HotPot Quizzes.. how to cheat

HotPot Quizzes.. how to cheat

by Fred Bloggs -
Number of replies: 8

I should have realised before I built the tests but for general information:

It it trivial for students to cheat at HotPot quizzes run from Moodle. They simply have to use thier browser to "save" the webpage locally (e.g. on thier desktop. They can then check out all the answers (simply clicking until they hit) to find the right answer. This of course won't be logged by your server sad

 

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In reply to Fred Bloggs

Re: HotPot Quizzes.. how to cheat

by Gordon Bateson -
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Yes, Hot Potatoes quizzes are not intended as "tests", they are intended more as learning activities to engage students in playful discovery.

Personally, I find Hot Potatoes quizzes useful for in-class activities to augment other materials we are studying, and also as homework review acitvities. Whether the students do the homework or not, or whether they "cheat" at the homework or not, is up to them. However, they know that in the following class they will have a proper test, implemented as a standard Moodle quiz, which is based heavily on the HotPot homework questions. After a few classes the students realize that the HotPot quizzes can really help them master the required material, but only if they are done properly, i.e. the student thinks about the questions and answers as the quiz progresses and understands why the correct answers aqre correct. I tell the students that the homework scores don't count toward the course grade but the in-class tests do. This seems to effectively motivate my students to both do the HotPot homework and turn up to class on-time to do the "test" which is usually near the beginning of class.

If you want "tests", I recommend using the standard Moodle quizzes. They are very secure. You can import your HotPot quizzes into the standard quiz module.

all the best
Gordon
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In reply to Gordon Bateson

Re: HotPot Quizzes.. how to cheat

by Timothy Takemoto -

Hi Gordon,
Hisashiburi

I guess that there are no plans to improve the security of hotpot quizes? Perhaps it can not be done.

As you know I am a bit of a behaviourist when it comes to online and the new software that my school has made to replace moodle looks a bit like hotpotatoes (cloze). One of the advantages of the Moodle quiz is that it is more secure (I see this as being an advantage). It would be nice to have the best of both worlds.

 Tim

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In reply to Timothy Takemoto

Re: HotPot Quizzes.. how to cheat

by Gordon Bateson -
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Hi TT,
trust you're enjoying parenthood smile

Hot Potatoes quizzes can be made more secure ... I think, by running the quiz in a Flash player. Paul Daniels has a made a splendid start on the Flash Potatoes, but the project needs more funding to get it incorporated as part of the Moodle HotPot module.

I have asked MD about funding for the HotPot module and there are some possiblitlies. There was talk of a "funding drive" for Moodle as a whole and HotPot might be a benfactor, but MD has so much on his plate ...

regards
Gordon
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In reply to Gordon Bateson

Re: HotPot Quizzes.. how to cheat

by Timothy Takemoto -

Flash Potatoes...cool!

If there are any ideas about how much it would cost to make hotpot (even more) flash then please let me know.

Tim

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In reply to Timothy Takemoto

Re: HotPot Quizzes.. how to cheat

by Gordon Bateson -
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I have lots of ideas, but I think I'll put them down in a new thread about funding. Maybe I'll take a couple of days to think it through first.
-- Gordon
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In reply to Gordon Bateson

Re: HotPot Quizzes.. how to cheat

by Glenys Hanson -
Hi there,

If I may be allowed a belated two bits on this subject:

I feel quite strongly that Hot Potatoes should remain a learning tool. This is what its authors, Martin Holmes and Stewart Arneil, intend. I'm a bit shocked that they're called "Hot Potatoes Tests" in Moodle. As other people have said, the in-house Moodle tests are designed for testing and fulfil this objective much better. Maybe the word tests leads people to think that Hot Potatoes should fulfil this function too.

I use Hot Potatoes to do my best to create inductive, constructivist exercises through which learners can create their own know-how. I'm not even happy with the word "quiz" as this assumes a pre-existing body of knowledge which learners have to assimilate/learn-by-heart.

I'm happy for my students to "cheat" - they can find the answers very easily - or should do if I've designed my exercises correctly.

Am I the only constructivist around here? wink

(Hope I don't come over as too agressive thoughtful)

Cheers,
Glenys
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In reply to Glenys Hanson

Re: HotPot Quizzes.. how to cheat

by Joseph Rézeau -
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Glenys > I'm happy for my students to "cheat"...

Me too! approve

I fully agree that far too much emphasis is put on "how to avoid cheating", how to have "secure tests" and the like among the Moodle Quiz & Lesson & HP users. Could we please have more emphasis on learning and remember that learning is so much more important than testing? wink

Joseph

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