如我用了Wordwall幾年， 那天觀課，我才發現那麼容易加插pronunciation 和picture, 還可以選theme去改变版面!

2 Questions I've been asking myself all these years

 Tomorrow is the last session of the MA course on 'Professional Development in English Language Teaching." I will end the course by sharing my own answers to the following 2 questions that I've been asking myself all these years. 

Q1: Would I still be so enthusiastic about teaching today if I had not started out as an ENGLISH teacher? 

--- In other words, what makes English Language teaching so fascinating? 

Q2: What kind of person would I be like today if I had not started out as a teacher? 

--- Because teaching has shaped the person that I am today.

Pure listening, or listening while staring at the screen

 今早的課堂我做了一個實驗， 我把學員要聆聽的audio file拆做兩部分，上半部上傳到Spotify 作為純聆聽的podcast episode (Option 1),下半部我用video editing software,加入audio file,然後插入幾張教室的image, 但內容和audio file的內容無關，最後把完成的video 上傳至YouTube （option 2)。

當學員聽過純audio 的option 1, 和聽過embed 入video 的option 2, 我問學員喜歡哪個聆聽的模式，我原本也猜測有学員喜歡option 2, 但結果比我預料的更一面倒：83%學員喜歡option 2。

我不是第一個有此觀察的人，至於為甚麼今天的人，就算畫面和內容無直接関係，也喜歡盯著畫面去聆聽多過純聆聽，這究竟是social habit （YouTube, Facebook Shorts)，抑或有心理學原因，或甚至是neuroscience, 我便不得而知了。

AI apps for creating resources

 早在兩個半小時的課，已經用了4件AI-generated的教材。後來我告訴學員哪些教材是來自AI, 他們也很詫異。

我說笑我快將失業了。但其實省下製作教材的時間，教師有更多時間設計interactive的課堂和高階思維活動。到最後，關鍵還是我們怎樣運用科技。

https://www.questionwell.org/?fbclid=IwAR39w-WWFCf0LsgN85CBAi9q372oGsvEExq3oywDqgotlKJDtLHZAHs0hSePQ

AI-generated slide decks: When are they useful?

 

in a previous post, I said that all the AI-tools for generating slide decks that I have tried are not satisfactory. This is because:

(a) these apps will not give me a slide deck which fully captures my line of thinking; in a presentation there are usually certain points that I'm driving at, and

(b) I like to use my own examples for illustration.

But I've found that if I simply need a mini presentation for introducing an idea, then such apps can be useful. The other day, I was planning for a lecture on using case studies for teacher professional development. I wanted to start the lecture by mentioning the 3 disciplines that use case studies as an established teaching method and for professional development. Then I wanted to cite one example: The Harvard Business School's use of the case method. I just needed a mini introduction to that.

I went to Canva, a wellknown app for creating visual materials, and used their new AI 'Magic Write' function to get a short presentation on the Harvard example. In less than 30 seconds, they gave me the presentation below, which exactly answered my need.

If I had to create this presentation from scratch myself, searching for the information, distilling the information into main points, creating a presentation with the main points, dealing with the slide deck design, how much time would that take me!?

My tentative conclusion: AI-tools will not give me an immediately usable custom-designed presentation for a whole lecture/lesson, but they are useful for creating short presentations for introducing an idea or topic.

(BTW, I'll be using the above slide deck tomorrow morning. After the short presentation, I will ask the teachers whether they have suspected something about the slide deck.)

The question set export function in QuestionWell

This morning I explained how I use QuestionWell, an AI app, to generate a set of MC comprehension questions from a text. The question set can then be exported as DOCX, or as a Microsoft Excel file. The app allows me to generate two versions: Version 1 with the questions only, and Version 2 with the Answer Key as well.

At this point, I can share Version 1 with my teacher students. They will then read the text and then mark the correct answers on their copied DOCX document. But this afternoon, I decided to go one step further, by turning the question set into a Google Form quiz. I converted the DOCX document to a Google Doc. I then opened the Google Doc extension called Automagical Forms, and had it convert all the questions on the Google Doc to a Google Form quiz. Within 5 seconds, I had the Google Form quiz ready to send.

Imagine if I had to type out the Google Form quiz myself!

Of course one thing I don't understand is: Despite all these time-saving AI apps, why am I still so busy?

(BTW, QuestionWell will also allow you to export the question set as an Excel file, which you can then import into Kahoot or Quizizz immediately to create a quiz game.)

Using QuestionWell to help students focus on their reading

 Yesterday, I said that QuestionWell was by far the best AI tool for generating reading comprehension questions from a reading text. The only concern was that it could only generate MC questions which asked for specific information in the text (in other words: no HOT questions). In other words, don't expect the app will give you all the questions that you need for a full-fledged reading comprehension lesson. (https://www.questionwell.org/

Nevertheless, QuestionWell is still useful for generating a short MC quiz to accompany a short reading activity to help students focus. In an upcoming class session, one of the activities is for the teachers in my class to read a case story, and then get into groups to discuss the case. In order for the teachers to benefit from the case discussion, it is important that they read the case story carefully first. I went to QuestionWell and input the case story. The app generated 22 MC questions for me. I chose 8 of them, and would use them this Saturday to prepare the teachers for the case discussion. It would take me a lot of time if I were to come up with the questions myself. 

In other words, do not rely wholly on these AI tools to create teaching materials for us, but if used with discretion, they CAN save us a lot of time. 

QuestionWell for generating MC question from a reading text

 QuestionWell is by far the best AI-powered tool for creating reading comprehension questions from a reading text that I have tested. The pluses: 

- It can generate a long list of MC questions for you to select the ones you want to use. 

- It tells you the key questions among the ones generated. 

- It also generates a list of learning objectives embededed in the generated questions. 

- You can then export the questions as a spreadsheet, which you can then import into Kahoot, Quizizz, or Blooket immediately, or as a docx file. 

Of course, like the other AI tools for generating reading comprehension questions, QuestionWell is only good at creating questions that ask for specific information. 

https://www.questionwell.org/

However, of the 6 AI-powered tools for creating slidedecks I have tried so far, none of them is good enough. So maybe I can conclude now that as of today, AI technology is good at generating Reading Comprehension materials, but not at creating presentation decks. 

https://www.questionwell.org/

No Hawking vs No Hawkering

 "No hawkering", or "No hawking"?

Strictly speaking, they should say 'No hawking'. The word 'hawking' already exists in English: Hawking is what hawkers do, just like busking (not 'buskering') is what buskers do; teaching (not 'teachering') is what teachers do; painting (not 'paintering') is what painters do ...

But on second thought, 'hawkering' is not necessarily wrong. It can refer to people who like to play hawker once in while - as amateur hawkers. Just this morning, I saw an English-speaking girl gleefully buskering in Citygate Town Square under the supervision of her mum. She was doing a Chinese dance; no one put money in her box; she didn't mind, as she was simply having fun buskering, she was not really busking). 

BTW, I googled 'No hawkering'. The expression IS used in Malaysia and Singapore. 

Veed.io for editing video

 Veed.io is a web-based video editing app. It's simple and quite easy to use. You can export the created video as an MP4 file, or just get the Share link. 

https://www.veed.io/

Balabolka for converting texts to audio files

 Just tried a couple of Web apps for converting texts to audios: Murf.ai, and Speechify: 

Plus: 

- the resulting speech sounds quite natural

Minus: 

- once you want to download the audio to your computer, it asks you to upgrade. 

+++++++

I then tried Balabolka, a desktop app: 

Plus: 

- It's open-source; it's free to download the generate audio

Minus: 

- the resulting speech is not natural enough

++++++++++++++++

I finally got back to my Spotify episodes, which are converted from my Wordpress blog via postcaster.spotify.com (formerly Anchor.fm). 

The audios are natural enough, but the steps for downloading an episode as an MP3 file are slightly complicated. 

True/False interactive format in Wordwall

 I had been using Wordwall for a few years, but I had never touched the 'True/False' interactive format because I thought it was just like the traditional True/False quiz format. The other day during a lesson observation, the teacher used a Wordwall interactive format which I found quite exciting. He had several statements moving from one side of the screen to the other continuously, and near the bottom of the screen were the words 'True' and 'False'. As the sentences were moving from right to left continuously, each sentence would appear on the screen for about 3 seconds only, and within 3 seconds, students had to decide on the answer, and then the next sentence would show up. 

After class, I asked the teacher which Wordwall interactive format he had used, and he said it was 'True/False.'

Later, I gave it a try, and indeed, it was not the traditional 'True/False' I had had in mind. 

So, I've created this one for an upcoming class. The task is to decide, for each of 8 teaching issues, whether it is more suited for action research or for a case study. Give it a try if you're interested: https://wordwall.net/resource/55011264

GotFeedback for generating feedback on students' writing

 

GotFeedback is another tool that has jumped on the AI bandwagon. It claims to be able to provide feedback on a piece of (student) writing. At the moment, there are 4 default areas of feedback (e.g. narrative structure), but users can also use their own custom prompt (i.e., tell the AI system what you want it to comment on). If this AI system works well, it will of great help to ESL teachers. 

I tested it with a few essays. It doesn't work like Grammarly, which highlights problems with individual sentences. Instead, it provides general comments with respect to one of the 4 default areas or on users' custom prompt. The generated comments will cite examples from the essay. To me, the comments are still a bit too general and not concrete enough. Sometimes, it gives me the impression that it has jumped to those feedback conclusions. But maybe that's because the essays I tried are not terrible ones. If I get to find a pre-intermediate ESL learner's composition with lots of problems, I will test this AI system again to see how it performs. 

https://feedback.gotlearning.com/

ChatGPT style

 For me, these ChatGPT-generated essays have a certain ChatGPT-style so that once you're accustomed to such essays, it's not that difficult (for a human) to tell whether an essay is ChatGPT-generated or not. (For example, they like to beat about the bush; they like to talk around an issue instead of developing a thesis; they like to finish with a play-safe counterpoint.) But then that will probably be ChatGPT's next mission - to rid itself of its ChatGPT style.

Test-driving SlidesGPT

 Just had a go with SlidesGPT. The result looks more like a slide deck, in that the content of each slide is in point form (unlike tome.app). You can then download it as a PPT or Google Slide deck, and use those slides which are useful. Overall, the resulting slide deck is still talking around the topic, and is lacking in depth or a coherent development. This seems to be a weakness common to all AI tools at the moment. 

AI apps for generating slidedecks

 Just tried another AI app for generating a presentation slidedeck, called tome.app. Again, the result is disappointing. The text content of each slide is apparently replicated from a corresponding summary essay. The visual that accompanies each slide has nothing to do with the text content. 

I think I can now draw this conclusion: As of today, AI apps are still not useful for generating slidedecks from a topic command. (In case you have come across a useful one, do let me know.)

It's imperfections that make us human!

 最近因貪玩喜歡把上課時部分內容用AI app 製成talking head 的video, 我對學員說我邀請了某專家就這課題作分享。但學員很快便看出video中present的不是真人，不是因為這talking head太假，反而是他/她無論聲調和表情太過完美！真人說話是不會這麼完美的。

於是我突然有這個epiphany：這些年我被self-help 書籍洗腦，覺得凡事都要力求完美，We should forever strive to be our best self, 卻原來It's imperfections that make us human!

Trying out Conker.ai's other input mode

 Then I tested Conker.ai with the other input option: I gave it a topic and asked it to generate 5 MC questions for me. The topic was 'action research for teacher professional development'. 

The resulting questions are not bad. Of course, again, they are all about specific information. But I can use the quiz in the lead-in stage of a lecture (e.g., as an entry ticket), in order to motivate interest, or assess students' prior knowledge. 

One plus with this app is that the generated quiz can be assigned to students immediately, or exported to Google Forms. 

Test-driving Conker.ai

 Conker.ai is an AI system for generating quizzes. You can starting by either (a) giving it a topic, or (b) providing it with a reading text. It will then proceed to generating the number of questions (so far, MC questions only) that you have requested for you. 

I tested it with input (b). I provided it with a reading text, and asked it to create 5 MC questions for me. 

The result: 

1. Not bad; the MC distractors are sensible. Hence students do have to read the text to get the right answers. 

2. The questions all involve 'looking for specific information.' None of the questions tap higher-order reading skills (e.g., inferencing). 

Test-driving Curipod's AI lesson generation function

Curipod is like Nearpod, Pear Deck, Quizizz Lesson, and Kahoot Lesson: an app for creating Interactive Lessons. But what distinguishes Curipod from the rest is its Al lesson-generation functionality: Give it a task (e.g., a topic), and it will generate an interaction lesson for you.

I couldn't wait to have a go, asking it to create an interactive lesson that elucidates the difference between WILL-future and GOING TO-future in English. Luckily, the result is disappointing.

The major problems with the AI-generated interaction lesson:

- The content slides are just beating about the bush, rather than addressing the heart of the matter.

- The activity slides rely too much on open-ended drawing, which do not stimulate meaningful thinking or learning.

- It simply doesn't know how to scaffold learning.

Hence, we English teachers won't get to lose our jobs too soon

Playing with AI-generated video

 最近貪玩，把上課的部分內容製成AI-generated video供學員觀看，代替我的解說或學員的即時閱讀，下面便是一例：Fukuko 在述說當初如何開始 Team Teaching (45 seconds)。

除了表情頗真實外，她的嘴形和發音的高度配合，令人驚異。這樣下去，我快無工可做了。

https://youtube.com/shorts/lfpSg77QQXg

Using the 'Connect to a post' function for a short presentation

 Padlet 的Canvas template，內有Connect to a post功能。昨天用這功能做一個五分鐘的展示，解說9個attribute與兩個概念的關係，發覺效果不錯。好處是同一個post可以connect to 多過一個概念，不是簡單的非此即彼，而且展示的過程很吸引眼球。

Just observed an excellent lesson

 今早就著Jockey Club Blended Learning Project觀了很精彩的一課，還意外發現中一學生製作video (how to make egg tarts)的能力我自愧不如。除了三位同校英文老師也一同觀課外(這是很好的professional development活動)，連校長也全程一小時在座，以表示對老師的支持。

生命影響生命: It goes both ways

 我們說教育事業是生命影響生命，一般是指教師的生命影響學生的生命。但對我來說，這是相向的，教師的生命亦會被學生的生命影響。

就像前晚和70年代後期的學生敘舊，她們述說當天我的一言一行，我的課堂活動， 我曾經說過的話，甚至我用過的教材，這大部分我已經忘記了，但是她們到今天仍記得這麼清楚。

於是反過來，她們的記憶提醒我要對教學工作負責，要繼續努力，做一個有熱誠的教育工作者。

我又再想起Make a Difference movie裏，Ms Thompson對Teddy不離不棄，Teddy日後成為出色的醫生，他在婚禮裏感謝Ms Thompson: "Thank you for believing in me. Thank me so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference." Ms Thompson卻說: "Teddy, you have it all wrong. YOU were the one that taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you."

多謝每一個令我不要忘記教學工作重要性的學生，你們的生命，也影響了我的生命。

https://makeadifferencemovie.com/index.php

Becoming a Symbaloo Certified Educator

 The latest e-Learning qualification I have obtained:

TTS apps that claim to be able to clone your voice

 Text-to-speech app雖然可以把输入的文字轉化成audio file,而且技術日趨成熟，但是narration 的聲音仍然要由app預設的選取。我曾經夢想有一天只要我輸入我自己聲線的樣本，TTS app便會採用我的聲音去generate audio narration。

最近一些AI app 聲稱可以這樣做，我試過Resemble AI,和Eleven Labs,結果都不滿意，完全不像我的聲線。如果你試用過這類app而效果滿意，有勞告知。

Another one using my own voice

Just did another one, this time using a recording of my own voice. The fantastic thing is how the avatar's facial speech movements are fully synchronised with my speech.

https://studio.d-id.com/share?id=a9d1142e38219283fe7ea813a8dc87ec&utm_source=copy

AI-generated Narrated Video

Text-to-speech technology used to produce oral narrations which somehow sounded robotic. But like all technologies, they got better and better. Below is an AI-generated video which I created from a script. (I gave the app the script; it then gave me the narrated video.) You will see that if you close your eyes and just listen to the audio, there is no way you can tell whether it's from a robot or a human. Well, perhaps you can tell it's from a robot, because a human won't sound that perfect. (She made a slip of the tongue: peer --- observation, because of my typing mistake in the script.)

https://studio.d-id.com/share?id=21b66a4b217a681138da3763f9b93ea0&utm_source=copy&fbclid=IwAR3OfkpAsXmQgnmMAtdQRXTT6816bLtdpV8JsvB30nEs58PuDwxVmadxCAE

AI generated avatar-videos

 And then had a go with https://studio.d-id.com/, which is used to generate an avatar-presented video from a script that you input. 

I made one from a personal biodata script. 

I think such videos have to be short. Otherwise, viewers can get bored by looking at the same avatar for too long, not to mention the fact the oral narration will still sound a bit robotic. 

https://studio.d-id.com/share?id=29aad4508d59bf44c8759bd0a732fa0f&utm_source=copy

Generating a slide deck from an AI tool.

 Just had a go with https://slidesgpt.com/index.html. 

The result is not bad, though it's unlikely it will give you 100% of what you have wanted. The picture that does with each generated slide often makes no sense. 

On other other hand, each slide is accompanied with Speaker Notes!

I think it can still be of some help, as you can pick those generated slides that suit your purpose. 

AI and teachers' role in the 21 century

https://news.mingpao.com/pns/%E5%89%AF%E5%88%8A/article/20230226/s00005/1677346276815/%7b%E5%89%B5%E7%A7%91%E6%95%99%E8%82%B2%E9%81%94%E4%BA%BA%7d%E6%9C%B1%E5%AD%90%E7%A9%8E-%E5%B0%8F%E6%99%82%E6%8B%86%E9%9B%BB%E5%99%A8-%E9%95%B7%E5%A4%A7%E9%91%BD%E7%A0%94%E7%A7%91%E6%8A%80-%E6%93%81%E6%8A%B1chatgpt%E8%BF%8E%E6%95%99%E5%AD%B8%E6%96%B0%E4%B8%96%E7%B4%80?fbclid=IwAR1piqCkLcTWguyo_9k7nbZP2Le_4AH-8ClKE443sQGGR9qn6f6Fsk3DxgI

朱子穎校長說得對，人工智能不會淘汰老師，但如果教學，或利用AI  於教學上，仍停留於純知識(其實很多時甚至不是知識而只是information)的單向傳授，那就很沒意思了。21世紀的教師，更要思考如何增强a guide on the side的角色，而不是繼續做the sage on the stage。

這亦是為什麼今天當我看見一些教師教grammar時，仍停留在單向解釋那些其實不可靠的grammar rules，然後期望學生「學會」時，我那麼大感觸。

https://www.facebook.com/paulsze/posts/pfbid02bHbyXhc4PBdJjdSFLHY8hYnTxtM2fEXNzWnhrqVpLaUpZ7wB6oJtjm7VrJE9Meptl

How do you pronounce 'refresh' as a noun?

My occupational habit (or disease) at work:

Yesterday when I saw this poster in an Ikea store, I did not ask myself whether I needed a refresh or not. Instead, I started to wonder: "When 'refresh' is used as a noun, how should it be pronounced?"

"Should we continue to put the stress on the second syllable, like we do when we use 'review', 'report', and 'retreat' as a noun? Or should we put the stress on the first syllable instead, like we do when we use 'recap', 'recount', and 'refund' as a noun?"

When I got home, I immediately looked up a few online dictionaries to find out the answer, but to no avail. I continued to google something like 'how do you pronounce refresh when it is used as a noun', and finally found one answer:

https://www.wordhippo.com/what-is/the-noun-for/refresh.html

To my amusement, this answer confirmed what I had suspected: Put the stress on the first syllable when 'refresh' is used as a noun.

But still, can I count on just one answer from the Internet?

to accustom someone to do something?

 

These two slogans from the Agriculture, Fisheries, and Conservation Department are using the verb 'accustom' (1) in the Active Voice, and (2) in the structure 'to accustom someone to do something'. 

This reminds me of another usage error which was once quite common in Hong Kong: 'to look forward to do something', as in 'I look forward to see you soon.' This error is less common now. But most of the time, teachers simply tell students that after 'look forward to', they have to use the -ING form, as if it is just an arbitrary case. 

But there is also semantics behind. We look forward to something, and that's why the -ING form is used if what we look forward to is represented by a verb phrase. Similarly, we do not accustom someone to do something. The semantics behind is that 'we accustom someone to something', which is often expressed in the Passive Voice. 

Insert a GIF picture into a PPT slide

 1. To find a GIF image, in a Google search, search for something followed by GIF. 

2. Download the chosen GIF image. 

3. Insert it into a PPT slide as an image. 

ONE major difference between Dynalist and Workflowy

 Both Dynalist and Workflowy are useful for making hierarchical lists, but there is one major difference between them. 

With Dynalist, the hierarchy starts with a Folder. If you have a hierarchy with many levels, you create a subfolder. Then inside the folder, you create as many Documents as you like. Inside each document, you create your list. 

With Workflowy, a hierarchy always begins with one bullet point. To create the next lower-level list, you click on this bullet point. You can continue with this gesture and create as many sub-lists as you like. 

Each has its own merits, depending on the purpose of making a list and how the list will be used later. 

From Pre-service Student Teacher to Master Teacher

 今早就著一個project連續觀了四堂課，離開學校時不但不疲倦，反而覺得很滿足，因受了老師的教學熱誠感染，還從他們身上得到一些教學靈感呢!

其中一位是以前的full-time 師訓學員,當年實習觀課時，她初為人師，教學技巧仍畧為生硬，今天再觀她的課，判若兩人，在課室內揮洒自如，Lesson design 既creative 又practical, 教學過程流暢，lesson management 照顧週詳，已經發展出個人的教學風格和魅力。令我這前PGDE班主任老懷大慰。

Evernote vs Workflowy

 那天說到Notion比OneNote好用易用，令我想起一個負面的例，就是Evernote。它十多年前初出現的時候，我讚嘆不已，在台灣旅行時甚至特地到書店買一本如何使用Evernote 的書來看。但隨後的日子，當其他的app的功能日漸强勁時，Evernote 仍停留在那階段。

到今天，Evernote 最大的缺憾是:⑴不能create expandable 和collapsible的bulleted list, (2)不能無限地embed sub-list, 和⑶不能將所有的subpage以clickable hierarchy 的形式呈現，要找出某一subpage便要花很多時間。

我今天常用的是Workflowy, 主要用作brainstorming (例如備課時將一課的流程列出)，和快速記錄供日後參考的資料(例如碰到有用的app或technique; 突然想到在日後在課室嘗試的teaching idea…)。經過一段日子後，我便會有很多的list和sub-list, 但它的search 功能，使我很容易找回某一個list。它的mobile app, 令我在乘搭交通工具時，可以重温任何一個list。

這樣好用的app, 竟然有free plan, 而free plan又如此慷慨!反觀Evernote ……

Buidling a course website with Notion

 再一次多謝 Bryan Ka Yue Leung 推介Notion，這學期我已經把我教的所有科目採用Notion 作為“course website”。我在Notion為每一科開一個workspace作為course website, 然後把所有的course admin文件，每一課的rundown以一分頁展示，這一分頁中包含learning resources的link ( 我放在Onedrive或Google Drive 的file,或我upload到Notion的file)，學生只要在上第一課時bookmark這個course website的link, 以後便隨時找到所有的資料和教材。現在我的學生已習慣進入課室後，第一時間開啟該課的session outline, 看看我的"lesson plan",一節中要開啓某個教材，立刻按該教材的link。(所以我的課都很緊湊。)

對於我來說，備課時我去到Notion的總workspace,便可以即時進入某科的course website；第二個好處是可以在一個分頁無限embed subpage; 第三個好處是任何subpage如果內容要修改，我便立即到那頁修改便可以了，要update 課程內容易如反掌。

當然以上的功能，Onenote也做得到，但如果作為course website 供備課和分享教學內容，我覺得Notion易用和好用得多，它的無限embed subpage功能Onenote無可比擬，Notebook 的workspace內可以embed超多的external app(Miro, Google Maps, Loom, Trello, Zoom ......), formatting 的選擇極多，版面的美觀，更是Onenote望塵莫及。

My 3 self-paced learning units based on the same content

 昨天談到Kahoot Lesson 和Quizizz Lesson可用來教學，不像傳統的Kahoot和Quizizz只可用作遊戲。Kahoot Lesson 和Quizizz Lesson還有一個很有用的功能，就是容許先import PPT或Google Slides，才再加插Activity slide, 如果你有現成或伴隨教科書的PPT, 便毋須由零開始，省卻很多製作的時間。

以下是我用相同的教學內容，製作出來的Kahoot Lesson, Quizizz Lesson, 和Pear Deck Lesson, 大家有興趣不妨試試(請隨意打入假名)。原始素材來自Ms Janet Law (JJ Froggie Law) , learning objective 是-ed adjective 和- ing adjective 的分別，我將原始素材(例句，圖片)改編成三個self-paced learning unit, 教學內容一樣，都是來自同一個Ppt, 但加入的interactive activity 有一些分別。而三個artifact都是用三個app的free plan 製作。

Kahoot Lesson

https://kahoot.it/challenge/6777bfe3-5c59-4258-ba67-d6f34f9993cd_1664974633311

Quizizz Lesson 

https://quizizz.com/join?gc=66854819

Pear Deck Lesson

https://app.peardeck.com/student/tmahqchbb

總的來說，Kahoot Lesson 最visually appealing, 而Quizizz Lesson assign as homework 時, 學生在家學習，當進入Quizizz Lesson 時如開啟Read Aloud Text, 隨後每個Content slide 和activity slide的內容都有聲音讀出，加上有背景音樂，令學習氣氛很lively, 家長看到和聽到子女這樣做功課會很高興。至於Pear Deck lesson，它 不能為MC 及Blank filling 預設正確答案，而且版面較悶，但它的lesson management slide引導學生反思學習進度，頗有self-regulated learning 的味道。

Kahoot Lesson and Quizizz Lesson

Kahoot 和Quizizz初出現時，只是用來製作quiz game, 不是用來教學，後來Kahoot加入polling功能，出現blind kahoot, 可以用作在教導新知識初期，引起學生思考，但功能仍不多。

但兩三年前Kahoot加入了Kahoot Lesson功能，Kahoot 便真正可以用來教學，不只是一個game app, 這才讓我開始對Kahoot刮目相看。方法就是製作Kahoot時，加入用以解說的content slide, 然後在適當位置加入activity slide (T/F, MC, blank filling, open~ended question...), 完成的Kahoot Lesson既然可以用作engaging 的live presentation , 又可以assign as homework。這個意念後來被Quizizz吸收，今天的Quizizz除了作為game app, 也可用來教學。Quizizz Lesson assigned as homework 時還可以把內容以TTS讀出，學生可以看到和聽到一課Quizizz Lesson的內容。

當然這個模式Nearpod很早已採用，但Nearpod一來沒有Kahoot和Quizizz的遊戲feel, 二來昂貴。而Kahoot 和Quizizz的free plan已可以製作很不错的Kahoot Lesson 和Quizizz Lesson。

My Slidedecks of 20 years ago

 On the left: My PPT of 20 years ago.

On the right: My PPT of today.

And I'm feeling ashamed that there was a time when I tortured my students with slidedecks that contained nothing but bullet-points.

老師的一句話

 中大盧煜明教授獲拉斯克獎，他分享經歷時，說在英國習醫時，「教授話呢個技術(無創產檢)可以改變世界喎，我都想學吓點樣改變世界。」

當然他的成就一定還有其他因素，但亦可見老師的一句話，說的時候可能也沒有特別的動機，但有時候足以對學生一生產生深遠的影響。

https://news.mingpao.com/pns/%e6%b8%af%e8%81%9e/article/20220930/s00002/1664475103704/%e9%96%8b%e5%89%b5%e3%80%8c%e7%84%a1%e5%89%b5%e7%94%a2%e6%aa%a2%e3%80%8d%e9%a9%97%e5%94%90%e6%b0%8f%e7%97%87-%e7%9b%a7%e7%85%9c%e6%98%8e%e7%8d%b2%e6%8b%89%e6%96%af%e5%85%8b%e7%8d%8e-%e3%80%8c%e8%ad%89%e5%96%ba%e9%a6%99%e6%b8%af%e5%81%9a%e5%98%a2%e9%83%bd%e5%8f%af%e5%bd%b1%e9%9f%bf%e4%b8%96%e7%95%8c%e3%80%8d

Genious Hour Project Ideas

 先前說過今年教undergrad的materials design and adaptation 一科，發覺今年這一組不少學生都很technology-savvy, 對製作digital learning resources 很有興趣，於是我突然生起genious hour project 的念頭，鼓勵學生超越課程的要求，去explore和create更多有創意的learning object。我聲明會有額外的credit, 但不會很多，希望他們基於興趣和自主學習精神，作額外的探索。

這是我第一次作這樣的嘗試，我也不肯定學生會有回應，他們都是DSE的勝利者，很習慣求學就是求分數。

兩個星期下來，果然有不少的學生有回應，這真有點喜出望外，當然上課時我會表揚一下，希望更多同學享受為學習而學習，甚至有一天他們回想undergraduate 的final year, 曾經狂熱地製作learning object, 不是追求額外的分數，而是因為享受這creativity 的過程。

Obtained Microsoft Educator Master Trainer qualification

 

Genius Hour Projects

 今年教的其中一科undergraduate course是materials design and adaptation, 在今天這digital age, 教材製作當然離不開ICT, 而今年這一组特別Technology-savvy, 组員有Microsoft Certified Educator和Google Certified Educator, 每一課都很快便完成我指定要製作的learning resource。

那天我突然有一個想法，既然他們有這個能力和潛質，我為何不鼓勵他們超越課程的要求!於是我作了新嘗試，稱作Genius Hour Project,就是除了完成指定的工作外，他們如果有興趣，可以額外發揮他們的creativity, 用自己的創意製作更多的learning resources 。為了刺激思考，我给予他們一些Genius hour project idea，下面是製作listening resources 一課的genious hour ideas。

這個意念是否work, 暫時我不知道，一個可能是額外分數不多，於是學生反應不積極。另一個可能是這激發學生的intrinsic motivation, 於是他們不計較分數，享受過程和看到額外心血結果而自豪。

無論結果如何，這都是一個有趣的實驗。

ELT consultant to Baptist (Shatin Wai) Lui Ming Choi Primary School

 

The Dictation Game function in Educaplay

 Educaplay has an activity format, called Dictation Game, which can be useful to English teachers in preparing their students for Dictations. You (1) input the dictation text, (2) record the text word by word or sentence by sentence, (3) 'publish' it, and (4) give students the share link. 

At home, students then listen to each word/sentence, and type it out. They can replay a word/sentence as many times as they like. When they have finished typing out the whole text, they click 'Check'. The screen will then show them (a) the original text, (b) their typed text, and (c) their mistakes highlighted. 

Below is a short P2 example that I have created. Give it a try and see if this function is useful to you in preparing your students for Dictations.

https://www.educaplay.com/learning-resources/12953324-the_story_of_fai_fai.html

Froggy Jump in Educaplay

 像Bookwidgets一樣，Educaplay 也是我早期用以製作interactive task的其中一個app. 但出現了其他更versatile 的app後(e.g., Wordall)，便被我冷落了。最近重訪Educaplay, 發現它有一個新的game mode稱Froggy Jump, 基本上仍是MC Quiz, 但它的版面 很有趣，答問題時令青蛙跳來跳去，初小學生應該會覺得很好玩。

還有，學生答完一次後，可以無數次retry, 每次retry, 题目的次序會改變，無題三個可能答案的位置都會掉換，這樣學生不能靠死記正確答案的位置，而且retry多次也不覺得悶。

下面是我用Froggie Jump製作了一個present tense verb form的game。

今天的Educaplay 還有一個Activity type對小學英語老師會很有用，就是Dictation Games, 可用來幫助学生温習默書。

https://www.educaplay.com/learning-resources/12899121-form_of_the_main_verb_in_simple_present_affirmative_vs_negative.html?fbclid=IwAR0LXREhsQ1U-hUB3afOtba1SmcTu3LANAqp-gsMeW1IA2Ac2SR1NS3sqs0

Thinglink vs Genial.ly

 GeGenial.ly is still worth subscribing to (HKD30 per month) as it has a larger variety of artifact types, and for presentations you can upload your PPT as a starting point.

 With Thinglink, to use a template you have to go to the built-in Canva connection, but sometimes you have to pay to use a Canva template. But Thinglink has (a) 360 artifacts which Genial.ly doesn't have, and (b) seats for students. These are two unique features that Genial.ly doesn't have. 

Ice vs water

 喜歡喝台灣的黑糖珍珠奶茶，但去不到台灣，惟有在香港小店買一杯來喝喝。

但是跟著途中一直找不到適合除下口罩的角落來喝這杯看上去也頗像樣的黑糖珍珠奶茶。走著走著，突然想：內裏的冰塊會隨著温度上升要溶化，杯內愈來愈多水，會否迫破膠杯的封口?

過一會想，冰溶化變水後，水的體積會否比先前的冰塊細小，以至愈多冰塊溶化，杯內液體的體積反而愈小。這一刻，發覺自己竟然不知道答案。

隨著想起中學的物理科老師兼中五班主任馬紹良先生，覺得有點愧對他，尤其是他教物理着實教得好。幸好幾年前碰見他，他還記得我的名字。

如果你在IT和e-learning 界的日子夠長，你也可能記得他的名字呢!不錯，馬绍良老師後來進入教署，做到資訊系統科首席教育主任，負責推動全港學校資訊科技教育，說他是香港資科技教育始祖，一點兒也不為過。

雖然我已經把老師教的物理知識全然忘掉，雖然我的專業不是資訊科技本身，但我愛上了computer assisted language learning, 也算是對馬绍良老師一點報答吧。