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

IEEE (The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers)
An organization whose Learning Technology Standards Committee is working to develop technical standards, recommended practices, and guides for computer implementations of education and training systems.

Source: Learning Circuits

ILS (integrated learning system)
A complete software, hardware, and network system used for instruction. In addition to providing curriculum and lessons organized by level, an ILS usually includes a number of tools such as assessments, record keeping, report writing, and user information files that help to identify learning needs, monitor progress, and maintain student records.

Source: Learning Circuits

ILT (instructor-led training)
Usually refers to traditional classroom training, in which an instructor teaches a course to a room of learners. The term is used synonymously with on-site training and classroom training (c-learning).

Source: Learning Circuits

IMS (Instructional Management System) Global Learning Consortium
Coalition of government organizations dedicated to defining and distributing open architecture interoperability specifications for e-learning products. See the IMS Website.

Source: Learning Circuits

Information architecture
A description or design specification for how information should be treated and organized. In Web design, the term describes the the organization of online content into categories and the creation of an interface for displaying those categories.

Source: Learning Circuits

Infrastructure
The underlying mechanism or framework of a system. In e-learning, the infrastructure includes the means by which voice, video, and data can be transferred from one site to another and be processed.

Source: Learning Circuits

Infrastructure (structure) A4
Land, facilities, plant, machinery, equipment (including personal protective equipment), apparatus, vehicles, spare components, working animals.

Source: PROMIS@Service Sarl

Instant messenger (IM)
Software that lists users selected "buddies" (friends, family, co-workers, and so forth) who are online and enables users to send short text messages back and forth to them. Some instant messenger programs also include voice chat, file transfer, and other applications.

Source: Learning Circuits

Instructional designer (ID)
An individual who applies a systematic methodology based on instructional theory to create content for learning.

Source: Learning Circuits

Integrated Management
Integrated Management is the understanding and effective direction of every aspect of an organisation so that the needs and expectations of all stakeholders are equitably satisfied by the best use of all resources.

Source: UK Chartered Quality Institute -Integrated Management Special Intertest Group - Ian Dalling etal.

Integrated Management System
A single set of coherent, structured management arrangements designed to establish the organisation's policy and objectives, and to control and guide the totality of its processes in order to meet those objectives and equitably satisfy its stakeholders.

Source: adapted from ISO 9000

Integrated management system consultant
Person who assists an organization in establishing, operating and improving an integrated management system.

Source: I. Dalling and S. Singer

Integration
Combining hardware, software (and, in e-learning, content) components together to work as an interoperable system. The process of integration may also include front-end planning and strategy.

Source: Learning Circuits

Intellectual property
An idea, invention, formula, literary work, presentation, or other knowledge asset owned by an organization or individual. Intellectual property can be protected by patents, trademarks, service marks, and/or copyrights.

Source: Learning Circuits

Interactive media
Allows for a two-way interaction or exchange of information.

Source: Learning Circuits

Internet
An international network first used to connect education and research networks, begun by the US government. The Internet now provides communication and application services to an international base of businesses, consumers, educational institutions, governments, and research organizations.

Source: Learning Circuits

Internet Explorer
Browser software that enables users to view Webpages.

Source: Learning Circuits

Internet-based training
Training delivered primarily by TCP/IP network technologies such as email, newsgroups, proprietary applications, and so forth. Although the term is often used synonymously with Web-based training, Internet-based training is not necessarily delivered over the World Wide Web, and may not use the HTTP and HTML technologies that make Web-based training possible.

Source: Learning Circuits

Interoperability
The ability of hardware or software components to work together effectively.

Source: Learning Circuits

Intranet
A LAN or WAN that is owned by a company and is only accessible to people working internally. It is protected from outside intrusion by a combination of firewalls and other security measures.

Source: Learning Circuits

IP
Abbreviation for Internet Protocol. A protocol that ensures data goes where it is supposed to go on the Internet.
IP multicast
Using the Internet Protocol, delivery of a learning event over a network from a single source to multiple participants.

Source: Learning Circuits

IRC
Abbreviation for Internet Relay Chat. An Internet service accessed through software programs that features real-time communication on channels devoted to specific topics.
Irregularity
any infringement of a provision of Community law or any breach of a contractual obligation resulting from an act or omission by a beneficiary or a member which has, or would have, the effect of prejudicing the general budget of the European Communities or budgets managed by it through unjustified expenditure.

Source: European Commission

ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network)
A telecommunications standard enabling communications channels to carry voice, video, and data simultaneously.

Source: Learning Circuits

ISO (International Organization for Standardization)
An international federation of national standards bodies. See the ISO Website.

Source: Learning Circuits

ISP (Internet service provider)
A hosting company that provides end user access to such Internet services as email, the World Wide Web, FTP, newsgroups, and so forth.

Source: Learning Circuits

IT (information technology)
The industry or discipline involving the collection, dissemination, and management of data, typically through the use of computers.

Source: Learning Circuits

IT training
A combination of desktop training and information systems and technical training. Includes training in areas such as system infrastructure software, application software, and application development tools.

Source: Learning Circuits

ITFS (Instructional Television Fixed Service)
Microwave-based, high-frequency television used in educational program delivery.

Source: Learning Circuits

Java
A high level programming language used to create web applications, run scripts or mini-programs embedded in web pages or applications, or to create an interface for a web site residing database and many other purposes. Created by Sun Microsystems and a chief rival of XML.
JavaScript
A proprietary scripting language by Netscape that adds author-specified user events to static pages.
JDBC (Java Database Connectivity)
An application program interface used to connect programs written in Java to the data in databases.

Source: Learning Circuits

Job aid
Any simple tool that helps a worker do his or her job (for example, a flow chart to follow when answering a customer service call). Job aids generally provide quick reference information rather than in-depth training.

Source: Learning Circuits

JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group)
This file format for color-rich images was developed by the Joint Photographic Experts Group committee. JPEG compresses graphics of photographic color depth better than competing file formats like GIF, and it retains a high degree of color fidelity.
This makes JPEG files smaller and therefore quicker to download. You can choose how much to compress a JPEG file, but since it is a lossy format, the smaller you compress the file, the more color information will be lost. JPEG files can be viewed by a variety of downloadable software on both the PC and Mac.
Just-in-time
Characteristic of e-learning in which learners are able to access the information they need exactly when they need it.

Source: Learning Circuits

kbps
Your modem's speed is measured in the number of bits it can transfer in a second. Modems rated in kilobits per second are now the standard.
kernel
Modern operating systems are typically built in layers, with each layer adding new capabilities, such as disk access techniques or a graphical user interface. But the essential layer, the foundation on which the rest of the operating system rests, is typically called a kernel.
In general, the kernel provides low-level services, such as memory management, basic hardware interaction, and security. Without the kernel, your system would stop.
kilobyte
Although kilo is Greek for a thousand, a kilobyte actually contains 1,024 bytes (that is 2 to the 10th power). In other words, a thousand bytes is actually less than a kilobyte. Remember that the next time you download a file. Abbreviated as KB.
KMS (knowledge management system)
See knowledge management.

Source: Learning Circuits

Knowledge
Knowledge, means the property of the contractor carrying out the work leading to that knowledge. It also means the results, including information, whether or not they can be protected, arising from the project governed by this contract, as well as copyrights or rights pertaining to such results following applications for, or the issue of patents, designs, plant varieties, supplementary protection certificates or similar forms of protection.

Source: European Commission

Knowledge - legal meaning
Knowledge means the results, including information, arising from the Project as well as copyright or rights attaching to the results following application for, or the issue or registration of, patents, designs and models, additional certificates or other similar forms of protection

Source: European Commission

Knowledge asset
Intellectual content possessed by an organization. Any piece of information that a worker at a company knows, from customer names to how to fix a piece of machinery, can be considered a knowledge asset.
Assets can be codified in a variety of formats, such as PowerPoint slides, Word documents, audio and video files, and so forth.

Source: Learning Circuits

Knowledge base
A specialized database that stores knowledge assets.

Source: Learning Circuits

Knowledge Management
Knowledge management is the management of the organization towards the continuous renewal of the organizational knowledge base - this means e.g. creation of supportive organizational structures, facilitation of organizational members, putting IT-instruments with emphasis on teamwork and diffusion of knowledge (as e.g. groupware) into place. –

Source: Thomas Bertels

LAN
Abbreviation for Local Area Network. Used to connect computers over a short distance such as computers within the same company or office.
Laser printer
While considerably more complex and expensive than most other common printer types, laser printers are capable of producing extremely high-quality text and graphics (including color) at fantastic speeds. At their most basic, laser printers apply an electrostatic charge to a drum inside the printer cartridge.
A laser or a light-emitting diode then discharges portions of the drum to form the characters or graphics. Charged toner attaches itself to these discharged sections. A charged piece of paper is passed over the drum, transferring the toner. The toner is heated and fused to the sheet.
LCMS (learning content management system)
A software application (or set of applications) that manages the creation, storage, use, and reuse of learning content. LCMSs often store content in granular forms such as learning objects.

Source: Learning Circuits

Learning
A cognitive and/or physical process in which a person assimilates information and temporarily or permanently acquires or improves skills, knowledge, behaviors, and/or attitudes.

Source: Learning Circuits

Learning environment
The physical or virtual setting in which learning takes place.

Source: Learning Circuits