Co-funded by the European Commission
English Spanish French Greek Hungarian Portuguese Romanian

 

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

Safety Consultant
1) Physicians - health, chronic illnesses safety engineers and technicians - health and safety in the workplace the provision of advice relating to hazards from dangerous substances, equipment for personal protection, and other elements of a safe workplace. They need a special training.
2) Chemical and process engineers focus on plant safety to ensure safe production processes, fire and explosion prevention. Some of these engineers are registered, as required by law. environmental engineers to ensure environmental safety such as the prevention of air and water pollution.
Authorities are also a critical part of the health and safety context because of the role they play in, flow and exchange of information.

Source: PROMIS@Service Sarl

Scalability
The degree to which a computer application or component can be expanded in size, volume, or number of users served and continue to function properly.

Source: Learning Circuits

Scanner
A device that converts a printed page or image into an digital representation that can be viewed and manipulated on a computer.

Source: Learning Circuits

Schema
1) A relatively simple textual description or representation of the internal structure of a database, including table names, element names, and relationships between elements.
2) One of several new entities that define the structure and content parameters for XML documents.

Source: Learning Circuits

SCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference Model)
A set of specifications that, when applied to course content, produces small, reusable learning objects. A result of the Department of Defense s Advance Distributed Learning (ADL) initiative, SCORM-compliant courseware elements can be easily merged with other compliant elements to produce a highly modular repository of training materials.

Source: Learning Circuits

Screen reader
Computer software that speaks text on the screen. Often used by individuals who are visually impaired.

Source: Learning Circuits

Screenshot
A picture of a computer display that shows the display at a given point in time. Also called a screen capture. Annotated screenshots are often used in software manuals and training programs.

Source: Learning Circuits

Script
A program or set of instructions not carried out by the computer processor but by another program. Code is interpreted at run time rather than being stored in executable format.

Source: Learning Circuits

Scripting language
See Script.

Source: Learning Circuits

Scroll
To move text and images on a computer screen in a constant direction - down, up, right, or left.

Source: Learning Circuits

Seamless technology
Technology that is easy to use, intuitive in nature, and is not the focus of the learning experience. Also called transparent technology.

Source: Learning Circuits

Search Engine
A tool or program which allows keyword searching for relevant sites or information on the Internet. General and topic-specific search engines are prevalent today, for example, Education World, WebCrawler, Infoseek, Lycos, and Yahoo are examples of search engines.
Self-assessment
The process by which the learner determines his or her personal level of knowledge and skills.

Source: Learning Circuits

Self-paced learning
An offering in which the learner determines the pace and timing of content delivery.

Source: Learning Circuits

Self-sustaining Marketing
Self-sustaining marketing, defined as marketing the results of research with all financial benefits constantly reinvested in further research, to benefit society.

Source: (c) 1996 FUTUREtec

Semantic Web
A concept proposed by World Wide Web inventor Tim Berners-Lee. States that the Web can be made more useful by using methods such as content tags to enable computers to understand what they are displaying and to communicate effectively with each other. That, says Berners-Lee, will increase users ability to find the information they see.

Source: Learning Circuits

Serial bus
A channel through which information flows, one bit at a time, between two or more devices in or connected to a computer. A bus typically has multiple points of access through which devices can attach to it.

Source: Learning Circuits

Serial port
A connection point for peripheral devices to be attached to a computer, through which data transmission occurs one bit at a time.

Source: Learning Circuits

Server
A computer with a special service function on a network, generally to receive and connect incoming information traffic.

Source: Learning Circuits

Service Provider
A company that provides dial-up or direct access to the Internet for a fee. Sometimes referred to as ISP (internet service provider).
Shareware
Copyrighted software that is available for personal use for a small fee, and often downloadable from the Internet.
Simulations
Highly interactive applications that allow the learner to model or role-play in a scenario. Simulations enable the learner to practice skills or behaviors in a risk-free environment.

Source: Learning Circuits

Skill gap analysis
Compares a person s skills to the skills required for the job to which they have been, or will be, assigned. A simple skill gap analysis consists of a list of skills required along with a rating of the employee s level for each skill. Ratings below a predetermined level identify a skill gap.

Source: Learning Circuits

Skills inventory
A list of skills or competencies that an individual posssess, usually created by self-evaluation.

Source: Learning Circuits

SLIP (Serial Line Internet Protocol)
A means of allowing a user to connect to the Internet directly over a high-speed modem. Also see PPP. SLIP is older and used less frequently than PPP.

Source: Learning Circuits

Slow scan converter
A transmitter or receiver of still video over narrowband channels. In real time, camera subjects must remain still for highest resolution.

Source: Learning Circuits

Small or medium sized enterprises (SME)
Enterprises qualify as micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) if they fulfill the criteria in the table below. In addition to the staff headcount ceiling, an enterprise qualifies as an SME if it meets either the turnover ceiling or the balance sheet ceiling, but not necessarily both.

Source: European Commission

Soft skills
Business skills such as communication and presentation, leadership and management, human resources, sales and marketing, professional development, project and time management, customer service, team building, administration, accounting and finance, purchasing, and personal development.

Source: Learning Circuits

Software
A set of instructions that tell a computer what to do; a program.

Source: Learning Circuits

Source code
Program instructions written by a software developer and later translated (usually by a compiler) into machine language that a computer can understand.

Source: Learning Circuits

Spam
(noun) Junk email that is sent, unsolicted and in bulk, to advertise products or services or publicize a message. The term may have originated from a Monty Python song.
(verb) To send unsolicited bulk email to advertise products or services or publicize a message.

Source: Learning Circuits

Special documents
(typically referred to as "codes of conduct") outlining company values, principles and guidelines in a variety of areas. These documents are a means for companies to clearly and publicly state the way in which they intend to do business to their suppliers, customers, consumers and shareholders.

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

Specification
A plan, instruction, or protocol for e-learning that is established or agreed upon. Specification is often used interchangeably with standard, but the two terms are not truly synonymous. Specifications become standards only after they have been approved by an accrediting agency.

Source: Learning Circuits

SQL
Language for accessing information in a database and updating entries.

Source: Learning Circuits

Stakeholder
A person with a vested interest in the successful completion of a project. Stakeholders in e-learning often include the developer, the facilitator, the learners, the learners managers, customers, and so forth.

Source: Learning Circuits

Standard e-learning
An e-learning specification established as a model by a governing authority such as IEEE or ISO to ensure quality, consistency, and interoperability.

Source: Learning Circuits

Storyboard
(noun) An outline of a multimedia project in which each page represents a screen to be designed and developed.
(verb) To create a storyboard.

Source: Learning Circuits

Streaming media (streaming audio or video)
Audio or video files played as they are being downloaded over the Internet instead of users having to wait for the entire file to download first. Requires a media player program.

Source: Learning Circuits

Structure
Structure is everything that can be recorded with a still camera because it is not time related. It does not essentially change with time. Structure includes myPROMIS elements (containers) A1 to A6.

Source: PROMIS@Service Sarl

Studying
The self-directed practice of reviewing instructional material (usually as a follow-up to instruction) to improve retention and understanding. Aims to increase or improve skills or knowledge in the long-term, although some people argue that studying only places information in the short-term memory and mainly serves the goal of improving performance on tests.

Source: Learning Circuits

Style sheets
In traditional print publishing and on the Web, style sheets specify how a document should appear, standardizing such elements as fonts, page layout and line spacing, repeated content, and so forth. Web style sheets help ensure consistency across Webpages, but HTML coding can also override the sheets in designated sections of the pages. Also see CSS.

Source: Learning Circuits

Subcontract
means an agreement to provide services, supplies or goods concluded between a participant and one or more subcontractors for the specific needs of the project.

Source: European Commission

Subcontractor
means a legal entity, an international organisation or the JRC, which has concluded a subcontract.

Source: European Commission

Subject Matter Expert
SHE-Q Subject Matter Expert:
A qualified consultant (ISO and/or EMAS and/or OSHAS) or recognized* experienced and competent technical expert, who provides advice, resources and training to Small and Medium Enterprises and other companies in required aspects of : best practice techniques, regulatory conformance, performance assessment and management and continuous improvement in the fields of Occupational and Process Safety and Quality in production.

*recognized = Practitioner whose industrial career is in leadership of his technical field within SHE-Q having demonstrated competence required by his employer and by regulatory authorities. Practitioner recognized by publication of technical work in the scientific and technical community.

Source: Dr. Richard Gowland, Director of EPSC Center, UK

Synchronous learning
A real-time, instructor-led online learning event in which all participants are logged on at the same time and communicate directly with each other. In this virtual classroom setting, the instructor maintains control of the class, with the ability to "call on" participants. In most platforms, students and teachers can use a whiteboard to see work in progress and share knowledge. Interaction may also occur via audio- or videoconferencing, Internet telephony, or two-way live broadcasts.

Source: Learning Circuits

Synergy
The dynamic energetic atmosphere created in an online class when participants interact and productively communicate with each other.

Source: Learning Circuits

System requirements
The technological conditions required to run a software application. Includes the operating system, programming language, database, hardware configuration, bandwidth, processing power, and so forth.

Source: Learning Circuits