Glossary

Glossary
Click one of the letters above to advance the page to terms beginning with that letter.

A

AARNet (Australia's Academic and Research Network) search for term

(Australia's Academic and Research Network) A national resource which provides unique information communications technology capabilities to enable Australian education and research institutions to collaborate with each other and their international peer communities.

Adaptive Tutorial search for term

A tutorial that intelligently adapts to student interaction and knowledge level. Adaptive tutorials are generally highly interactive and visually engaging. 

Asynchronous learning search for term

Learning that occurs outside of a specified time and/or place.

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B

BEST Network search for term

(The Biomedical Education Skills and Training Network) A not-for profit digitally-powered community of biomedical Schools developing and sharing next-generation courseware and education technology. For more information, please follow this link: BEST Network.

Blended learning search for term

A formal education program which involves students learning at least in part through the delivery of content and instruction via digital and online media. For more information, please follow this link: blended learning.

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C

Collaborative learning search for term

An educational approach that involves groups of students engaging in a common task in which each individual depends on and is accountable to each other. For more information, please follow this link: collaborative learning.

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E

eLearning search for term

The delivery of a learning, training or education program by electronic means. E-learning involves the use of a computer or electronic device (e.g. a mobile phone) in some way to provide training, educational or learning material. (Derek Stockley 2003). For more information, please follow this link: eLearning.

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F

Flash Video search for term

Flash Video is a container file format used to deliver video over the Internet using Adobe Flash Player version 6 and newer. Flash Video content may also be embedded within SWF files. Flash Video is the de facto standard for web-based streaming video (over RTMP). Notable users of it include YouTube, Hulu, Yahoo7, and many other providers. Note: Flash is slowly being phased out on mobile devices and is being replaced with HTML5.

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H

HTML5 search for term

A markup language used for structuring and presenting content on the web. HTML5 provides one common interface to make loading elements easier. For example, there is no need to install a Flash plugin in HTML5 because the element will run by itself. This allows for more versatility and functionality on a tablet or mobile device.  Some of the tools presented on this website use HTML5 as their published output. This can then be loaded onto a website for viewing. When you publish to a SCORM package you can either select FLASH or HTML5. The SCORM package is what allows you to embed it into Moodle with tracking, but you can also simply load it to Moodle as an HTML5 document as well. 

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I

Interactive video search for term

Video that allows user input to perform some action. Audience members are participants and their interaction is vital to the experience.

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L

Live-action video search for term

Video that contains real people in real environments, not produced by animation.

LMS search for term

An LMS is a Learning Management System. It is a software application or web-based technology used to implement and assess a specific learning process or outcome. It provides an educator with a way to create, track, manage and distribute learning materials of any kind. It also has tracking and analytical abilities to monitor student participation and assess student performance. For more information, please follow this link: LMS.

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M

MP4 / MPEG4 search for term

MPEG-4 Part 14 or MP4 is a digital multimedia format most commonly used to store video and audio and can be used to stream over the Internet. You can also record videos in MP4 format and edit them in the different tools listed. When you publish a video you can also publish it or export it as an MP4/MPEG4 file to be loaded to Moodle, theBox, YouTube or other online media storage software.

Multimodal search for term

Multimodal learning environments utilises several modes (media) to create a single artifact or learning object. It can be categorized as a learning preference or style that utilizes one or more of the different modes of learning. Here are some of the modes of learning that can be used: 

  • Aural (auditory-musical). You prefer using sound and music.
  • Verbal (linguistic). You prefer using words, both in speech and writing.
  • Physical (kinesthetic). You prefer using your body, hands and sense of touch.
  • Logical (mathematical). You prefer using logic, reasoning and systems.
  • Social (interpersonal). You prefer to learn in groups or with other people.
  • Solitary (intrapersonal). You prefer to work alone and use self-study.

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N

Non-interactive video search for term

Video that is passively watched and allows for no user input. Audience members are observers and not able to interact and participate with what they are watching on screen. 

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O

Online assessment search for term

Assessments that are delivered via a computer or a mobile device connected to the internet.

Online database search for term

A web-based filing system designed to store and organisation information. The database can be accessed from a network, including from the Internet. 

Open source software search for term

Computer software in which the creation process is managed in a way that everyone can participate in building it. The source code is available for modification or enhancement by anyone. 

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P

Podcast search for term

A program (either music or talk) made available in digital format for automatic download over the Internet to a computer or portable media player. For example, you can record an audio file of your lecture to be shared with students as a podcast.

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R

Reflective practice search for term

The process of reflecting on and critically evaluating your own experiences and actions to improve the way you learn and to engage in lifelong learning.

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S

SafeAssign search for term

SafeAssign is a plagiarism prevention service offered by Blackboard. It compares submitted assignments against a set of sources to identify areas of overlap between the submitted assignment and existing works. For more information, please visit the following links: Blackboard SafeAssign / Use SafeAssign in assignments

SCORM search for term

SCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference Model) is a collection of specifications that enable interoperability, accessibility and reusability of web-based learning content. Basically, it allows you to incorporate certain FLASH and HTML5 learning objects into Moodle and track certain information such as when the student started the activity, when they completed it, what score they got if there was a quiz, and other such details. For more information, please follow this link: SCORM package.

Screencast search for term

A screencast is a digital recording of computer screen output, also known as a video screen capture, often containing audio narration.

Smart Sparrow search for term

An adaptive eLearning platform that allows you to create your own adaptive courseware that targets individual student needs. For more information, please follow this link: Smart Sparrow.

Storyboarding search for term

The process of creating a visual organiser displayed in sequence for the purpose of pre-visualising a video, animation or interactive media sequence.

Synchronous learning search for term

Learning that occurs at a specified time, requiring the simultaneous engagement of all participants.

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V

Vector Art search for term

Digital graphics that use mathematical algorithms to preserve image quality, allowing the image to be scaled or modified without loss of image quality or resolution. 

Virtual classroom search for term

A synchronous online classroom that allows participants to communicate, view presentations, interact with learning resources and work in groups. For more information, please follow this link: virtual classroom.

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W

WAV search for term

(WAVeform audio format) An audio file container format which is the main format used on Windows systems for storing uncompressed audio.

WMA search for term

(Windows Media Audio) An audio data compression technology developed by Microsoft.

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Z

Z-stack image search for term

A digital image developed through a technique which combines multiple images taken at different focus distances to give a resulting image with a greater depth of field than any of the individual source images. 

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