Exercise

Acronyms 

Directions: Find words or phrases standing for the following acronyms with short descriptions.

1. IT  the abbreviation for “information technology” (the study and use if electric processes and equipment to store and send information of all kinds, including words, pictures and numbers.)
            Information technology (IT) is the use of any computers, storage, networking and other physical devices, infrastructure and processes to create, process, store, secure and exchange all forms of electronic data.   

Reference:  http://searchdatacenter.techtarget.com/definition/IT

2. ICT  the abbreviation for “information and communications technology” (the study and use of computers, internet, video, and other technology as a subject at school.)
            ICT, or information and communications technology (or technologies), is the infrastructure and components that enable modern computing.
Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ICT

3. CAI  stands for “Computer-Assisted Instruction or Computer-Aided Instruction"

              Computer-assisted instruction (CAI), a program of instructional material presented by means of a computer or computer systems.

Reference: https://www.britannica.com/topic/computer-assisted-instruction

4. CALL  stands for "Computer Assisted Language Learning"

              Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) is often perceived, somewhat narrowly, as an approach to language teaching and learning in which the computer is used as an aid to the presentation, reinforcement and assessment of material to be learned, usually including a substantial interactive element. Levy (1997:1) defines CALL more succinctly and more broadly as "the search for and study of applications of the computer in language teaching and learning". Levy's definition is in line with the view held by the majority of modern CALL practitioners. For a comprehensive overview of CALL see ICT4LT Module 1.4, Introduction to Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL)

Reference:  https://www.llas.ac.uk/resources/gpg/61

5. WBI stands for "Web Based Instruction"

               Web-based instruction (WBI) is a hypermedia-based instructional program which utilizes the attributes and resources of the World Wide Web to create a meaningful learning environment where learning is fostered and supported. ( Khan, 1997 , p. 6) Learn more in: Perceptions of Competencies Developed in an Active Learning Course Featuring the Design of Web-Based Instruction on Mathematics         

Reference: https://www.igi-global.com/dictionary/web-based-instruction-wbi/32415

6. CBI stands for "Computer Based Instruction"

              Computer-based instruction, or CBI, is a teaching approach that integrates computer software programs with other teaching materials in the classroom. Other terms used for CBI are: computer-based training, computer-assisted instruction and computer-assisted learning. There are many ways CBI can be used in the classrooms or as standalone learning tools. Teachers use CBI for drills and practices, tutorials, simulations, and instructional games.

Reference http://classroom.synonym.com/computerbased-instruction-education6081722.html

7. CMC  stands for "Computer Mediated Communication"

              Computer-mediated communication (CMC) is a process in which human data interaction occurs through one or more networked telecommunication systems. A CMC interaction occurs through various types of networking technology and software, including email, Internet Relay Chat (IRC), instant messaging (IM), Usenet and mailing list servers.         

Reference: https://www.techopedia.com/definition/392/computer-mediated-communication-cmc

8. TELL stands for "Teaching English Language Learners"

            Teaching English Language Learners: Content and Language in Middle and Secondary Mainstream Classrooms provides a reader-friendly guide to implementing and assessing high-level, content-area instruction for English Language Learners. Beginning with an overview of second language acquisition and the cultural variables that impact teaching and learning, authors Michaela Colombo and Dana Furbush go on to detail planning strategies, units and lessons. Practical in nature, this text focuses on the areas where it is often most difficult to make content comprehensible and build academic language skills: middle and secondary math, English language arts, history, and science. 

  Reference: https://www.amazon.com/Teaching-English-Language-Learners-Mainstream/dp/1412959659

9. MUD stands for "Multiple User Dungeon"

            A MUD or Multi-User Dungeon is an inventively structured social experience on the Internet, managed by a computer program and often involving a loosely organized context or theme, such as a rambling old castle with many rooms or a period in national history. Some MUDs are ongoing adventure games; others are educational in purpose; and others are simply social. MUDs existed prior to the World Wide Web, accessible through Telnet to a computer that hosted the MUD. Today, many MUDs can be accessed through a Web site and some are perhaps better known as "3-D worlds."

Reference:  http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/MUD-Multi-User-Dungeon

10. MOO stands for "MUD Object Oriented"

             A MOO is a text-based online virtual reality system to which multiple users (players) are connected at the same time.

The term MOO is used in two distinct, but related, senses. One is to refer to those programs descended from the original MOOcow server, and the other is to refer to any MUD that uses object-oriented techniques to organize its database of objects, particularly if it does so in a similar fashion to the original MOO or its derivatives. Most of this article refers to the original MOO and its direct descendants, but see Non-Descendant MOOs for a list of MOO-like systems.Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MOO

Directions: Describe the following terms.

Directions: Describe the following terms.

Synchronous Tools

If using the “same time, different place” model of communication, some common barriers to implementation of synchronous tools are cost and bandwidth—not only cost and bandwidth on your end, as the individual teacher or the institution, but also to the students. This is especially true with conferencing systems; video/web conferencing requires equipment to deliver but also to receive. Although the benefits of real-time video conferencing are clear—it’s as near to a physical classroom environment as you can get—the software, hardware, and bandwidth necessary on both sides can be more cost-prohibitive than actually physically attending a class.

Some learning management systems/e-learning systems/virtual learning environments have integrated synchronous tools within the delivery platform—here I’m thinking specifically about Blackboard’s integrated chat and whiteboard features. Although there are still software, hardware, and bandwidth requirements for these tools, the requirements are likely not as cost-prohibitive as those required for video conferencing.

But when thinking about setting up synchronous discussion, don’t discount the basic, free, “old school” group instant messaging platform, ICQ.

Asynchronous Tools

But when it comes to virtual communication in support of our classes, asynchronous communication is by far the more popular model if for no other reason than the barriers to implementation tend to be much lower—many of these tools are free and require minimal hardware and software. The drawbacks of asynchronous tools are that they are by nature less timely and efficient—they are asynchronous, after all. However, planned excursions with asynchronous tools can turn into synchronous events. In other words, if students and instructors all happen to be logged in to a discussion board, conversation can happen in near-real time.

Common examples of “different time, different place” tools include:

• Discussion boards: whether integrated into your online learning environment or not (such as Google Groups), well-managed discussion board can produce incredibly rich conversations about the topics at hand.

• Blogs: my personal favorite, as not only are the students discussing with one another (and the instructor), but they’re learning something about writing for a wider audience who may or may not be listening in. The open nature of blogs also allows for communication between students in other classes at other institutions who are studying the same topics. You might have to make “comment on blogs” count for a grade in order for some students to do it, but such is the nature of the beast—those students probably wouldn’t talk in class, either.

• Social Networking Sites: Facebook and Twitter can play important roles in your asynchronous communications strategy. Facebook pages for a class can be the destination for up-to-date information about the course, without your students having to friend you (or even one another). Twitter, and Twitter lists, can be useful sites of asynchronous discussion, although not in the threaded format that one is used to seeing in a discussion board setting.

• E-mail/Listservs: Some people consider mailing lists to be quaint relics of a previous technological age, but it’s hard to argue with the fact that they still work: an e-mail based discussion list does afford one the ability to carry on threaded discussions in a private environment, yet outside the confines of a managed system (for discussion boards). In fact, Google Groups (referenced above) is a threaded discussion board that can also take place via e-mail, putting a different twist on the typical concept of the listserv.

Referents:

http://nootaa.blogspot.com/2012/08/acronyms-related-to-computer-technology.html

http://www.chronicle.com/blogs/profhacker/tools-for-synchronousasynchronous-classroom-discussion/22902