This collection of glossaries is compiled for the Specialization Program in International Online Education (SPICE). The program comprises five three-credit courses about online education delivered internationally via online education. Successful completion of all five courses and exams qualifies for the SPICE Certificate (SPICE) which is awarded by NKI. The resources are organized according to the five courses in the program.
There are many terms for online education. Some of them are virtual education, Internet-based education, web-based education, and education via computer-mediated communication. The SPICE program uses a definition of online education that is based on Desmond Keegan's (1988) definition of distance education. Hence, online education is characterized by:
The following definitions are based on my thesis research: Paulsen, M. F. 1998. Teaching Techniques for Computer-mediated Communication. Ann Arbor, Mi: UMI Dissertation Services.
The key terms are computer-mediated communication and teaching techniques. In the following, these terms are defined in logical sequence with related pivotal terms:
Computer-mediated communication (CMC): Transmission and reception of messages using computers as input, storage, output, and routing devices. CMC includes information retrieval, electronic mail, bulletin boards, and computer conferencing. CMC also comprises synchronous and asynchronous communication.
Information retrieval systems: CMC systems that facilitate searching and retrieval of information.
Electronic mail systems (E-mail systems): CMC systems that facilitate exchange of messages between individual users.
Bulletin board systems: CMC systems that facilitate archiving and retrieval of messages posted by originators with write access and retrieved by users with read access.
Computer conferencing systems: Computer-mediated group communication systems that archive messages so that they can be read and commented on by all members of a conference.
Synchronous communication: Real-time communication.
Asynchronous communication: Communication where the message is stored until the receivers find it convenient to retrieve it.
CMC based teaching system: A CMC system for teaching comprising learners, one or more teachers, course content, learning resources, teaching methods, teaching techniques, and teaching devices.
Teaching method: A way of organizing people for learning. The teaching methods included here are one-online, one-to-one, one-to-many, and many-to-many.
Teaching technique: A way of accomplishing teaching objectives. According to how the techniques prescribe student interaction with learning resources, the techniques are classified as one-online techniques, one-to-one techniques, one-to-many techniques, and many-to-many techniques.
Teaching device: Tool that can assist the teaching process. This definition distinguishes between these four categories of CMC-based teaching devices: information retrieval systems, electronic mail, bulletin boards, and computer conferencing.
Teaching workload: The amount of time spent on teaching functions. The teaching workload consists of the preactive and the interactive teaching workload.
Preactive teaching workload: Workload associated with program design and teacher preparation, in other words, the teaching workload before the course or program starts.
Interactive teaching workload: Workload associated with instruction, in other words, the teaching workload after the course or program starts.
Teaching functions: The duties teachers have with regard to the teaching process. This definition distinguishes between organizational functions, social functions, intellectual functions, and assessment functions.
Facilitation technique: A manner of helping others learn. Facilitation techniques are used to carry out teaching functions.
One-online techniques: The techniques classified as one-online are characterized by retrieval of information from online resources and the fact that a learner can perform the learning task with little or no communication with the teacher or other students. One-online techniques include:
One-to-one techniques: The techniques classified as one-to-one are characterized by a one-to-one relationship and by individualized teaching and learning. The teaching and learning are facilitated in the communication process. So, CMC can be an effective support for these techniques when the communication can be conveyed by written text. On the other hand, one may contend that some of these techniques depend so much on personal relationships that frequent face-to-face meetings may be necessary.
One-to-many techniques: The techniques defined as one-to-many are characterized by presentation to students by one or more individual experts or by interacting experts. The learners are usually not invited to take active part in the interaction, so the communication is typically conducted in a conference or bulletin board system where students primarily have access to read. The techniques included are lectures, symposiums, and skits.
Many-to-many techniques: A characteristic of the techniques presented as many-to-many techniques is that all participants have the opportunity to take part in the interaction. The degree of teacher involvement can however vary considerably. Such interaction is the most common application of educational CMC and it can be facilitated in open or closed computer conferences. The techniques discussed are debate, simulation, role play, case study, discussion groups, transcript-based assignments, brainstorming, delphi technique, nominal group technique, forum, project group, and student presentation.