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the
a to z of e-learning
The jungle of e-learning related jargon seems to
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a to z of e-learning is designed to assist
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-
- ActiveX
- Set
of Microsoft programming technologies and
tools that includes ActiveX controls, which
can be programmed to run within an application
such as a web browser just like a Java applet.
- Activist
- One
of four differing learning styles defined
by Honey and Mumford in the 1980's. In general
Activist learners prefer to learn by throwing
themselves into learning and getting to grips
with tasks. See Reflector,
Theorist,
Pragmatist.
For more information see Peter Honey's website
at http://www.peterhoney.co.uk
- ADLNet
- Acronym
for Advanced
Distributed Learning Network, the
creators of SCORM.
- AICC
- Acronym
for Aviation
Industry CBT Committee, the body that
defines a range of standards for the aviation
industry. The AICC standard for Interoperability
of computer-based training programmes and
Learning Management Systems is probably the
best known standard.
- API
- Acronym
for Application Program Interface,
a set of tools, routines and rules for building
software applications in a consistent way.
- Applet
- a
short Java program that downloads and then
runs on your computer when the user accesses
a webpage. These provide applications normally
unavailable within webpages.
- ASCII
- Acronym
for American Standard Code for Information
Interchange. The standard text format
used by the majority of PC's, often used to
describe files containing plain text.
- ASP
- Acronym
for Active Server Pages, a language
developed by Microsoft to allow improved interactivity
within webpages. Also see below.
- ASP
- Specialist
Internet service provider (ISP) that allows
a corporate clients to have a software application
(e.g. an e-Learning Platform) hosted in exchange
for a rental fee.
- Asynchronous
Learning
- Mode
of learning event in which participants are
not online at the same time and are unable
to communicate without time delay.
- Auditory
- Communication
and learning style identified by Bandler,
Grinder & Grinder. Visual Learners prefer
to learn by hearing. See Visual
, Kinaesthetic
Learners. For more general information about
learning styles see http://www.funderstanding.com/about_learning.cfm
- Authentication
- Process
of confirming the identity of an individual.
- Authoring
Tool
- Software
for creating course interactive material.
Authoring tools help the user create online
modules that integrate all components of a
course: text presentations, graphics, links,
questions, and tracking of student performance.
- AVI
- Acronym
for Audio Video Interleave - the file
format used by Microsoft Video for Windows.
- Bandwidth
- Term
that describes how much data can be sent via
a connection in a specified time. This measurement
is typically described in bps or bits per
second.
- Baud
- Unit
of measurement similar to bps expressing the
speed of a modem
over an analogue line.
- Binary
- A
file that contains something other than plain
text or ASCII files. These could include pictures,
software and other media.
- Bit
- The
minimum unit of computer data - either a 0
or a 1.
- Bps
- Acronym
for Bits per second the units in which
the speed of modems
are rated. Indicates the amount of information
a modem can transmit and receive each second.
- Browse
- Process
of viewing webpages over the World
Wide Web.
- Browser
- Program
that allows you to view and interact with
webpages on the World Wide Web. Modern e-learning
courseware requires features supported by
the most recent releases of internet browser.
To find out more about browser features see
http://www.netscape.com
and http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/default.asp
- Byte
- Unit
for measuring data - usually 8 bits.
- CD
- Acronym
for Compact Disc, a media format originally
developed by Philips. Originally an audio-only
format the CD has spawned a range of derivatives
including CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory),
CDi (Compact Disc Interactive) CD-R (CD-ROM
Recordable) and most recently CD-RW (Compact
Disc Read Write).
- Chat
- Talking
to one person or many people, usually in text
format via the internet
- Client
- Program
that links up with another resource (a server
programme) or the computer that runs it for
the purposes of interaction. A browser programme
is one example of a client.
- Compress
- See
Compression
- Compression
- Reducing
the size of a file so that can be transmitted
more quickly and takes up less storage space
- Cookie
- Small
element of data sent to your computer when
you a website. When you subsequently return
to the site this data may be used for a range
of things including recalling your username.
- DHTML
- Acronym
for Dynamic HTML, a new way of developing
webpages with enhanced functionality. Standards
for DHTML are still being developed.
- Digital
- Made
up of zeros and ones (or bits of information)
- DLL
- Acronym
for Dynamic Link Library, the range
of routines that can be used by a Windows
application.
- DNS
- Acronym
for Domain Name System the system that
regulates naming of computers on the internet.
The core of the system is a vast database
that stores the names and network addresses
of every computer, accessed whenever a computer
needs to convert a Domain Name into a numeric
IP address
- Domain
- Official
name for a computer attached to the Internet.
Email addresses normally consist of a userid
and a domain name separated by the @ symbol
- Download
- The
process of copying files from one remote host
to your computer, usually via FTP.
- E-Learning
- Wide
range of electronic learning applications
and processes including Web-based learning,
computer-based learning, virtual classrooms
and digital collaboration. Commonly held to
include delivery of content via Internet,
intranet/extranet (LAN/WAN), audio/video tape,
satellite broadcast, interactive TV, and CD-ROM.
- Email
- Sending
electronic messages over a network or the
internet.
- ERP
- Acronym
for Enterprise Resource Planning, a
business management system that integrates
all functions of an enterprise, normally though
deployment of software systems.
- Extranet
- A
local area network (LAN) or wide area network
(WAN) using TCP/IP, HTML, SMTP, only available
to people inside and certain people outside
an organization, as determined by the organization.
- FAQ
- Acronym
for Frequently Asked Questions. Answers
to FAQ's are an essential component in any
effective website. See the AdviceZone
- Flash
- A
vector graphic animation tool marketed by
Macromedia
and widely used for developing web delivered
e-learning.
- FTP
- Acronym
for File Transfer Protocol. Process
that allows you to transfer files or programmes
to or from computers across the internet.
- GIF
- Acronym
for Graphics Interchange Format, a
common format for the storage of largely non-photographic
imagery.
- Gigabyte
- 1024
megabytes of computer data
- GUI
- Acronym
for Graphic User Interface, an operating
system that allows users to interact using
graphics instead of text. e.g. Microsoft Windows
versus MSDOS.
- Hardware
- Physical
technology such as computers, monitors and
keyboards rather than software.
- Hits
- The
number of requests for information made to
a server.
- Host
- Computer
that exists to allow other computers to connect
with it.
- HTML
- Acronym
for Hypertext Mark-up Language -the
basic language that is used to construct webpages.
There are several HTML standards in existence,
the latest of which is HTML 4.
- HTTP
- Acronym
for Hypertext Transfer Protocol, the
standard that regulates the way information
is transferred around the World
Wide Web.
- Hyperlink
- Underlined
word or set of words that, when clicked, takes
you to a different place on that page or to
a new destination altogether.
- IEEE
- Acronym
for Institute of Electrical and Electronic
Engineers, a body with a Learning
Technology Standards Committee that is
responsible for the defining standards for
Learning Management in the USA.
- Internet
- The
full range of networks interconnected via
TCP/IP
protocol.
- IP
- Acronym
for Internet Protocol, the rules that
regulate the way information is transferred
across the Internet.
- ISP
- Acronym
for Internet Service Provider, companies
that provide users with access to the internet.
- IMS
- The
IMS Global
Consortium works with institutions and
e-Learning software vendors to define specifications.
- Internic
- Acronym
for Internet Network Information Centre,
the nearest thing to a central body governing
the Internet.
- Intranet
- A
private network inside an organisation that
uses Internet technology, but is segregated
from the Internet by a firewall. This means
that authorised users can only access this
network.
- ISDN
- Acronym
for Integrated Services Digital Network.
This telecommunications technology provides
increased bandwidth
using telephone lines but generates significant
additional cost.
- Java
- Language
developed specifically for creating software
that can be simply downloaded from the Internet,
but now used for a wide range of applications.
- Javascript
- Language
similar to Java but actually incorporated
into webpages in the interests of creating
various special effects.
- JPEG
- Acronym
for Joint Photographic Experts Group,
the committee that originally developed this
special image file format. JPEG files are
now the most popular format for storing photographic
images on the World Wide Web.
- Kilobyte
- Unit
of computer data, made up of 1024 bytes.
- Kinaesthetic
- Communication
and learning style identified by Bandler,
Grinder & Grinder. Visual Learners prefer
to learn by seeing. See Visual,
Kinaesthetic
Learners. For more general information about
learning styles see http://www.funderstanding.com/about_learning.cfm
- Learning Portal
- Web
site that offers learners consolidated access
to learning and training resources from multiple
sources.
- Login
- The
acts involved in entering a computer system
or the account name you have been allocated
to gain access.
- LRN
- Acronym
for Learning Resource Interchange,
a Microsoft
application developed to a specification
developed by the IMS
- Megabyte
- Unit
of computer data made up of 1024 kilobytes.
- MIME
- Acronym
for Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions.
The standard for attaching binary files to
email.
- Mirror
- Exact
copy of a resource such as a website.
- Modem
- Device
that allows one computer to connect to another
via a telephone line.
- MPEG
- Acronym
for Moving Picture Experts Group, the
committee who devised this innovative file
format for storing video images.
- Network
- Two
or more computers connected together.
- ODBC
- Acronym
for Open Database Connectivity, a standard
that allows interconnection between one application
and another.
- Offline
- Term
that implies that an item of hardware or software
is no longer actively linked with the Internet.
See Online.
- Online
- Opposite
of Offline i.e. an item of hardware or software
is actively linked with the Internet.
- Operating
System
- The
basic system that underpins computer operations
and the foundation upon which all other programs
operate. MSDOS, Unix and Windows are all examples
of operating systems.
- Packet
- A
unit of data sent via a network.
- Plug-in
- Small
pieces of software that add to the capability
of existing programs.
- POP
- Acronym
for Post Office Protocol or Point
of Presence.
- Post
Office Protocol
- Location
where connections to a network or the Internet
may be accessed via dial-up networking.
- Point
of Presence
- Location
where connections to a network or the Internet
may be accessed via dial-up networking.
- Pragmatist
- One
of four differing learning styles defined
by Honey and Mumford in the 1980's. In general
Pragmatist learners prefer to learn about
ideas that have a practical application and
try them out. See Reflector,
Theorist,
Activist.
For more information see Peter Honey's website
at http://www.peterhoney.co.uk
- Protocol
- A
set of rules and standards that govern the
way networked computers interact with each
other.
-
- Router
- Mechanism
for transferring data between one or more
networks.
- Reflector
- One
of four differing learning styles defined
by Honey and Mumford in the 1980's. In general
Reflector learners prefer to collect information
gradually and process this in their own time
before coming to a conclusion. See Pragmatist,
Theorist,
Activist.
For more information see Peter Honey's website
at http://www.peterhoney.co.uk
- SCORM
- Acronym
for the Shareable Courseware Object Reference
Model standard developed by ADLNet
- Server
- Both
the software and hardware that is used to
provide access to an internet resource.
- Sites
- See
Website
- SMTP
- Acronym
for Simple Mail Transport Protocol.
The almost ubiquitous standard that governs
how email is sent and received.
- Software
- The
files, data and programs that allow a computer
to function but have no physical dimensions.
By way of contrast see Hardware.
- TCP
- Acronym
for Transmission Control Protocol,
the rules that govern is distributed over
a network.
- Terabyte
- Unit
for a vast amount of computer data, consisting
of 1024 gigabytes.
- Theorist
- One
of four differing learning styles defined
by Honey and Mumford in the 1980's. In general
Theorists live in a world of ideas and want
to identify logical principles, theories,
models in a step-by-step way. See Reflector,
Pragmatist,
Activist.
For more information see Peter Honey's website
at http://www.peterhoney.co.uk
- Unix
- Operating
system for mainframe computers originally
designed in the 1960's but still widely used
worldwide.
- Upload
- Send
files to another computer, usually via FTP.
- URL
- Acronym
for Universal Resource Locator otherwise
known as the address of a website.
-
- VoIP
- Acronym
for Voice over Internet Protocol, or
using the internet to transmit voice conversations,
a technique increasingly used within virtual
classroom systems.
- Virus
- Self-replicating
software that propagates itself from one computer
system to another, normally devised with malicious
or mischievous motives.
- Visual
- Communication
and learning style identified by Bandler,
Grinder & Grinder. Visual Learners prefer
to learn by seeing. See Auditory,
Kinaesthetic
Learners. For more general information about
learning styles see http://www.funderstanding.com/about_learning.cfm
- Web
space
- Amount
of data capacity available for the construction
of webpages, normally measured in megabytes.
- Website
- Collection
of linked webpages with a common theme, created
for the same purpose.
- World
Wide Web
- A
global information resource made up of interconnected
webpages.
-
-
-
www.e-learningzone.com/atoz.html
- Revised:
October 2001
Copyright © 2000-2001
webmaster@e-learningzone.co.uk
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