Tech Terms

Question 1

What is a blog?

Answer 1

Blogs are an abbreviation of web log. Blogs are one of the personal broadcasting tools. These technologies are useful to instructors for bringing diverse elements into a course to help with several learning styles. Students’ current actives and projects can be updated using these technologies.

Question 2

Define: Collaboration

Answer 2

The action of working with people to produce or create something.

Question 3

Define: Online

Answer 3

Online is defined as being controlled by or connected to another computer or to a network.

Question 4

What are Learning Management Systems?

Answer 4

Learning Management Systems deploy and track online training initiatives. A learning management system is a software application for the administration, documentation, tracking, reporting, and delivery of educational courses, training programs, or learning and development programs. The learning management system concept emerged directly from e-Learning.

Question 5

What are wikis?

Answer 5

Wikis are open-access informational websites that allow anyone to view their content, as well as add, subtract, or edit their content. While wikis are convenient and useful, the accuracy of their information can be questionable since anyone can create and edit the information on these sites. Wikis can be helpful to students when they are searching for specifics on certain subjects and makes it easy for them to share and compare their own knowledge.

Question 6

What is E-learning 2.0?

Answer 6

E-learning 2.0 applies the principals of Web 2.0. While utilizing collaboration and creation E-learning enables student-centered, constructivist, and social learning while integrating the use of blogs, wikis, and other social networking tools.

Question 7

Define: Multimedia

Answer 7

Using more than one medium for expression or communication.

Question 8

What are static content/web pages?

Answer 8

“A static Web page is a page that is built using HTML code and features the same presentation and content, regardless of user identity or other factors. Static Web pages are easier to code and assemble than dynamic Web pages, which may feature customizable content according to a user’s identity or other factors. Static Web pages are also known as static websites.”

• Technopedia

Question 9

What are dynamic content/Web pages?

Answer 9

“Dynamic content in the context of HTML and the World Wide Web refers to website content that constantly or regularly changes based on user interactions, timing and other parameters that determine what content is delivered to the user. This means that the content of the site may differ for every user because of different parameters. Facebook is an excellent example of a site that delivers dynamic content, as every user gets different content based on their friends and social interactions, although the layout stays generally the same.”

• Technopedia

Question 10

What are podcasts?

Answer 10

Podcasts are a form of widely accessible broadcasting. Podcasts are downloadable audio files that can be downloaded to computers and personal audio players. Often, podcasts require subscriptions (which are sometimes free) that will then automatically download new content from a particular service.

Question 11

What are vodcasts/vlogs?

Answer 11

Vodcasts are podcasts that broadcast video over the internet and a vlog is a blog built on video content.

Question 12

What is an RSS feed?

Answer 12

An RSS feed, or “really simple syndication,” is a set of XML-based specifications for syndicating news and other website content and making it machine-readable. People who use websites that feature RSS feeds are presented with new content automatically based on the user’s guidelines that they have provided regarding what they want to see and their specific interests. The information presented in RSS feeds is usually gathered by RSS-aware applications called aggregators or newsreaders.

Question 13

What is social networking?

Answer 13

Social networking is the use of dedicated websites and applications to interact with other users, or to find people with similar interests to oneself.

Question 14

Define: Instructor-centered

Answer 14

“In teacher-centered education, students put all of their focus on the teacher. You talk, and the students exclusively listen. During activities, students work alone, and collaboration is discouraged.”

• Concordia University - Portland

Question 15

Define: Student-centered

Answer 15

“When a classroom operates with student-centered instruction, students and instructors share the focus. Instead of listening to the teacher exclusively, students and teachers interact equally. Group work is encouraged, and students learn to collaborate and communicate with one another.”

• Concordia University - Portland

Question 16

Define: Synchronous

Answer 16

“Happening, existing, or arising at precisely the same time.”

• Merriam-Webster

Question 17

What is web conferencing/virtual classroom?

Answer 17

Virtual classrooms, or web conferencing tools, utilize audio, video, and graphics to create synchronous classes via the Internet.

Question 18

Define: Asynchronous

Answer 18

“Not simultaneous or concurrent in time.”
-Merriam-Webster
Asynchronous is the opposite of synchronous. Asynchronous communication in regards to education, includes self-directed learning modules, email, and discussion groups. This type of communication makes communication convenient to the user because it allows them time to thoughtfully answer and reply. It also allows users to track and revisit discussions.

Question 19

What are webcams?

Answer 19

Webcams are cameras that capture real-time video. They can be integrated into a computer or a separate piece of hardware that attaches to the computer. Webcams are used in online meetings and videoconferencing.

Question 20

What are mashups?

Answer 20

“A mashup is a website or web application that seamlessly combines content from more than one source into an integrated experience”

• Wikipedia, 2006a, para. 1

Question 21

What is M-learning?

Answer 21

M-learning, or mobile learning, is learning gained through mobile devices including wireless laptops and cell phones.

Question 22

What is GPS?

Answer 22

GPS stands for “global positioning system” and is a satellite-based location technology.

Question 23

What is SMS?

Answer 23

SMS stands for “short messaging service” and makes text messages through cell phones possible.

Question 24

What is web 1.0?

Answer 24

Web 1.0 was the first stage in the World Wide Web and consisted of web pages that were connected by hyperlinks. Nearly everyone could use Web 1.0, but only a few could create. Web 1.0 gave us information overload, as Web 2.0 does also. Always seeking out quality sites is a necessary challenge.

Question 25

What is web 2.0?

Answer 25

With the advent of Web 2.0, just about everyone could create as well as be consumers. Much educational content can be produced with Web 2.0. Information overload continues to be a problem with Web 2.0 and it is important to carefully select web sites.

Question 26

What is social computing?

Answer 26

Social computing is social networking software through the internet that connects people and facilitates communication, which includes wikis, blogs, and social networking sites.

Question 27

What are communities of practice?

Answer 27

Communities of practice are various groups of people from particular organizations or professions, or even people from around the world, who have similar interests, can connect and share information or hobbies with each other or can gain specific knowledge in some areas.

Question 28

What are massively multiplayer online games?

Answer 28

Massively multiplayer online games or MMOGs, are online games that can be played at the same time (simultaneously) by many people.

Question 29

What is Extended/Hybrid/Blended learning?

Answer 29

Extended/Hybrid/Blended learning is a combination of approaches created to get the most out of the subject being taught for the students. A mix of classroom, self-directed, synchronous, and asynchronous approaches designed to optimize the learning for the subject matter and learners.

Question 30

What is augmented reality?

Answer 30

Augmented reality is a combination of a real environment experienced by the user with virtual elements added by computer input that augment the scene with additional information.

Question 31

what is Creative Commons?

Answer 31

Creative Commons is a licensing system developed by Lawrence Lessig and others at Stanford University. Creative Commons (CC) licenses allow a content creator to decide how published work may be copied, modified, and distributed.

Question 32

What are simulations?

Answer 32

Simulations in e-learning are attempts to create a level of reality in a computer environment so that learners can practice skills, solve problems, operate expensive machinery, or conduct interactions in a safe situation.