Putri Anggraeni, et al / Journal of English Language Teaching 6 (1) (2017) 63 ELT FORUM 11(1) (2022) Journal of English Language Teaching http://journal.unnes.ac.id/sju/index.php/elt Enacting Hot Potatoes to engage and motivate the undergraduate learners in the Business Correspondence course Ruth Dewi Indrian1 1English Language Studies, Universitas Sanata Dharma, Indonesia Article Info ________________ Article History: Received on 21 September 2021 Approved on 25 March 2022 Published on 30 March 2022 ________________ Keywords: business correspondence course; CALL, Hot Potatoes; web-based learning ____________________ Abstract ____________________________________________________________________ Technology has become the answer to students’ interests to be engaged in the learning process. In this case, the use of the Hot Potatoes application was employed to facilitate students’ needs in learning the Business Correspondence course. This study was a content analysis that employed the CALL approach as the assistance of students’ learning process (Egbert & Shahrokni, 2018). This study aimed to investigate the implementation of the Hot Potatoes application to assist students to learn the materials of three topics of Business Correspondence, namely Replying to a Job Applicant, Requesting a Service, and Confirming a Service (Lougheed, 2003). The results showed that the use of Hot Potatoes web-based learning brought beneficial impacts to students’ learning process of Business Correspondence course of the fourth-semester students. The researcher discovered that the implementation of this application engaged students’ attention and motivated them to be involved mindful for the learning activity. Moreover, Hot Potatoes exercises helped the students comprehend the elements of a letter and vocabulary and expressions used based on the context of the letter. The researcher suggests that future researchers can fill in the gap on how the Hot Potatoes application can be applied in various courses in English Language Departments.  Correspondent Address: p-ISSN 2252-6706 | e-ISSN 2721-4532 Jl. Tlogo Putri, Kaliurang Barat Hargobinangun, Pakem, Sleman, Yogyakarta, 55582 E-mail: ruthdewiindrian@yahoo.com http://issn.pdii.lipi.go.id/issn.cgi?daftar&1333515478&1&& http://issn.pdii.lipi.go.id/issn.cgi?daftar&1576658845&1&& mailto:ruthdewiindrian@yahoo.com Ruth Dewi Indrian | ELT Forum 11(1) (2022) 64 INTRODUCTION In this fast-growing era of technology, there are ways to encourage students’ interest to learn. According to Egbert (2005), CALL helps the teacher to encourage students to be involved mindfully in the learning process since the visual features capture students’ interest to learn. The teacher can also employ different media to engage the students to learn meaningful language use instead of the study of language. Furthermore, CALL encourages the students to play roles for an effective and attractive learning environment. Here, it also provides adequate information to assist the students to create critical choices for the learning process (Egbert, 2005). In this case, a teacher has the opportunity to design web-based learning through the Hot Potatoes application. The web-based learning is expected to integrate the technology itself with the high quality of materials (O'Neil & Perez, 2006). Therefore, Hot Potatoes itself is a tool for the teacher’s instructional design to create online exercises with various types of exercises, namely JCloze, JQuiz, JCross, JMatch, JMix, and The Masher. Hot Potatoes was invented by the Research and Development team at the University of Victoria Humanities Computing and Media Centre which functions for creating web-based learning exercises (Erben et al., 2009). Furthermore, Hot Potatoes also gives a great influence in pedagogical settings, especially in facilitating the learning process (Sadeghi & Soleimani, 2015). In relation to students’ motivation, Hot Potatoes exercises are applicable to learn business correspondence which may be considered hard to design. Therefore, it is essential to discover how the implementation of Hot Potatoes web-based learning can engage students’ motivation to learn business correspondence. Previous research conducted by Setiawan (2016) investigated a study on the use of Hot Potatoes application to teach vocabulary at the eleventh grade in SMA Bodhisattva. The researcher designed Hot Potatoes exercises for the students to discover students’ motivation and their vocabulary improvement. The results showed that the students were engaged in the learning activity and their enrichment of vocabulary improved (Setiawan, 2016). Secondly, Hot Potatoes exercises were employed in the descriptive text of seventh-grade students in one of the private schools in Surabaya (Anggoro & Arif, 2018). The researcher designed six kinds of exercises by using JCloze, JQuiz, JCross, JMatch, JMix, and The Masher. The results showed that the web-based learning exercises were applicable to be used in teaching descriptive text (Anggoro & Arif, 2018). To date, there has not been adequate research that examines the use of Hot Potatoes exercises to learn the topics in business correspondence. Hence, it is beneficial to bridge the gap of how Hot Potatoes exercises help students to learn business correspondence. This research aims to discover the students’ experience of using Hot Potatoes exercises in Business Correspondence class in Mahasaraswati University. The research questions addressed to this study cover two questions, namely 1) How does the use of Hot Potatoes web-based learning engage students’ interests to learn Business Correspondence?, and 2) How does Hot Potatoes web-based learning help students learn the Business Correspondence course? Thus, the purpose of the study is to unfold the implementation of Hot Potatoes in the Business Correspondence course. Literature review In this chapter, two sections are addressed accordingly, namely theoretical backgrounds of CALL (Computer Assisted Language Learning), Hot Potatoes, Business Correspondence, and previous studies of the use of Hot Potatoes in language learning. CALL (Computer Assisted Language Learning) Throughout the practice in pedagogical settings, CALL has been significantly integrated into language learning and technology (Farr & Murray, 2016). According to Egbert (2005), as cited in his book, CALL (Computer Assisted Language Learning) is a field that copes ‘the search for and study of applications of the computer in language teaching and learning’ (Levy, 1997, p. 1, as cited in Egbert, 2005). In this sense, CALL is compatible to be applied in class since it meets the educational goals. CALL gives beneficial inputs to both teachers and students (Egbert, 2005; Egbert & Shahrokni, 2018). The teacher should highlight the several elements while using technology for designing materials for the students. Firstly, a teacher should employ technology to meet the pedagogical goals of the learning and curriculum. Secondly, the teacher needs to maintain that the use of technology is user-friendly for the learners so that they can access it effectively. Thirdly, when the teacher uses the technology, she or he needs to use it as a medium that helps the learners practice and improve their proficiency. Fourthly, a teacher also should use the technology effectively and efficiently to make the students learn faster and reach the learning goals (Egbert, 2005; Egbert & Shahrokni, 2018). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Victoria Ruth Dewi Indrian | ELT Forum 11(1) (2022) 65 According to Egbert & Shahrokni (2018), the principles of task engagement carry several points. Firstly, the task has to be authentic which introduces the learners through real-world tasks. Secondly, the given exercises need to be interesting that meet learners’ interests. Thirdly, the teacher has to maintain that the task can build social interactions between the learners. Fourthly, the teacher needs to consider the support challenge to the learners so that they can get an adequate level of difficulty. Fifthly, the teacher needs to scaffold the learning autonomy so that the learners can explore their learning process. Lastly, the teacher assists the learner with effective scaffolding that includes learning resources and feedback (Egbert & Shahrokni, 2018). In this case, CALL assists the teacher makes the course design easier, and for the students, it attracts them in the learning process so that it apprehends students’ interest and motivation to be involved in the new concepts and ways of thinking (Egbert, 2005). Therefore, several elements that CALL occupies are proposed. Firstly, students have opportunities to socialize and negotiate in their community. Secondly, learners have interaction in the target language with a real audience. Thirdly, learners are engaged in real-world tasks. Fourthly, learners are encouraged to produce good language. Fifthly, learners have enough time and washback. Sixthly, learners are directed to be involved mindfully in the learning activity. Seventhly, learners work with an ideal anxiety level. Lastly, learner autonomy is reinforced. Therefore, with the assistance of computer-based learning, the educational goals and effective learning process in class can be achieved (Egbert, 2005). Therefore, for the learners, CALL assists them to accomplish the learning goals in learning the language. Firstly, learners can communicate the language socially and negotiate the meaning. Secondly, the learners can interact with the target language with the target audience so that they can practice listening and replying. Thirdly, they can have opportunities to explore the authentic tasks that can help them be engaged in the learning process. Fourthly, the learners can explore producing creative and various outcomes while learning the language. Fifthly, they can have sufficient time and feedback to meet the learning goals. Sixthly, the learners learn in an adequate learning atmosphere with an ideal anxiety level. Lastly, CALL helps them to learn autonomously so that they can explore the experience in learning the language (Egbert, 2005). Hot Potatoes Hot Potatoes is an application used for designing online exercises for the World Wide Web (Rottmeier, 2019). Hot Potatoes was invented by the Research and Development team at the University of Victoria Humanities Computing and Media Centre which functions for creating web-based learning exercises (Erben et al., 2009). Hence, Hot Potatoes is implemented in English language learning so that the teacher can engage the students’ interest and motivation to learn. Teachers can create interactive multiple-choice, short-answer, jumbled-sentence, crossword, matching/ordering, and gap-fill exercises by using JCloze, JQuiz, JCross, JMatch, JMix, and The Masher features (Arneil & Holmes, 2012). Firstly, the JCloze feature creates gap-filling exercises but only one correct answer for each blank is acquired. Secondly, the JQuiz functions to create short answer practices that require the learner to fill in the blanks. Thirdly, the Jcross feature is used to create small-sized crossword puzzles in which the clues can be provided either in word form or in the form of pictures. Fourthly, the Jmatch feature functions to create matching exercises through two listing exercises. Fifthly, the Jmix feature can produce jumbled sentence exercises and allow the teacher to enter various combinations of answers. Lastly, The Masher feature is a useful tool that automatically organizes clusters of Hot Potatoes exercises into parts (Arneil & Holmes, 2012). In the practice of educational settings, Hot Potatoes is the teacher’s instructional design to create web-based learning with various features of exercises. Business correspondence According to Lougheed (2003), business correspondence is the exchange of information in the area of business activities in a written form. Many kinds of letters help us to correspond to our colleagues, such as cover letters, ordering supplies, and providing information. In this study, the researcher focused on designing three topics of business correspondence, namely Replying to a Job Applicant, Requesting a Service, and Confirming a Service. Firstly, Applying to a Job applicant is when an individual sends a letter to our company and we need to decide whether or not we will proceed with the application. In this case, an HRD needs to screen the data of the applicant to see whether or not she/he occupies the requirements. Therefore, it is time for the company to reply to the applicant’s job application. Secondly, Requesting a Service is used for asking for detailed information about the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Victoria Ruth Dewi Indrian | ELT Forum 11(1) (2022) 66 service that a company offers. In this case, we need to specify what kind of service we would like to have and any other information that we want to ask. Therefore, it will be easier for the recipient to give a clear and accurate response. Thirdly, Confirming a Service is used for clarifying the service that we would like to have by restating all the details of the service. In this case, the recipient will understand easily and provide the service based on our needs (Lougheed, 2003). Hence, these three topics are beneficial for the students to learn, especially if they need to apply the knowledge in real- world life. Previous studies of the use of Hot Potatoes in language learning In this section, two previous studies give contributions to the current study. Firstly, Gohil & Parmar (2018) conducted a study on the use of Hot Potatoes software for language teaching and learning. The researchers focused on the use of Hot Potatoes features, such as JCloze, JQuiz, JCross, JMatch, JMix, and The Masher. The study gave insights into how these features were applicable and beneficial to create exercises in educational settings. Furthermore, the researchers suggested that it is effective for English teachers to design web-based learning exercises through the Hot Potatoes application. Therefore, the implementation of this application will serve individuals’ learning pace and improve their cognitive aspects (Gohil & Parmar, 2018). Second, Fansury et al. (2018) researched the use of the Hot Potatoes application to increase language students’ achievement at the second-grade students of Junior High School 8 Makassar. The researcher employed a quasi-experimental method to obtain the data of the study. The findings showed that the use of Hot Potatoes web-based learning was effective to increase students’ interest in learning and it also decreased the anxiety of learning English. Therefore, the results of this study showed that Hot Potatoes exercises were applicable for teaching English in junior high schools (Fansury et al., 2018). Thirdly, Susiati et al. (2019) conducted research on Hot Potatoes multimedia applications in the evaluation of Indonesian learning in junior high school students in the Buru district. The study aimed to discover the influence of the Hot Potatoes application in evaluating students’ learning outcomes in Indonesian language learning. They employed a quantitative and qualitative description to uncover the students’ learning outcomes by using a multiple-choice test. The findings showed that the use of Hot Potatoes multimedia application raises a significant positive influence on students’ learning process. They conclude that the use of this application has brought positive outcomes as the type of activities were given in an interesting method. Moreover, the quality of the learning process also improves students’ motivation to learn the language (Susiati et al., 2019). METHODS In this chapter, the researcher provides the methodology employed in this study. Four sections are addressed accordingly, namely research method, the object of the study, data collection, techniques of data analysis, and research procedures. The description of each section is presented as follows. This study was qualitative research that employed a content analysis. According to Krippendorff (2004), content analysis is “a research technique for making replicable and valid inferences from texts (or other meaningful matter) to the contexts of their use” (p. 18). The researcher employed this method to answer the two research questions. There were two research problems, namely 1) How does the use of Hot Potatoes web-based learning engage students’ interest to learn Business Correspondence?, and 2) How does Hot Potatoes web-based learning help students learn the Business Correspondence course? Hence, content analysis is applied to examine the implementation of Hot Potatoes web-based learning in the Business Correspondence course. Respondents The object of the study was the students’ perception of the implementation of Hot Potatoes web-based learning in the Business Correspondence course in Mahasaraswati University. The researcher distributed questionaries by using the Google Form link group. Therefore, the participants were 70 fourth-semester students of English Letters of Mahasaraswati University. The instrument of the study was a list of fifteen statements consisting of students’ perceptions on the use of Hot Potatoes web- based learning in the Business Correspondence course. In this study, the researcher made closed- ended question questionaries with Five-Point Likert Scale (strongly agree, agree, neutral, disagree, strongly disagree) to obtain students’ responses to the implementation of Hot Potatoes exercises (Roy, 2020). Ruth Dewi Indrian | ELT Forum 11(1) (2022) 67 Data collection procedures To gather the data, the researcher designed exercises of business correspondence. The lecturer of this course provided the book to the researcher so that it could be used for creating the exercises. The researcher created three topics of this course, namely Replying to a Job Applicant, Requesting a Service, and Confirming a Service (Lougheed, 2003). Firstly, in the practice of Applying to a Job Applicant, the researcher employed vocabulary matching exercises by using the JMatch feature. Secondly, for the Requesting a Service, the researcher used the JQuiz feature to design the exercises by filling proper vocabulary or expressions in a letter. Thirdly, in the practice of Confirming a Service, the researcher created a multiple-choice exercise by using the JCloze feature. Fourthly, after designing the exercises, the researcher handed the three exercises to the lecturer of this course. Lastly, the lecturer assigned the exercises to the students in an online class. Data analysis To conduct this study, the researcher employed content analysis that contains four stages to analyze the data (Creswell, 2009). Firstly, the researcher organized and prepared the data for analysis. Secondly, the researcher read through all data. Thirdly, the data were calculated based on each statement in the questionnaire. Table 3 shows the criteria of the scoring criteria of the results of the questionaries calculation. Table 1. Scoring criteria Frequency Percentage Meaning Rating 1 – 70 71 – 140 141 – 210 211 – 280 281 - 350 20 40 60 80 100 Very Bad Bad Neutral Good Very Good 1 2 3 4 5 The fourth stage is interrelating the data based on their classification. Lastly, the researcher interpreted and presented the results of the analysis. To validate the data, the researchers repeatedly checked the data of the questionaries and how the data could be elaborated with the theories. During the validation process, the researcher encountered some mistakes and revised the discussion of the findings. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION In this research, the researcher discovered that most of the students were engaged in the learning activity by using Hot Potatoes web-based learning exercises. The findings of the implementation of Hot Potatoes in the Business Correspondence course are manifested through two sections in this chapter. Firstly, the discussion of the use of Hot Potatoes web-based learning to engage students’ interests to learn the Business Correspondence course. Secondly, the exploration of the use of Hot Potatoes web-based learning to help them learn the Business Correspondence course. The findings of the study were obtained from the closed-ended question questionaries with Five-Point Likert Scale. To evaluate this instrument, the researcher applied the pilot test to measure the validity and performed the test-retest to evaluate the reliability of the questionaries (Jenn, 2006). The statements in the questionaries were adopted from Setiawan (2016). To see the detailed findings, a table presenting the findings is provided in Table 4. Table 2. Number of occurrences of questionnaire Items Statement Rating R Total % C 5 4 3 2 1 1. It is the first time I use Hot Potatoes to learn business correspondence. 19 45 2 4 - 70 289 82.6 5 2. The use of Hot Potatoes is user-friendly. 25 40 3 2 - 70 298 85.1 5 3. The use of Hot Potatoes is fun and exciting. 39 28 3 - - 70 316 90.3 5 Ruth Dewi Indrian | ELT Forum 11(1) (2022) 68 4. The use of Hot Potatoes motivates me in learning business correspondence. 19 43 7 1 - 70 290 82.8 5 5. The use of Hot Potatoes reduces anxiety in learning business correspondence. 10 44 15 1 - 70 273 78 4 6. The use of Hot Potatoes creates a meaningful context for language use. 22 43 5 - - 70 297 84.8 5 7. The practice of replying to a job applicant helps me enrich my vocabulary in business correspondence. 25 45 2 - - 70 311 88.8 5 8. The vocabulary practice of replying to a job applicant helps me recognize the meaning and relation of the vocabulary and its use. 24 43 3 - - 70 310 88.6 5 9. The practice of replying to a job applicant is difficult to do. 5 10 19 32 4 70 290 82.8 5 10. The practice of confirming a service helps me comprehend the proper vocabulary used in the letter. 19 48 3 - - 70 296 84.6 5 11. The practice of confirming a service helps me comprehend the proper expressions used in the letter. 19 47 3 1 - 70 294 84 5 12. The practice of confirming a service is difficult to do. 3 9 22 33 3 70 186 53.1 3 13. The practice of requesting a service helps me recognize the structure and elements in the letter. 17 50 3 - - 70 294 84 5 14. The practice of requesting a service helps me comprehend the use of each element in the letter. 16 53 1 - - 70 295 84.3 5 15 The practice of requesting a service is difficult to do. 3 12 17 31 7 70 183 52.3 3 Code Description of Table 4 R : Respondents C : Criteria The use of Hot Potatoes web-based learning to engage students’ interests to learn the business correspondence course The use of the Hot Potatoes web-based learning in the Business Correspondence course was something new for the students. The findings showed that 82.6% of the students firstly experienced learning Business Correspondence through Hot Potatoes exercises. In this case, technology needs to be introduced to the students as the media of their learning activity. Especially, it was something new for them to use Hot Potatoes exercises in learning Business Correspondence course. Here, the researcher discovered that the implementation of this web-based learning needs introducing since the students Ruth Dewi Indrian | ELT Forum 11(1) (2022) 69 were also eager to use technology as it allows them to explore the experience of learning. In relation to this, the use of technology allows the students to learn autonomously as it breaks the bridge of power structure between the teacher and the student (Ardi, 2017). In addition, the implementation of Hot Potatoes was also considered user-friendly for the students. The findings showed that 85.1% of the students were able to operate the website practice. Since the learning activity was conducted online due to the Covid-19 situation, the students could access it easily. In this case, web based-learning was helpful for them as they could do the exercises anywhere and anytime (Astuti, Wihardi, & Rochintaniawati, 2020). Here, the accessibility of web-based learning has to be user-friendly since the function itself is to make it easier for the students to do the tasks (Egbert & Shahrokni, 2018; Dinc, 2017). Thus, the use of Hot Potatoes exercises in this course was successful enabling the students to access the tasks much more easily. Therefore, the findings showed that 90.3% of the use of Hot Potatoes exercises was also fun and exciting for the students. In relation to this, web-based learning offers a number of features that give an attractive look to the practice itself, such as the use of solid colors, pictures, and backgrounds. Furthermore, the use of web-based learning also engaged students’ attention and interest to do the task (Egbert & Shahrokni, 2018). To boost students’ motivation to learn, a teacher needs to create a student-centered instructional design that serves beneficial attention for the students (Barger & Byrd, 2011). In this case, a teacher needs to give interesting activities to increase students’ interest. Therefore, the use of web-based learning exercises is one of the ways to boost students’ motivation to learn. In relation to this, 82.8% of the students felt motivated through the learning activity of this course. Setiawan (2016) also concluded in his study that the use of the Hot Potatoes program influenced students’ motivation to understand the material easier. Moreover, the features of this application also have become a factor in the successful learning process as engagement plays an essential role in learning (Collie & Martin, 2019). Thus, the implementation of Hot Potatoes web-based learning successfully helped them be willing to learn the Business Correspondence course and be engaged in the learning process. In summary, the implementation of Hot Potatoes web-based learning successfully engaged students to learn the materials of the Business Correspondence course. The learning activity also met the psychological needs, such as motivation to learn and autonomous learning (Gagné, 2014). There were two major positive effects that the students experienced. Firstly, the students firstly knew and used Hot Potatoes web-based learning for this course. Since the Hot Potatoes application is user- friendly, the students were able to access the task easier. Secondly, the attractive features of the Hot Potatoes application also engaged students’ motivation to learn and the exercises helped them to understand the material of the Business Correspondence course better. Thus, the Hot Potatoes application is suitable to be used in the Business Correspondence course as it facilitates students’ needs in their learning process. The use of Hot Potatoes web-based learning to help students learn the business correspondence course Through the learning process of the Business Correspondence course, the students were assigned to do the Hot Potatoes exercises. Three topics applied to Hot Potatoes application namely, Replying to a Job Applicant, Requesting a Service, and Confirming a Service (Lougheed, 2003). Referring to the findings, the implementation of Hot Potatoes helped students’ a lot in understanding the materials of these topics. In this case, the Hot Potatoes application successfully facilitated students’ learning process of this course. First of all, in the topic Replying to a Job Applicant, the vocabulary exercises helped students enrich their vocabulary of the business correspondence field. Based on the findings, 88.8% of the students discovered that the vocabulary exercises enhance their bank of vocabulary. The matching vocabulary exercises also helped students understand the relation between the meaning and the vocabulary and how it suited to the context used in business correspondence. Furthermore, the students also considered that the exercises were quite difficult since the researcher needed to maintain the level of difficulty of university students. Therefore, the vocabulary practice given matches with an ideal anxiety level (Egbert, 2005). McCarten (2007) asserts that learning of vocabulary needs to be given to the students with teaching principles. In this case, it is important to provide the vocabulary with its meaning so that the students will be able to acknowledge the use of the vocabulary based on the context. Furthermore, Setiawan (2016) also concluded in his study that the implementation of Hot Potatoes vocabulary exercises also helped students improve their vocabulary enrichment. Thus, the Ruth Dewi Indrian | ELT Forum 11(1) (2022) 70 vocabulary practice of this topic enabled students to enrich their vocabulary and the relation of the vocabulary and meaning based on the context of business correspondence. Second of all, in Requesting a Service practice, the students were assigned to do the multiple- choice exercises of the elements of the structure of this type of letter. Based on the findings, the researcher discovered that 84% of the students experienced that the use of Hot Potatoes exercises helped them recognize the structure of this letter easily. Moreover, the task also helped the students a lot in understanding the use of each element in the letter. Furthermore, 52.3% of the students considered that the task was not too difficult to do since the researcher consider difficulty level for fourth-semester students. Therefore, the task assigned was compatible with an ideal anxiety level which balances the students’ competence in this course (Egbert, 2005). Therefore, the activity of this web-based learning, helped students comprehend the pattern of requesting a service letter and how the element works in the letter of requesting a service. Third of all, in Confirming a Service practice, the researcher discovered that the implementation of the Hot Potatoes task successfully facilitated students’ learning process. Referring to the findings, 84.6% of the students experienced that the practice assigned helped them enrich their vocabulary and particular expressions used in this letter. McCarten (2007) asserts that learning vocabulary can be presented in various ways, such as frequency, collocation, and grammatical patterns. Therefore, in this practice, the researcher designed the practice by using grammatical patterns in which the students were asked to fill in the blank spaces of a confirming a service letter. The students needed to choose the appropriate vocabulary and expressions based on the context. In this case, the students learned a new level of vocabulary comprehension through placing them in the right phrases or sentences. Therefore, the researcher also considered the level of difficulty of this practice, and it turned out that students’ response about the task was on the middle level 53.1%, which means it did not hugely absorb students’ energy. Therefore, the use of this web-based learning also reduced students’ anxiety in learning this course since the application contained attractive features and a propositional number of questions. Hence, the vocabulary practice of this topic helped students comprehend the use of certain expressions used in the context of business correspondence, especially in confirming a service letter. In short, the implementation of Hot Potatoes web-based learning helped students understand the materials of the Business Correspondence course. There were three topics of this course, namely Replying to a Job Applicant, Requesting a Service, and Confirming a Service that the researcher used as the reference to make the exercises. Firstly, the results showed that the practice of replying to a job applicant helped students learn new vocabulary and the relation between the vocabulary and their meaning. Secondly, the practice of requesting a service helped the students to understand the rhetorical patterns and the use of the elements in this letter. Thirdly, the practice of confirming a service also helped students to learn proper words, phrases, and expressions based on the context used in the letter. From all these three topics, the researcher also concluded that the level of difficulty matched students’ level as university students. The findings also highlighted that the use of this application reduced students’ anxiety in the learning process. In this case, the Hot Potatoes web-based learning brought significant influence on the efficacy of the exercises (Soleimani & Raeesi, 2015). Hence, the implementation of Hot Potatoes exercises successfully facilitated students’ needs of learning the Business Correspondence course. CONCLUSION In closing, the use of Hot Potatoes web-based learning in the Business Correspondence course successfully brought beneficial impacts to the students’ learning process. First of all, the Hot Potatoes application was user-friendly for the students, especially it was the first time they used this application to learn the Business Correspondence course. Second of all, the students were engaged and motivated to learn this course since Hot Potatoes offers attractive features that capture students’ interest. Third of all, the implementation of the exercises given through three topics of this course helped students understand the materials better and easier. In this case, the practices helped them a lot in vocabulary enrichment, the rhetorical structure of the letter, the use of the elements, and the use of phrases and expressions based on the context used in the letter. In relation to this, the level of difficulty of each exercise was also set up to be adjusted for university students. Fourth of all, the findings also showed that the use of Hot Potatoes exercises decreased the students’ anxiety of learning this course since it offers an interesting and effective way to learn Business Correspondence. In conclusion, the implementation of Hot Potatoes web-based learning successfully assisted students’ needs of learning the Business Correspondence course. In addition, the present study still needs improvements as the Ruth Dewi Indrian | ELT Forum 11(1) (2022) 71 discussion of the challenges of the technical problems and the challenges of students’ engagements in implementing the Hot Potatoes exercises still need addressing. Therefore, for further study, the researcher suggests that future researchers can fill in the gap on how the Hot Potatoes application can be applied in various courses in English Language Departments. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT My sincerest gratitude goes to Ibu Ni Made Verayanti Utami, S.S., M.Hum. of Mahasaraswati University, Bali, for allowing me to conduct this research in her class. I would also like to express my gratitude to my advisor, Bapak Dr. Benedictus Bherman Dwijatmoko, M.A. for his guidance patience, support, suggestions, and time in helping me finish this research. I am sure that this research will not exist without their guidance. Hopefully, this research will be beneficial both for the reader and the research enrichment. REFERENCES Anggoro, S. D., & Arif, M. (2018). The effects of using hot potatoes application in teaching descriptive text. Media of Teaching Oriented and Children Journal, 2, 25-33. doi:https://doi.org/10.31090/paudmotoric.v2i1.713 Ardi, P. (2017). 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