An Acceptable Usage Policy (AUP) is a document that outlines a set of rules to be followed by users or customers of a set of computing resources, which could be a computer network, website or large computer system. An AUP clearly states what the user is and is not allowed to do with these resources.
Assistive technology (AT) is a generic term used to refer to a group of software or hardware devices by which people with disabilities can access computers. They can be specially developed and marketed devices or off-the-shelf products that have been modified. Assistive technology can include devices such as alternative keyboards and mice, voice recognition software, monitor magnification software, multiple switch joysticks, and text-to-speech communication aids.
Source: http://www.webopedia.com
CONTINUOUS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (CPD)
CPD is the means by which members of professions maintain, improve and broaden their knowledge and skills and develop the personal qualities required in their professional lives, usually through a range of short and long training programmes, some of which offer accreditation. This job-related continuing education and training refers to all organised, systematic education and training activities in which people take part in order to obtain knowledge and/or learn new skills for a current or a future job.
Source: Adapted from http://www.umultirank.org/#!/glossary?trackType=home&sightMode=undefined§ion=undefined Adapted from http://creativecommons.org/about
DATA
A sequence of one or more symbols given meaning by specific act(s) of interpretation. Data as a general concept refers to the fact that some existing information or knowledge is represented or coded in some form suitable for better usage or processing. Data is measured, collected and reported, and analyzed, whereupon it can be visualized using graphs, images or other analysis tools (Wikipedia).
Source: JRC
DIGITAL COMMUNICATION
Communication using digital technology. Various modes of communication exist, e.g. synchronous communication (real time communication, e.g. using skype or video chat or Bluetooth) and asynchronous ones (not concurrent communication, e.g. email, sms) using for example, one-to-one, one-to-many, or many-to-many modes.
Source: JRC
DIGITAL COMPETENCE
Digital competence can be broadly defined as the confident, critical and creative use of ICT to achieve goals related to work, employability, learning, leisure, inclusion and/or participation in society.
Any type of content that exists in the form of digital data that are encoded in a machine-readable format, and can be created, viewed, distributed, modified and stored using digital technologies. Examples of digital content include: web pages and websites, social media, data and databases, digital audio, such as mp3s, and e-books, digital imagery, digital video, video games, computer programmes and software. For the DigCompEdu framework, digital content is divided into digital resources and data.
Source: JRC
DIGITAL ENVIRONMENT
A context, or a “place”, that is enabled by technology and digital devices, often transmitted over the internet, or other digital means, e.g. mobile phone network. Digital environments are usually used for interaction with other users and for accessing and publishing user-created content. Records and evidence of an individual’s interaction with a digital environment constitute their digital footprint.
Source: JRC
DIGITAL RESOURCES
The term usually refers to any content published in computer-readable format. For the purposes of DigCompEdu, a distinction is made between digital resources and data. Digital resources in this respect comprise any kind of digital content that is immediately understandable to a human user, whereas data need to be analysed, treated and/or interpreted to be of use for educators.
Source: JRC
DIGITAL SERVICES
Services that can be delivered through digital communication, e.g. internet, mobile phone network, that might include delivery of digital information (e.g. data, content) and/or transactional services. They can be either public or private, e.g. e-government, digital banking services, e-commerce, music services (e.g. Spotify), film/TV services (e.g. Netflix).
Source: JRC
DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY
Any product or service that can be used to create, view, distribute, modify, store, retrieve, transmit and receive information electronically in a digital form. In this framework, the term “digital technologies” is used as the most general concept, comprising computer networks (e.g. the internet) and any online service supported by these (e.g. websites, social networks, online libraries, etc.), any kind of software (e.g. programmes, apps, virtual environments, games), whether networked or installed locally; any kind of hardware or “device” (e.g. personal computers, mobile devices, digital whiteboards); and any kind of digital content, e.g. files, information, data. For the purposes of the DigCompEdu framework, the category of digital technologies is broken down into the following areas: Digital devices; digital resources (=digital files + software + online services); data.
Source: JRC
DIGITAL TOOLS
Digital technologies used for a given purpose or for carrying out a particular function of e.g. information processing, communication, content creation, safety or problem solving. EDUCATIONAL CONTENT (Digital) content relevant, in one way or another, to the educational context. This term is broader than “educational resource” in that it also comprises content marginal to the instructional process, e.g. communication with students, parents, colleagues; administrative content, etc.
Source: JRC
E-PORTFOLIOS
Collections of (students’) work that can advance learning by providing a way for them to organize, archive, display and reflect on their work. E-portfolios are both demonstrations of users’ abilities and platforms for their self-expression.
Source: JRC
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
Resources (digital or not) designed and intended to be used for educational purposes.
Source: JRC
EDUCATOR
In the context of DigCompEdu, the term “educator” is used to generically refer to any person involved in the process of teaching or transmitting knowledge. In particular, it refers to teachers at all levels of formal education, ranging from pre-primary, primary and secondary, to further and higher education (e.g. university lecturers), to vocational and adult education, and including initial training and continuous professional development. It may, by analogy, also be used to describe people involved in providing training in non-formal and informal settings, e.g. social workers, library staff, parents providing home schooling, etc.
Source: JRC
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
Formative assessment refers to a wide variety of methods that teachers use to conduct in-process evaluations of students’ comprehension, learning needs, and academic progress during a lesson, unit, or course. The general goal of formative assessment is to collect detailed information that can be used to improve instruction and student learning while it is happening.
Source: Glossary of Education Reform http://edglossary.org/formative-assessment/
LEARNING ANALYTICS
Learning analytics is the measurement, collection, analysis and reporting of data about learners and their contexts, for the purposes of understanding and optimising learning and the environments in which it occurs.
Source: Definition adopted at the First International Conference on Learning Analytics. http://edutechwiki.unige.ch/en/Learning_analytics
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Learning outcomes are defined as the knowledge, skills and competences that people have acquired as a result GLOSSARY of learning and that can be demonstrated if needed in a recognition process. According to the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) learning outcomes are statements of what a learner knows, understands and is able to do on completion of a learning process.
Teaching, learning and research materials in any medium, digital or otherwise, that are in the public domain or have been released under an open license that permits no-cost access, use, adaptation and redistribution by others with no or limited restrictions.
Source: UNESCO definition http://www.unesco.org/new/en/communication-and-information/access-to-knowledge/open-educational-resources/what-are-open-educational-resources-oers/
PEER-ASSESSMENT
Peer assessment is a process whereby students grade each others’ assignments or tests, based on a teacher’s benchmarks. The practice is employed to save teachers time and improve students’ understanding of course materials and to improve their metacognitive skills. Peer assessment can empower students to take responsibility for, and manage, their own learning; enable students to learn to assess and to develop life-long assessment skills; enhance students’ learning through knowledge diffusion and exchange of ideas; motivate students to engage with course material more deeply.
Source: Adapted from Wikipedia; Cornell University Centre for Teaching Excellence, http://www.cte.cornell.edu/
SELF-ASSESSMENT
Self-assessment involves the ability to be a realistic judge of one’s own performance. Proponents of self-assessment suggest it has many advantages, for example, it: provides timely and effective feedback and allows students to assess their own learning quickly; allows instructors to understand and provide quick feedback on learning; promotes academic integrity through student self-reporting of learning progress; promotes the skills of reflective practice and self-monitoring; develops self-regulated learning; increases student motivation; improves
Source: Cornell University Centre for Teaching Excellence http://www.cte.cornell.edu/
SELF-ASSESSMENT TOOL
A self-assessment tool is an instrument that assists professionals in their self-assessment, i.e. in evaluating the effectiveness of their performance in all areas of responsibility, and determining what improvements are required (Adapted from: http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/self-assessment.html). Within this report the term is used to refer to online programmes in the form of questionnaires which allow teachers to evaluate their digital competence with the help of a set of questions. Usually feedback in the form of a report is provided, identifying areas of strength and areas for development.
Source: JRC
SELF-DETERMINED LEARNING
“A process in which learners take initiative for identifying learning needs, formulating learning goals, identifying learning resources, implementing problem-solving strategies, and reflecting upon the learning processes to challenge existing assumptions and increase learning capabilities.” (Blaschke, 2012; http://www.rtschuetz.net/2014/12/self-directed-vs-self-determined.html). The concept is related to the concepts of self-directed and self-regulated learning. Of these three it is the most demanding on the level of learner autonomy. Since such a high level of autonomy may be too ambitious for some learning and teaching contexts or learner groups, in DigCompEdu the concept of self-regulated learning is given preference.
Source: JRC
SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING
Describes “a process in which individuals take the initiative, with or without the help of others, in diagnosing their learning needs, formulating learning goals, identifying human and material resources for learning, choosing and implementing appropriate learning strategies, and evaluating learning outcomes”. (Knowles, 1975, p. 18; http://infed.org/mobi/self-directed-learning/). The concept is related to the concepts of self-regulated and self-determined learning. With respect to the level of learner autonomy, self-regulated learning is less demanding whereas self-determined learning is more demanding. For DigCompEdu, the concept of self-regulated learning is given preference as the other two may be too ambitious for some learning and teaching contexts or learner groups.
Source: JRC
SELF-REGULATED LEARNING
Refers to learning that is guided by metacognition (thinking about one’s thinking), strategic action (planning, monitoring, and evaluating personal progress against a standard), and motivation to learn. “Self-regulated” describes a process of taking control of and evaluating one’s own learning and behaviour. (Wikipedia) The concept is related to the concepts of self-directed and self-determined learning. Since the latter two require a higher degree of autonomy, not feasible in all educational contexts, for DigCompEdu the concept of “self-regulated learning” is given preference.
Source: JRC
SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT
Summative assessments are used to evaluate student learning, skill acquisition, and academic achievement at the conclusion of a defined instructional period - typically at the end of a project, unit, course, semester, programme, or school year. Summative-assessment results are often recorded as scores or grades that are then factored into a student’s permanent academic record. VLE (VIRTUAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT) A virtual learning environment (VLE) is a web-based platform for the digital aspects of courses of study, usually within educational institutions. VLEs typically: allow participants to be organized into cohorts, groups and roles; present resources, activities and interactions within a course structure; provide for the different stages of assessment; report on participation; and have some level of integration with other institutional systems. (Wikipedia). TABLE 9: GLOSSARY OF TECHNICAL TERMS USED IN THE DIGCOMPEDU FRAMEWORK
Source: The Glossary of Education Reform http://edglossary.org/summative-assessment/
TEACHER
A teacher is a person who provides education for students in formal education, i.e. within an educational institution. Since the term is often taken to only refer to school education (i.e. ISCED1-3), for DigCompEdu the wider term “educator” is used.