Glossary of TermsA | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z Auditory Learners: These are learners that learns best by hearing. Assignments: Work produced by students and used by instructors for purposes of interaction and also evaluation. Asynchronous: Independent of time constraints; sender and receiver of information do not communicate at the same time. An electronic bulletin board is examples of asynchronous communication. Asynchronous Learning Network (ALN): A form of distance learning that uses computer networking technology, especially the Internet, for instructional activities. (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek. 2000). Attention: observation, an action that involves applying the mind Best Practice: A generally accepted method for achieving an outcome. 2 3 4 Course Design: Setting learning objectives, choosing media applications, planning evaluation and preparing instructional strategies in advance of student recruitment. Counselors: Specialists in learning who help individual students with academic or personal problems that interfere with learning. Course Team: Group of specialists in content, instructional design, learning and technologies convened to produce distance education course. Collaborate Work: Students working together in-group to achieve tasks. Cross-cultural communication: (it is also frequently referred to as Intercultural communication) looks at how people, from differing cultural backgrounds, endeavour to communicate. Cross-cultural communication tries to bring together such relatively unrelated areas as cultural anthropology and established areas of communication. Its core is to establish and understand how people from different cultures communicate with each other. Its charge is to also produce some guidelines with which people from different cultures can better communicate with each other. (Wikipedia.com, 2005) Distance Education: Teaching and learning in which learning normally occurs in a different place from teaching. Distance Learning: A term for the physical separation of teachers and learners where the learner take on greater responsibility for the learning process. Distance Education Courses: Structured programs of instruction for learners in a different place from the teacher, having learning objectives, one or more teachers, a medium of communication, and subject matter. Distance Education System: All the component processes that result in distance education, including learning, teaching, communication, design, and management. Distance Education Institution: College, university or school system organized exclusively for distance education. Distance Education Institution: College, university or school system organized exclusively for distance education. Distance Education Unit: A special unit dedicated to distance learning within a conventional college, university or school system. Distance Education Consortium: Two or more distance education institutions or units who share in designing distance education courses, teaching them, or both. Distance Education Program: Distance education provided by same staff of a conventional college, university, school system, or training department whose primary responsibilities are classroom instruction. Economies of Scale: Effect on unit cost of producing large quantities. In distance education the larger the number of users of a course or the larger the number of users of the system, the lower the cost for each person. 2 3 4 Framework: The basic conceptual structure that is the foundation for advancing a greater idea, cause, objective. 2 3 4 Globalization: Societies and cultures brought together economically, socially, politically, and culturally through the advent and utilization of technologies (air travel, telecommunication, the Internet, etc.) 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 Individualism (IDV): focuses on the degree the society reinforces individual or collective achievement and interpersonal relationships. A High Individualism ranking indicates that individuality and individual rights are paramount within the society. Individuals in these societies may tend to form a larger number of looser relationships. A Low Individualism ranking typifies societies of a more collectivist nature with close ties between individuals. These cultures reinforce extended families and collectives where everyone takes responsibility for fellow members of their group. (Hofstede, 1990) Interaction: Exchange of information, ideas, opinions between and among learners and teachers, usually occurring through technology with the aim of facilitating learning. Instructors (also tutors): Specialists in learning who interact through technology with students as they learn content, usually designed by course team, though quite often by the instructors themselves. 4 1 2 3 4 Kinesthetic Learners: These are learners that learn best with their hands. 2 3 4 Learning Styles: Learning Styles are patterns of behaviors that dictate how we process information and work with the outcome (Booth and Brooks, 1995). Long-Term Orientation (LTO): focuses on the degree the society embraces, or does not embrace, long-term devotion to traditional, forward thinking values. High Long-Term Orientation ranking indicates the country prescribes to the values of long-term commitments and respect for tradition. This is thought to support a strong work ethic where long-term rewards are expected as a result of today's hard work. However, business may take longer to develop in this society, particularly for an "outsider". A Low Long-Term Orientation ranking indicates the country does not reinforce the concept of long-term, traditional orientation. In this culture, change can occur more rapidly as long-term traditions and commitments do not become impediments to change. (Hofstede, 1990) 3 4 Masculinity (MAS): focuses on the degree the society reinforces, or does not reinforce, the traditional masculine work role model of male achievement, control, and power. A High Masculinity ranking indicates the country experiences a high degree of gender differentiation. In these cultures, males dominate a significant portion of the society and power structure, with females being controlled by male domination. A Low Masculinity ranking indicates the country has a low level of differentiation and discrimination between genders. In these cultures, females are treated equally to males in all aspects of the society. (Hofstede, 1990) Media: Messages that are distributed through the technologies, principally text in books, study guides and computer networks; sound in audio-tapes and broadcast: pictures in video-tapes and broadcast; text, sound and/or pictures in a teleconference. 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 Portfolio assessment: An alternative to traditional testing that requires students to compile a portfolio of material (papers written, creative works developed, log of relevant activities, etc.) which is used to assess student accomplishment in a course of study. (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek. 2000). Power Distance Index (PDI): focuses on the degree of equality, or inequality, between people in the country's society. A High Power Distance ranking indicates that inequalities of power and wealth have been allowed to grow within the society. These societies are more likely to follow a caste system that does not allow significant upward mobility of its citizens. A Low Power Distance ranking indicates the society de-emphasizes the differences between citizen's power and wealth. In these societies equality and opportunity for everyone is stressed. (Hofstede, 1990) 3 4 1 2 3 4 Relevance: The importance of the information presented 2 3 4 Student-Centered Learning: Student-centered learning involves the student managing their own time and pace of learning. Summative evaluation measures: Measures that provide information that tallies or sums up what has occurred in a program or process. (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek. 2000). Synchronous: An event happening at the same time; the sender and receiver of information communicate at the same time. An example is a video conference. 4 Technology: Mechanisms for distributing messages, including postal systems, radio and television broadcasting companies, telephone, satellite and computer networks. Technology infrastructure: The digital networking facilities needed to deliver data, audio, and video signals at high speed and high capacity reliably throughout an organization or defined area. (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek. 2000). 3 4 Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI): focuses on the level of tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity within the society - i.e. unstructured situations. A High Uncertainty Avoidance ranking indicates the country has a low tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity. This creates a rule-oriented society that institutes laws, rules, regulations, and controls in order to reduce the amount of uncertainty. A Low Uncertainty Avoidance ranking indicates the country has less concern about ambiguity and uncertainty and has more tolerance for a variety of opinions. This is reflected in a society that is less rule-oriented, more readily accepts change, and takes more and greater risks. (Hofstede, 1990) 2 3 4 Virtual: Being functional and effective without existing in a traditional mode. Virtual learning, for example, is learning that can functionally and effectively occur in the absence of traditional classroom environments. (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek. 2000). Visual Learners: These are learners that comprehend and learn information by seeing it. 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2000). Glossary. Teaching and Wikipedia, (2005). Cross-cultural communication. Wikipediia:the free Enclyclopedia. |
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