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The Field of IT ~ Glossary ~ Definition of IT |
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ANOVA - Stands for Analysis of Variables. A test of the statistical significance of the differences among the mean scores of two or more groups on one or more variables. ASSURE model - a procedural, utilization guide helping instructors plan for and implement the use of media in teaching. Adult learning principals - The adult must also understand and be able to interpret and apply the information. Apply design principles - The principles of design suggest how a designer can best arrange the various elements of a page layout in connection to the overall design. Assessment – a measure of individual learning for various purposes, including a determination of readiness for learning, monitoring progress, and measuring achievement after instruction. Asynchronous - Lack of synchronous or coincidence (happenstance or accident) in time. Audiovisual Technologies – are ways to produce or deliver materials by using mechanical or electronic machines to present auditory and visual messages (AECT 2001). Benchmarking - the process of comparing curricula and other organizational information with best practice programs. Business case – the business-related reason for which a training or performance intervention is needed. Consultant – an individual or organization retained to work on a project because of specific expertise. May be internal to one’s organization or external. Related Term: Contractor. Competency – a knowledge, skill or attitude that enables one to effectively perform the activities of a given occupation or function to the standards expected in employment. Related Term: Competence. Computer-Based Technologies – are ways to produce or deliver materials using microprocessor-based resources (AECT 2001). Confirmative evaluation – the process of determining whether over time learners have maintained their level of competence, the instructional materials remain effective, and the organizational problems have been solved. Confirmative evaluation occurs after formative and summative evaluation (Seels and Richey, 1994, p. 126). Constructivism - is a philosophy of learning founded on the premise that, by reflecting on our experiences, we construct our own understanding of the world we live in. Each of us generates our own "rules" and "mental models," which we use to make sense of our experiences. Learning, therefore, is simply the process of adjusting our mental models to accommodate new experiences. Cost benefit analysis – a comparison of the economic benefits of the program to the actual and opportunity costs of the program. Related Term: Trade-off analysis. Criterion-Referenced Measurement – involves techniques for determining learner mastery of pre-specified content. Related Terms: tests, content-referenced, objective-referenced, domain-referenced (Seels & Richey 1994 (p. 56)). Criticality – the extent to which a behavior or activity is viewed as essential to a designer’s job. Curriculum – a large body of organized and sequential instruction, consisting of programs and courses. May also refer to the aggregate of modules or courses directed toward a common goal of a given organization, or a collection of required readings. Customer – a person or organization for which a service is performed. May be internal to one’s organization or external. Related Term: Client. Deliverables - an accepted thing or purpose that can result of a task execution. Delivery system – a means of organizing, presenting, or distributing instruction, typically employing a variety of media, methods and materials. Delivery System Management – involves planning, monitoring and controlling “the method by which distribution of instructional materials is organized . . . [It is] a combination of medium and method of usage that is employed to present instructional information to a learner” (Ellington and Harris, 1986, p. 47) and (Seels & Richey 1994 (p. 51)). Design – is the process of specifying conditions for learning. The purpose of design is to create strategies and products at the macro level, such as programs and curricula, and at the micro level, such as lessons and modules. Diffusion of Innovations - a concept suggesting that customers first enter a market at different times, depending on their attitude to innovation and new products, and their willingness to take risks. Customers can thus be classified as innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority and laggards. Diffusion of Innovations is the process of communicating through planned strategies for the purpose of gaining adoption (AECT 2001). Domain – a cluster of related competencies. Other uses: a subject matter area. The Domain of Design – encompasses the following domains of theory and research: Instructional Systems Design; Message Design; Instructional Strategies; and Learner Characteristics. The Domain of Development – is the process of translating the design specifications into physical form. The Domain of Management – involves controlling Instructional Technology through planning, organizing, coordinating and supervising (AECT 2001). E-learning specialist – a person with expertise in the delivery of content via all electronics media, including the Internet, intranets, satellite broadcast, multi-media, audio/video tape, interactive TV and CD-ROM. Essential capabilities – those knowledge, skills, and judgments that all designers should be able to demonstrate. Applied to both competencies and performance statements. Evaluation – the process of determining the adequacy, value, outcomes and impact of instruction and learning (adapted from Seels and Richey, 1994, p. 128). Evaluation is the process of determining the adequacy of instruction and learning (AECT 2001). Expert instructional designer – a person with a foundation of formal training in the field, typically a graduate degree, substantial work experience, and the facility to anticipate design problems and quickly identify effective design solutions. Related Term: Experienced instructional designer. Expertise – the level of knowledge and experience demonstrated by designers who are typically categorized as either novice, experienced, or expert. Field – the roles practitioners play, areas of special knowledge, requirements for being a professional in the field (Marriner-Tomey, 1989). Flowcharting - The process of using flowcharts to depict a process, procedure or activity. Formative evaluation – gathering information on the adequacy of an instructional product or program and using this information as a basis for further development (Seels and Richey, 1994, p. 57). Formative Evaluation – involves gathering information on adequacy and using this information as a basis for further development (AECT 2001). Fundamental research skills – those skills which are basic to scientific investigation, including the design of exploratory studies and field tests, instrument design and data collection techniques, and the interpretation and analysis of qualitative and quantitative data. Gap - a “gap between ‘what is’ and ‘what should be’ in terms of results” Kaufman, 1972. Group dynamics - Phenomena that occur in groups based upon their interactions and interrelations. Heuristics - A problem-solving technique in which the most appropriate solution is selected using rules. Interfaces using heuristics may perform different actions on different data given the same command. All systems using heuristics are classified as intelligent. Hypermedia - graphics, audio, video, plain text and hyperlinks intertwined to create a generally non-linear medium of information. Implementation and Institutionalization – using instructional materials or strategies in real (not simulated) settings. Institutionalization is the continuing, routine use of the instructional innovation in the structure and culture of an organization Seels & Richey 1994 (47)). Individualization – tailoring instruction to meet the abilities, knowledge, skills, interests, motivation and goals of individual learners. Information Management - involves planning, monitoring and controlling the storage, transfer or processing of information in order to provide resources for learning (AECT 2001). Infrastructure - the physical equipment (computers, cases, racks, cabling, etc.) that comprises a computer system. Integrated Technologies – are ways to produce and deliver materials which encompass several forms of media under the control of a computer (AECT 2001). Instruction – a planned process that facilitates learning. Instructional context – the physical and psychological environment in which instruction is delivered or in which transfer occurs. Related Term: Learning environment. Instructional design – systematic instructional planning including needs assessment, development, evaluation, implementation and maintenance of materials and programs. Related Term: Instructional systems design.. Instructional design theory – a set of scientific principles relating to instructional methods, learner characteristics, learning environments, and outcomes. Typically derived from or tested by empirical research. Instructional goal – a general statement of learner outcomes, related to an identified problem and needs assessment, and achievable through instruction (Dick and Carey, 1996, p. 23). Instructional objective – a detailed description of what learners will be able to do having completed a unit of Instruction (Dick and Carey, 1996, p. 119). Relater Terms: Learning outcome, behavioral objective, performance objective. Instructional products – content-related items such as books, job aids, student and instructor guides, and web pages. Instructional strategy – a general approach to selecting and sequencing learning activities. Related Term: Teaching methods. – For selecting and sequencing activities. Instructional Systems Design (ISD) – an organized procedure for developing instructional materials, programs, or curricula; includes the steps of analyzing, designing, developing, implementing, and evaluating. Related Terms: Instructional design, instructional systems development. Intellectual property – the technological or process knowledge and capabilities that an organization or an individual has developed. Typically protected by copyright. Instructional strategies – are the specifications for selecting and sequencing events and activities within a lesson (Seels & Richey 1994 (p. 30)). Instructional systems design (ISD) – is an organized procedure that includes the steps of analyzing, designing, developing, implementing and evaluating instruction Seels & Richey 1994 (30)). Instructional System Design (ISD) is often called SAT (System Approach to Training) or ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implement, Evaluate). Instructional technology – is the systemic and systematic application of strategies and techniques derived from behavioral, cognitive, and constructivist theories to the solution of instructional problems. Instructional technology is the systematic application of theory and other organized knowledge to the task of instructional design and development. Learner characteristics – are those facets of the learner’s experiential background that impact the effectiveness of a learning process Seels & Richey 1994 (32)). Learner profile data – descriptions of the learner characteristics pertinent to instruction, including factors such as age, skill level, education and work experience. Related Term: Target population characteristics. Learning – a relatively stable change in knowledge or behavior as a result of experience (Mayer, 1982, p. 1040). Learning style – an individual’s preferred means of acquiring knowledge and skills. Related Terms: Cognitive style, multiple intelligences. Macro level - the unit of practice which is designated as the social institutional or large social system level. Products are programs and curricula. Media – the means by which instruction is presented to the learner; typically classified in terms of the perceptual channels employed, such as visual or auditory media. Media Utilization – is the systematic use of resources for learning. Mediated - to serve as the medium for effecting (a result) or conveying (an object, information, etc.). Message – a meaningful unit of communication that may take alternative forms, including written, visual or oral. Messages may be instructional, informational, or motivational. Message Design – message design involves “planning for the manipulation of the physical form of the message” (Grabowski, 1991, p. 206). Methodologies - a body of practices, procedures, and rules. Micro level - the unit of practice which is designated as the individual or small group level. Products are lessons and modules. Multi-media – the integration of various forms of media for instructional purposes. Typically involving computer graphics, animation, video, sound, and text. Multicultural society - is the idea that modern societies should embrace and include distinct cultural groups with equal social status. Needs assessment – a systematic process for determining goals, identifying discrepancies between optimal and actual performance, and establishing priorities for action. (Briggs, 1977, p. xxiv). Norms - a standard, model, or pattern regarded as typical. Novice instructional designer – a person who has received basic training and education in instructional design fundamentals, but has little or no actual on-the-job work experience. Organizational mission – a description of the organization’s purpose, values, strategic position, and long-term goals. Organizational philosophy – a description of an organization’s values and beliefs with regard to how it intends to act and interact in its environment. Organizational values – a stable set of long-term aspirations and actions that the organization used to make strategic choices. Related Term: Corporate culture. Outcome evaluation - is simply an evaluation focused on outcomes rather than on process – it could be either formative or summative (Michael Scriven, 1967, p. 130). Pedagogy – the science or profession of teaching. The theory of how to teach. Performance improvement – the process of designing or selecting interventions directed toward a change in behavior, typically on the job. Related Terms: Performance technology, human performance technology. Performance statement – a detailed explanation of activities comprising a competency statement. Policies and Regulations - are the rules and actions of society (or its surrogates) that affect the diffusion and use of Instructional Technology (AECT 2001). Print technologies – are ways to produce or deliver materials, such as books and static visual materials, primarily through mechanical or photographic printing processes (AECT 2001). Problem analysis - involves determining the nature and parameters of the problem by using information-gathering and decision-making strategies (Seels & Richey 1994 (56)). Professional activities – are conducted with the purpose of enhancing the skill and knowledge of the instructional design practitioner, including attending professional association meetings and conference, reading relevant texts, or networking with other practitioners. Program – a unit of instruction consisting of two or more courses, modules, workshops, seminars and the like. Related Term: Curriculum. Project information systems – organized processes and databases used to manage projects and resources. Project management – involves planning, monitoring, and controlling instructional design and development projects (Seels & Richey 1994 (50)). Purposive - having or showing or acting with a purpose or design; "purposive behavior". Qualitative evaluations – measure the subjective (biased/prejudiced) and experiential (experimental/observed) aspect of the project. Quantitative evaluations - measure the objectives. Quasi-experimental design - looks like an experimental design, but is not). Reliability – the degree to which items consistently yield the same or comparable results. Resource Management – involves planning, monitoring, and controlling resource support systems and services (AECT 2001). SME - subject matter expert. Software based training - Acronym for computer-based training, a type of education in which the student learns by executing special training programs on a computer. Stakeholders – people with a vested interest in project outcomes. Strategic plan – a process for allocating resources to achieve long-range organizational goals. Storyboard - a visual map of the Web pages in a presentation displaying how the pages are linked together. Subject matter expert – a content specialist who advises or assists the designer. Related Terms: SME, content expert. Summative evaluation – systematically gathering information on the adequacy and outcomes of an instructional intervention and using this information to make decisions about utilization (Seels and Richey, 1994, p. 57). Summative Evaluation – involves gathering information on adequacy and using this information to make decision about utilization (AECT 2001). Synchronous - any form of communication that involves a measurable time interval between the sending and receiving of the content of any message. Synergistic – that which works together so the total effect is greater than the sum of the two (or more). Systems approach – procedure used by instructional designers to create instruction. Each step requires input from prior steps and provides input to the next step. Evaluation provides feedback that is used to revise instruction until it meets the original need or specification. Systematic – Using processes or step-by-step procedures that allow one to create systems composed of interrelated, inter-working elements that together constitute a whole. Systemic approach to design – Concurrent and creative consideration of the many aspects of a situation which can affect the learning process (Richey, 1992, p. 9). Target population – those persons for whom an instructional intervention is intended. Related Terms: The learners, the learner group. Task analysis – a process used to determine how a task is performed and to identify the attributes that affect performance (Wolfe, Wetzel, Harris, Mazour and Riplinger, 1991, p. 170). Taxonomy - is the science of classification according to a pre-determined system, with the resulting catalog used to provide a conceptual framework for discussion, analysis, or information retrieval. Team building - Team building is a planned effort made in order to improve communications and working relationships by way of any planned and managed change involving a group of people. Team building is most effective when used as a part of a long-range strategy for organizational and personal development. Technology – Systematized practical knowledge which improves productivity. Text design – applying principles for sequencing, structuring, designing, and laying-out the printed page, whether that text is reproduced on paper or on a computer screen, in order to move effectively present written discourse (Jonassen, 1982, p. ix). Theory - consists of the concepts, constructs, principles, and propositions that contribute to the body of knowledge. Practice is the application of that knowledge to solve problems (AECT 2001). Transfer – the application of knowledge and skills acquired in training to another environment, typically a work setting. Usability - efficiency with which a user can perform required tasks with a product, for example, a website. Usability can be measured objectively via performance errors and productivity, and subjectively via user preferences and interface characteristics. Web design features that affect usability include navigation design and content layout. Validation – the process of determining the extent to which competencies and performance statements are supported by the profession. Validity – the degree to which items measure what they are intended to measure. Related Term: Valid test items. Visuals – Graphics or teaching materials that pictorially describe ideas or convey meaning, include items such as overhead transparencies, screen graphics, or icons. Related Term: Visual aids. |
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