De-Mystifying Digital Media & Learning Technologies From Analog to Zero-Install
Analog - Analog technology refers to electronic transmission accomplished by adding signals of varying frequency or amplitude to carrier waves of a given frequency of alternating electromagnetic current. Standard audiotape and videotape recordings are produced by an analog process, as a continuous wave, rather than digitally in a binary form.
Bandwidth - Bandwidth is a description of how much information can squeeze through a data pipe. For digital devices, the bandwidth is usually expressed in bits per second or bytes per second. For analog devices, the bandwidth is expressed in cycles per second, or Hertz (Hz). Your intranet has high bandwidth; your dial-up connection is low bandwidth. Also used anthropomorphically, e.g. "He has low bandwidth" is equivalent to "He is a taco short of a combo plate" or "Her elevator doesn't go all the way to the top."
Bit Rate - The speed at which data travels from one place to another on a computer network, such as the Internet.
Blog - An easily updated personal website, generally updated daily and expressing. Abbreviation for Web Log.
Broadband - Used to describe a network connection that supports a relatively high bit rate. Also used to describe content that takes advantage of a high bit rate connection. Unscientific term for sufficient bandwidth to receive streaming video and sound. Usually refers to bandwidth equal to or greater than DSL or Cable Modem speed.
Buffer - Space allocated on a system's Random Access Memory (RAM) where data is stored temporarily until it is transferred to another part of the system. In streaming applications, buffers store video or audio data until there is enough information for the stream to be composed.
CDN - Content Delivery Network - Companies that deliver Web data (including streaming media) via an intelligent distributed network. For companies providing streaming content delivery services, this means that audio or video streams will be delivered more reliably, with less buffering and time outs. Generally, this will provide a better overall experience for the end user.
c-learning - Classroom learning. Previously know as just "learning," but now we need to differentiate c-learning from eLearning.
CMI - Computer Managed Instruction - CMI is another name for LMS.
CMS - Content Management System - This is a software application that makes it possible for non-technical users to publish content to a website, regardless of the type of site. Often confused with "course" management systems (see LMS and LCMS).
Codec - (compression-decompression) - Standard method of compressing and decompressing data, typically done with audio/video files where data is encoded or compressed to reduce file size. A codec allows an operating system or program to properly play audio or video in a particular format.
Dial-Up - When computer devices hook up to a network via modem and public phone system on a pay-per-time basis. Usually dial-up connections offer limited bandwidths. The alternative to a dial-up connection is a leased line that offers continuous access at a constant bandwidth to a network.
Digital - An electronic technology that generates, stores, and processes data in terms of two states: positive and non-positive. Data transmitted or stored with digital technology is expressed as a string of 0's and 1's. Each of these state digits is referred to as a bit (and a string of bits that a computer can address individually as a group is a byte). Before Digital technology evolved there was analog.
Download – The act of transmitting a file from a server to a client computer or device.The entire file is transmitted and saved for offline viewing.
DRM – Digital Rights Management – A technology used to secure digital files, protect the interests of copyright owners, and maintain control of access to that content.This often requires a server with a back-end database to manage the rights and licenses, which can be customized based on numerous parameters depending on the license specifications.DRM often brings with it cross-platform compatibility and file management issues, so careful consideration should be made before applying these techniques.
eLearning - Also e-Learning. Best practices for learning in the new economy, implying but not requiring benefits of networking and computers such as anywhere/anytime delivery, learning objects, and personalization. Learning on Internet time. Often includes ILT.
Encoder - A hardware or software application used to compress audio and video signals for the purpose of streaming.
Flash - A vector-based animation format released by Adobe (formerly Macromedia) often used for narrative productions on the web.Becoming one of the leading cross-platform compatible digital media formats for streaming video and audio.
IBT - Internet-based training. Same as WBT.
ILT – Instructor-led training.Generally a workshop.
IP Address – Internet Protocol Address - This is a unique number split into 4 parts separated by full stops.Every computer connected to the Internet has an IP Address, which typically looks like 213.22.128.66.
kbps - Kilobits per second - The rate at which data is sent over a communication line. The typical household dial-up modem runs at 56.6 kbps.
LCMS - Learning content management system. An LCMS is a multi-user environment where learning developers can create, store, reuse, manage, and deliver digital learning content from a central object repository.
Learning Object - logical “chunk” of learning content. When labeled with metadata, an eLearning system can mix and match learning objects to create individualized learning experiences. Five or ten minutes is average for maximum learning object length.
LMS - Learning Management System - eLearning infrastructure and tracking system. LMS's range from simple course-by-course registration systems to humongous, real-time databases that deal with personalization, learning prescriptions, job competencies, and parsing learning objects. WBT is often combined with a LMS.
Metadata - Information about information. Often, “metatags” describe what's inside a chunk of learning.
Mirror - In computing, a mirror is a direct copy of a data set. On the Internet, a mirror site is an exact copy of another Internet site. Mirror sites are most commonly used to provide multiple sources of the same information, and are of particular value as a way of providing reliable access to large downloads. Mirroring is a type of file synchronization.
Monitoring - The term network monitoring describes the use of a system that constantly monitors a computer network for slow or failing systems and that notifies the network administrator in case of outages via email, pager or other alarms.Monitoring often triggers automatic failure prevention mechanisms.
MPEG - MPEG is a digital video and audio compression format that was defined by the Moving Pictures Experts Groups which is part of the International Standards Organization (ISO). MPEG is a lossy compression method that uses Interframe compression. Interframe compression assumes that although action is happening, the background in most video frames remains the same. This means that it is not necessary to compress each entire frame, but only the differences between them.
Portal – A website through which content is easily searched, located, and delivered to front-end users.Synonym for a point of entry screen.
Progressive Download - A method of delivering audio/video data over the Internet that involves playing the downloaded portion of a file while the download is still in progress. See Pseudo-Streaming.
Pseudo-Streaming – See Progressive Download.
QuickTime - Multimedia architecture created by Apple and used by software tool vendors and content creators to store, edit and play synchronized graphics, sound, video, and music.
RealMedia - Brand name describing file formats, server software, player software, and protocols used by streaming media systems from RealNetworks, a leading streaming media platform vendor.
Referrer - The URL of the Web page from which a visitor came, as indicated by a server's referrer log file.Some CDNs use referrers as a basic method for user authentication.
Rich Media - Rich media is a term for advanced technology used in Internet ads, such as streaming video, applets that allow user interaction, and special effects.
SCORM - Sharable Content Object Reference Model. This standard seeks to track and manage courseware developed by various authoring tools using a single system. The objective is to bring together diverse and disparate learning content and products to ensure reusability, accessibility, durability, and interoperability. Built on the work of AICC, IMS, the IEEE, and others, this is the one with staying power.
Streaming Media - Streaming media technology enables the real-time or on demand distribution of audio, video, and multimedia on the Internet. Streaming media is the simultaneous transfer of digital media so that it is received as a continuous real-time stream. Streamed data is transmitted by a server application and received and displayed in real-time by client applications. These applications can start displaying video or playing back audio as soon as enough data has been received and stored in the receiving station’s buffer. A streamed file is simultaneously downloaded and viewed, but leaves behind no physical file on the viewer's machine.
VOD – Video on Demand - Describes video content which may be viewed by the end-user from beginning to end, at any time.
WBT - Web-based training - Training delivered across the World Wide Web (WWW).
Web Log – See Blog.
Webcast - A live broadcast format over the World Wide Web (WWW). (v) The act of webcasting. (n) An individual program which has been, will be, or is being webcast.
Windows Media - The streaming media platform released by Microsoft.
WTF - A term used in development when a piece of code is not properly working.
YMMV – “Your mileage may vary.” Recognition that your results may not be the same as mine. Other things are never equal – as often is the case when comparing video streams from locations with varying network bandwidth, utilization, and software platforms.
Zero-Install - Software that can be accessed through the Web and doesn't need to be installed on every person’s computer -- much to the delight of the IT department.Standalone LMS, CMS, and media delivery solutions are often favoured over platform-specific ones.
