Co-funded by the European Commission
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Glossary

PROMISLingua has a very innovative approach which requires a common understanding and a common nomenclature. The following section presents a list of specialist words and their definitions

CAI (Computer Assisted Instruction)
The use of a computer as a medium of instruction for tutorial, drill and practice, simulation, or games. CAI is used for both initial and remedial training, and typically does not require that a computer be connected to a network or provide links to learning resources outside of the course. See also CBT.

Source: Learning Circuits

Case study
A scenario used to illustrate the application of a learning concept. May be either factual or hypothetical.

Source: Learning Circuits

CBL (Computer-Based Learning)
See CBT.

Source: Learning Circuits

CBT (computer-based training)
An umbrella term for the use of computers in both instruction and management of the teaching and learning process. CAI (computer-assisted instruction) and CMI (computer-managed instruction) are included under the heading of CBT. Some people use the terms CBT and CAI interchangeably.

Source: Learning Circuits

CD-ROM (compact disc read-only memory or compact disc read-only media)
A computer storage medium similar to the audio CD that can hold more than 600 megabytes of read-only digital information.

Source: Learning Circuits

Certification
1) The awarding of a credential acknowledging that an individual has demonstrated proof of a minimum level of knowledge or competence, as defined by a professional standards organization. Professional certification can be used as a screening tool and verification of an individual s skills and knowledge.
2) Program that evaluates products or tools according to predetermined criteria, such as ASTD s E-Learning Courseware Certification (eCC).

Source: Learning Circuits

Change of control
Any change in the control exercised over a beneficiary. Such control may result in particular from:
  • direct or indirect holding of a majority of the share capital of the beneficiary or a majority of the voting rights of the latter's shareholders or associates
  • direct or indirect holding in fact or in law of decision-making powers in the beneficiary.

Source: European Commission

Chat
This rather generic term has come to describe one of the more popular activities on the Internet. Using special software, Internet users can enter chat areas or "virtual spaces," where they can communicate in real time.
While most chat software only lets users talk by typing, more advanced products assign avatars, 2D or 3D characters, to each participant. These avatars may even have expressions selected by the chatters. The most advanced products not only use avatars, but also let users with sound cards speak to each other.
Chat room
A virtual meeting space on the Internet, an intranet, or other network, used for real-time text discussions. Unlike one-to-one instant messenger applications, chat rooms enable conversations among multiple people at once.

Source: Learning Circuits

Check
‘Check’ forms the third stage of the PDCA natural improvement cycle. Monitoring and (where appropriate) measuring processes and their outcomes against the planned policies, objectives and requirements.

Source: PROMIS@Service Sarl

Chunk
(noun) A discrete portion of content, often consisting of several learning objects grouped together. (verb) To separate content into discrete portions or aggregate smaller content elements into customized configurations.

Source: Learning Circuits

Circulated letters
Stating company policies on a certain issue to all suppliers, contractors and/or buying agents.

Source: http://www-old.itcilo.org

Classroom training
See instructor-led training.

Source: Learning Circuits

Client
The customer side of a client/server setup. To confuse matters, when you log on to a server, the word client can refer to you, to your computer, or to the software running on your computer. For example, to download something from an ftp site, you use ftp client software.
Client-server
Two computer systems linked by a network or modem connection where the client computer uses resources by sending requests to the server computer.
CLO (Chief Learning Officer)
The executive with primary responsibility for strategic human capital development. The CLO ensures that all learning investments focus on accomplishing the organization s mission, strategy, and goals;

  • provides a single point of accountability for those investments;
  • develops the corporate learning strategy;
  • creates a culture of continuous learning;
  • fosters communities of practice;
  • integrates training functions;
  • drives cultural transformation;
  • measures the impact on organizational performance.

The CLO increasingly reports to either the CEO or senior vice president of HR. He or she is to learning what the CFO and CIO are to finance and information technology.

Source: Learning Circuits

CMI (computer-managed instruction)
The use of computer technology to oversee the learning process, including testing and record keeping.

Source: Learning Circuits

CMS (content management system)
A centralized software application or set of applications that facilitates and streamlines the process of designing, testing, approving, and posting e-learning content, usually on Webpages.

Source: Learning Circuits

CMYK
CMYK identifies the four colors used in traditional printing presses, and stands for, respectively, cyan, magenta, yellow, and black.
Coaching
A process in which a more experienced person, the coach, provides a worker or workers with constructive advice and feedback with the goal of improving performance.

Source: Learning Circuits

CoD (Content on demand)
Delivery of an offering, packaged in a media format, anywhere, anytime via a network. Variants include audio on demand (AoD) and video on demand (VoD).

Source: Learning Circuits

Code of conduct
A set of conventional principles and expectations that are considered binding on any person who is a member of a particular group

Source: http://www.thefreedictionary.com

Codec (coder/decoder)
Device used to convert analog signals to digital signals for transmission, and to reconvert signals upon reception at the remote site, while allowing for the signal to be compressed for less expensive transmission.

Source: Learning Circuits

Collaboration technology
Software, platforms, or services that enable people at different locations to communicate and work with each other in a secure, self-contained environment. May include capabilities for document management, application sharing, presentation development and delivery, whiteboarding, chat, and more.

Source: Learning Circuits

Collaboratory
A collaboratory is a community made up of individuals and organizations who agree to work together with the goal of solving problems or innovating more effectively by using the power of their collective resources, expertise and knowledge.

Source: S. Joseph Dal Molin

Commerce (structure) A2
All structural elements that form the operational basis for the organisation to perform commercial processes such as trading and financial processes etc.\r\nThese can include, for example:
\r\n
    \r\n
  • Financial and constitutional arrangements;
  • \r\n
  • Contracts, certificates or other documents relating to delivery or supply of products and/or services.
  • \r\n

Source: PROMIS@Service Sarl

Commercial Marketing
Commercial marketing, defined as the industry's search of a positive answer from the side of consumers and public, concerning quality and volumes of the own products and services, with the primary, although not exclusive goal: the own profit

Source: (c) 1994, FUTUREtec

Common carrier
A government-regulated private company that furnishes the public with telecommunications services (for example, phone companies).

Source: Learning Circuits

Community
See online community.

Source: Learning Circuits

Competence
The ability to perform in a post or role or perform a task to a required standard.

Source: I. Dalling + S. Singer

Competency management
A system used to evaluate skills, knowledge, and performance within an organization; spot gaps; and introduce training, compensation, and recruiting programs based on current or future needs.

Source: Learning Circuits

Complementary Grant Agreement
Complementary grant agreement, means a grant agreement concluded with the Community in respect of work technically related to the project, including for use purposes, and recognised in writing by the beneficiaries to each grant agreement as being complementary.

Source: European Commission

Compliance certificates
which require suppliers, buying agents, or contractors to certify in writing that they abide by the company s stated standards.

Source: http://www-old.itcilo.org

Compliance codes
Directive statements giving guidance and prohibiting certain kinds of conduct.

Source: http://www-old.itcilo.org

Compliant (standards-compliant)
E-learning that meets established standards of, and has received official approval from, an accrediting organization. See also conformant.

Source: Learning Circuits

Compressed file
A computer file that has been reduced in size by a compression software program. The user must decompress these files before they can be viewed or used.

Source: Learning Circuits

Compressed video
Video signals downsized to allow travel along a smaller carrier.

Source: Learning Circuits

Conformant (standards-conformant)
E-learning that meets the standards of an accrediting organization but that has not gone through the formal application process to be deemed compliant.

Source: Learning Circuits

Connect time
The amount of time that a terminal or computer has been logged on to a computer or server for a particular session.

Source: Learning Circuits

Consortium
means all the beneficiaries and members participating in the project covered by this grant agreement.

Source: European Commission

Consortium agreement
means an agreement concluded between beneficiaries in order to specify or supplement, between themselves, the provisions of this grant agreement.

Source: European Commission

Container
A myPROMIS Container is an element at the top of, or within, a container tree, and which contains or is capable of containing further containers or objects.

Source: PROMIS@Service Sarl

Content
Information captured digitally and imparted to learners.

Source: Learning Circuits

Content Management
Content management includes the process of tracking and managing a document end-to-end, from creation to copyediting to Web posting and, finally, to the archive.
It can include collaborative authoring so that a group can work on a document in an efficient manner that avoids hazards such as the game of "who's got the latest version?" as well as management of the content development workflow.
Convergence
A result of the digital era in which various types of digital information, such as text, audio, and video, and their delivery mechanisms -television, telecommunications, and consumer electronics- are combined together in new integrated forms. WebTV is an example of convergence between televisions and computer technology.

Source: Learning Circuits

Cookie
Information stored on a user s computer after he or she visits a Website. The cookie tracks data about that user but can be disabled in the browser.

Source: Learning Circuits

Corporate credos
Broad general statements of corporate commitments to constituencies, values and objectives.

Source: http://www-old.itcilo.org

Corporate university
A learning organization with a governance system that aligns all learning with the corporate or agency mission, strategy, and goals. The governance system typically includes a governing board consisting of the CEO and other senior executives and a chief learning officer (CLO) who has overall responsibility for managing the organization s investment in learning.
CEOs of best-practice learning organizations leverage their corporate university to achieve performance goals, drive cultural transformation, reform and integrate training departments, and establish and sustain competitive advantage through learning.

Source: Learning Circuits

Courseware
Any type of instructional or educational course delivered via a software program or over the Internet.

Source: Learning Circuits

CPU (central processing unit)
The CPU – a highly complex silicon chip ranging from the size of a matchbook to the wallet-sized Intel Xeon – is your computer's brain, taking requests from applications and then processing, or executing, actions, a.k.a. operations.
The faster your processor, the more operations it can execute per second. The more operations you have per second, the faster things happen in your applications; thus, games play more smoothly, and spreadsheets calculate more quickly.
Sometimes the term CPU is also used to describe the whole box that contains the chip (along with the motherboard, expansion cards, disk drives, power supply, and so on). Both uses are widespread, but only the first is really accurate.