A
Asynchronous Communication:
Online discussions occurring independent of time or location. Participants send messages to a central location (discussion forum) where they are archived for later retrieval from other participants. An example of asynchronous communication is email.
Audio Conferencing:
When two or more participants use standard telephone lines to communicate with each other at the same time.
|
B
Bandwidth:
The amount (capacity) that communication lines are able to carry measured in bits per second.
|
C
Chat
Refers to the method of two or more individuals communicating with each other synchronously over the Internet using text-based communications tools.
Collaborative/Cooperative Learning:
The process of getting two or more students to work together
to learn. Sometimes a distinction is made between the two terms based
on the age of the learners: cooperative for K-12 education and collaborative
learning for adult education, and some practitioners contend that there
are important differences between the two based on the unique pedagogical
needs of each corresponding age group. However, the terms are often used
interchangeably.
Course Management System (CMS):
Web-based application used to create and implement online courses.
|
D
Delivery Mode / Course Modality
Refers to the method used to deliver course content to the student. Some methods include Onground, Online, Telecourses, and any combination thereof.
Discussion Thread / Discussion Forum
Virtual forum where participants post a message and others are able to respond to the original posts, as well as the posts of others.
DL (Distance Learning):
An all encompanssing term related to delivering instruction without being face-to-face.
|
E
Emoticon:
Also known as smilies, they are keyboard characters used in combination to
produce whimsical symbols representing a range of emotions. Examples are
happy :) and sad :( . Emoticons are used in electronic communication to show humor and express emotions that are difficult to communicate in a text-based environment. For a comprehensive list of emoticons, follow this link: http://www.chatlist.com/faces.html
|
F
F2F:
The traditional method of delivering instruction with a live teacher in fron of live students.
Faciliative Tools :
Electronic applications used in online courses as part of the course delivery.
Examples are mailing lists, chat programs, streaming audio, streaming video,
Web pages, etc. A successful online course will contain a combination of
these tools, but it is neither necessary nor desirable to use all of them.
Facilitative tools should be selected according to their added value to the course material and whether they are useful in achieving the learning outcomes of the course.
Facilitator:
The online course instructor is often referred to as the course facilitator. Online instructors do not retain their traditional "teacher-centered" roles from the onground paradigm. Instead, they become the medium through which discovery learning is facilitated in a student-centered environment.
|
G
Word
Definition
|
H
Hybrid Course:
A course or program that combines aspects of online and face-to-face instruction in a manner that reduces the number of face-to-face or traditional classroom meetings. Blended learning has also been used to refer to an educational situation in which face-to-face instruction is enhanced with other modes of distance education such as video-conferencing, CD-ROM, etc., and where the total number of face-to-face meetings are still reduced. Examples of hybrid learning would include: a class that meets for lecture on the campus once a week and also has lectures, discussions, and other activities delivered through Internet technologies; a science course may have the lecture portion delivered via the Web but require the students to attend the lab portion on-campus; and a speech course may have lessons via the Web but require face-to-face delivery of speeches.
|
I
IMHO:
In My Humble Opinion
ION:
Illinois Online Network
IVC:
Illinois Virtual Campus
|
J
Word
Definition
|
K
Word
Definition
|
L
LOL
Laughing Out Loud
Lurking:
A person is lurking when he/she reads the postings in a discussion forum but does not contribute to the discussion. It is important for an online instructor to be somewhat accepting of lurkers since students have different learning styles and some learn better by listening. However, it is also important to encourage lurkers to become active participants in order for them to take full advantage of the online paradigm.
TOP |
M
MVCR:
Making the Virtual Classroom a Reality
|
N
Netiquette:
People navigating in a virtual environment must follow proper
protocols and have good online "manners" generally known as netiquette, or etiquette on the Net.
|
O
OL:
Online Learning
Onground:
Sometimes synonumous with F2F instruction, the opposite of online.
Online Environment:
Courses, discussions, or other communication occurring in an electronic format
via the Internet.
|
P
Word
Definition
|
Q
Word
Definition
|
|
R
Real-Time Communication:
Communication occurring at the moment messages are generated. Real Time is
a characteristic of synchronous communication.
|
| S
Seamless Technology
In an online course, technology is said to be seamless (or transparent)
when it is easy to use, intuitive in nature, and is NOT the focus of
the learning experience. If programs are difficult to use and the system
has frequent breakdowns, the technology is not seamless and hinders the
learning process. Technology should merely be a means to deliver course
content, facilitating the learning process.
Synchronous Communication:
Online discussions occurring independent of location, but at the same time
(real time). Participants must agree on a time to log into the discussion
forum and messages are received at the moment they are sent. This form of
electronic communication is also called "chatting," and can include audio and/or video.
Synergy:
The dynamic, energetic atmosphere created in an online class when participants interact and productively communicate with each other and in groups. The cooperative efforts of the participants create an enhanced combined effect compared to the sum of their individual effects. This atmosphere is highly conducive to learning.
|
| T
Word
Definition
|
| U
Word
Definition
|
| V
Virtual Classroom (VC)
An online discussion forum where most of the conversations relating to the coursework take place (either synchronously or asynchronously). The VC is usually physically a folder in a conferencing system where students and professor post their messages. It is a public forum in the sense that all participants can read and respond to any message posted to the VC.
VOIP (Voice Over Inter Protocol):
The ability to transmit voice over the Internet.
|
| W
Word
Definition
|
| X
Word
Definition
|
| Y
Word
Definition
|
| Z
Word
Definition
|