Bonus: 50 Ways to Teach Online - Glossary of Important Terms

Excerpt from "50 Ways to Teach Online: Tips for ESL/EFL Teachers" by Dr. Justin Shewell. You can
purchase an electronic copy of the book at https://www.amazon.com/Fifty-Ways-Teach-Online-Teachers-
ebook/dp/B01M5IS58Q

Glossary of Important Terms

Here are some terms used frequently in this book that may be unfamiliar to you, especially if you are
new to online learning and teaching. While some of the terms may have varying definitions, or be used
differently by different people in the field, these definitions are the ones that make the most sense in the
context of this book.

Asynchronous – When students are online and accessing course content at different times from each
other and the instructor. Most online courses function using an asynchronous model.

Audio conference – Using a microphone along with a network connection to allow people in different
geographical locations to hear and speak to each other. Audio conferences are often conducted over the
Internet or via telephone technology.

Blended learning – A model of instruction where online and face-to-face instruction are combined in a
single course or context. Students will often complete a certain number of online learning activities
before meeting in person with an instructor for additional learning activities.

Courseware – Another term for Learning Management System (see below). It can also refer to
instructional software or applications installed on a learner’s computer rather than accessed via the
Internet.

Discussion boards – A type of communication platform that allows students to send messages to each
other. Messages are often grouped into threads, and most discussion boards are accessible by all
students, which is different that some private messaging features.

Distance learning or distance education – An educational context where the learners and instructor(s)
are not in the same geographical location. Before the Internet and the Information Age, distance learning
was conducted by mail and was sometimes called correspondence learning. Today, distance learning
almost always refers lessons delivered via technology, usually via the Internet.

eLearning – Short for electronic learning: any educational context where lessons are delivered via
technology, such as a computer, tablet or other mobile device. Often eLearning is used in a distance
learning context, but it can also be used in face-to-face contexts.

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions.

Instructional design – The deliberate planning and development of educational materials to fit a specific
learning context. The process of designing instruction generally involves determining the needs of the
learners, defining clear learning objectives, planning learning activities that help accomplish those
learning objectives, and designing assessments that effectively determine if those learning objectives
have been met.

LMS – Learning Management System. The software or website that stores and distributes course
materials to your students. An LMS usually features a way for students to communicate with each other
such as a discussion board, and a way for students to submit assignments. Common LMSs include
Blackboard, Canvas, and Moodle. Some online education companies, like Pearson or Coursera, have
developed their own LMS for their courses.

MOOC – Massive Open Online Course. While there is some debate about the details of what a MOOC is,
generally a MOOC refers to a course that is available to anyone online and has hundreds if not thousands
of learners all accessing course materials and assignments at the same time. Obviously there will be
some differences between MOOCs and other types of online courses that have fewer students or where
student enrollment is more controlled.

Media – Images, audio, video, or text.

Multimedia – The use of different types of media together to deliver instruction.

Netiquette – A combination of the words “net” and “etiquette.” This usually refers to a set of rules and
manners that guide students in how they behave and interact with others in online settings.

Online learning – Generally similar to eLearning, except that the lessons are delivered via the Internet.

Social media – Media (see above) that are created and/or shared on a social network (see below).

Social network – A website or platform that allows its users to connect and share ideas and media with
others. Common examples of social networks include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and many
others.

Streaming media – Instead of downloading an entire file to a computer before playing the media,
streaming media begins playing as soon as enough data has been downloaded, and continues to
download in the background. A common example is a YouTube video, where the video begins playing
before the entire video file has been loaded; and as the video plays, it continues to download until the
entire file has been downloaded.

Synchronous – When students are accessing instructional materials and lesson activities at the same
time. Examples of synchronous activities might be a video conference (see below) or online chat session,
or when students login to watch the instructor deliver a lecture live rather than watching a recording.

Q & A – Question and Answer.

Video conference – Using cameras and microphones combined with some type of network connection to
allow people in different geographical locations to see and hear each other synchronously.

Virtual classroom – A digital space where learners and instructors can interact and conduct learning
activities. Most virtual classroom software provides a way for instructors to share media with learners,
hear and sometimes see learners, and record the interactions so they can be played back later.
Webinar – A seminar conducted through a video or audio conference, usually via the Internet. Webinars
are often recorded and distributed to a wider audience for those who could not attend the live session.