|
|
Asynchronous
Not synchronized; that is, not occurring at predetermined or regular intervals. The term asynchronous is usually used to describe communications in which data can be transmitted intermittently rather than in a steady stream. For example, a telephone conversation is asynchronous because both parties can talk whenever they like. If the communication were synchronous, each party would be required to wait a specified interval before speaking.
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/A/asynchronous.html |
audibles
Audibles are animated characters that you can record your voice with, so they can speak for you.
|
avatars
A graphical icon that represents a real person in a cyberspace system. When you enter the system, you can choose from a number of fanciful avatars. Sophisticated 3D avatars even change shape depending on what they are doing (e.g., walking, sitting, etc.).
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/A/avatar.html |
Bulletin Board
An electronic message center. Most bulletin boards serve specific interest groups. They allow you to dial in with a modem, review messages left by others, and leave your own message if you want. Bulletin boards are a particularly good place to find free or inexpensive software products. In the United States alone, there are tens of thousands of BBSs.
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/B/bulletin_board_system_BBS.html |
Chat Rooms
A virtual room where a chat session takes place. Technically, a chat room is really a channel, but the term room is used to promote the chat metaphor.
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/C/chat_room.html |
Computer Mediated Communication
CMC refers to human communication via computers and includes many different forms of synchronous, asynchronous, or real time interaction that humans have with each other using computers as tools to exchange text, images, audio and video. CMC includes email, network communication, instant messaging, text messaging, hypertext, distance learning, Internet forums, newsgroups, bulletin boards,, online shopping, distribution lists and videoconferencing.
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/C/CMC.html |
Digital Divide
A term used to describe the discrepancy between people who have access to and the resources to use new information and communication tools, such as the Internet, and people who do not have the resources and access to the technology. The term also describes the discrepancy between those who have the skills, knowledge and abilities to use the technologies and those who do not. The digital divide can exist between those living in rural areas and those living in urban areas, between the educated and uneducated, between economic classes, and on a global scale between more and less industrially developed nations.
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/d/digital_divide.html |
Distance Learning
A type of education, typically college-level, where students work on their own at home or at the office and communicate with faculty and other students via e-mail, electronic forums, videoconferencing, chat rooms, bulletin boards, instant messaging and other forms of computer-based communication. Most distance learning programs include a computer-based training (CBT) system and communications tools to produce a virtual classroom. Because the Internet and World Wide Web are accessible from virtually all computer platforms, they serve as the foundation for many distance learning systems.
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/d/distance_learning.html |
emoticons
Short for emotion icon, a small icon composed of keyboard characters and used in e-mails and instant messaging that indicates the mood and/or emotion of the writer. Because of the nature of written text, which doesn’t rely on vocal inflection and facial cues to communicate attitudes such as sarcasm and humor, the writer’s tone is often not apparent. Emoticons, when read sideways, mimic facial expressions and therefore relay the emotion behind an expression.
An emoticon also is referred to as a smiley.
Some common emoticons include:
:-) = smile
:-( = sad
:-D = wide grin
:-P = tongue sticking out
:-| = mad
:-0 = surprise
:'-( = crying
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/E/emoticon.html |
Instant Messaging (IM)
Abbreviated IM, a type of communications service that enables you to create a kind of private chat room with another individual in order to communicate in real time over the Internet, analagous to a telephone conversation but using text-based, not voice-based, communication. Typically, the instant messaging system alerts you whenever somebody on your private list is online. You can then initiate a chat session with that particular individual.
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/i/instant_messaging.html |
Newsgroups
Same as forum, an on-line discussion group. On the Internet, there are literally thousands of newsgroups covering every conceivable interest. To view and post messages to a newsgroup, you need a news reader, a program that runs on your computer and connects you to a news server on the Internet.
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/n/newsgroup.html |
Social Capital
Is the sum of the resources, actual or virtual, that accrue to individual or group by virtue of possessing a durable network of more or less institutionalized relationships of mutual acquaintance and recognition (Bordiue & Wacqunat, 1982 – Terry Anderson PowerPoint).
Social capitial is the contextual complement to human capital. The social capital metaphor is that people who do better are somehow better connected. Social capital is productive, making possible the achievement of certain ends that world not be attainable in its absence.
http://connectedness.blogspot.com/2004/07/reputation-and-trust-aka-network.html
http://gsbwww.uchicago.edu/fac/ronald.burt/research/SHNC.pdf
|
Social Computing
“Refers to those social networks that go beyond our families, workplaces or official public bodies and connect us to friends, associates and strangers for mutual benefit” (Davies 2003 – Terry Anderson PowerPoint)
|
Social Software
“Software and hardware used to create, support and enhance personal (learning) relationships” (Terry Anderson - PowerPoint) |
Structural Hole
Is a gap between two groups of social networks. These gaps often provide opportunities for innovation. Structural holes provide much of the value of social capital. The structural hole between two groups does not mean that people in the groups are unaware of each other. People on either side of the hole circulate in different flows of information.
http://connectedness.blogspot.com/2004/07/reputation-and-trust-aka-network.html
http://gsbwww.uchicago.edu/fac/ronald.burt/research/SHNC.pdf
|
Synchronous
Occurring at regular intervals. The opposite of synchronous is asynchronous. Most communication between computers and devices is asynchronous -- it can occur at any time and at irregular intervals. Communication within a computer, however, is usually synchronous and is governed by the microprocessor clock. Signals along the bus, for example, can occur only at specific points in the clock cycle.
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/s/synchronous.html |
Text Messaging
Sending short text messages to a device such as a cellular phone, PDA or pager. Text messaging is used for messages that are no longer than a few hundred characters. The term is usually applied to messaging that takes place between two or more mobile devices.
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/t/text_messaging.html |
Virtual
Not real. The term virtual is popular among computer scientists and is used in a wide variety of situations. In general, it distinguishes something that is merely conceptual from something that has physical reality. For example, virtual memory refers to an imaginary set of locations, or addresses, where you can store data. It is imaginary in the sense that the memory area is not the same as the real physical memory composed of transistors. The difference is a bit like the difference between an architect's plans for a house and the actual house. A computer scientist might call the plans a virtual house. Another analogy is the difference between the brain and the mind. The mind is a virtual brain. It exists conceptually, but the actual physical matter is the brain.
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/v/virtual.html |
Webcam
A web camera (or webcam) is a near real time camera whose images can be accessed using the World Wide Web. Generally a digital camera delivers images to a web servers either continuously or at regular intervals.
http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Webcams |
Webcasts
(v.) (1) To use the Internet to broadcast live or delayed audio and/or video transmissions, much like traditional television and radio broadcasts. For example, a university may offer on-line courses in which the instructor Webcasts a pre-recorded or live lecture, or an enterprise may Webcast a press conference in lieu of or in addition to a conference call. Users typically must have the appropriate multimedia application in order to view a Webcast.
(2) To use push technology, to send Web-based information to an Internet user.
(n.) The data transmission that results from one of the above methods.
Netcast is another name for Webcast.
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/W/Webcast.html |
Weblogs
Is “a webpage where a weblogger…’logs’ all the other webpages she finds interesting. The format is normally to add the newest entry at the top of the page, so that repeat visitors can catch up by simply reading down the page until they reach a link they saw on their last visit” (Downes, 2004, p. 3)
(n.) Short for Web log, a blog is a Web page that serves as a publicly accessible personal journal for an individual.
Typically updated daily, blogs often reflects the personality of the author.
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/b/blog.html |
Wiki
Is “a collaborative online environment that allows anyone (by default, anyway) to add or edit material. It goes beyond simple text editing by making it easy to link pages and implement search features and revision control”
http://www.unixreview.com/documents/s=1820/uni1011715271489/0201j.htm |
