Glossary CD-ROM   CD-ROM (compact disc read-only memory) or (compact disc read-only media): A computer storage medium similar to the audio CD that can hold more than 600 megabytes of read-only digital information. Coaching   Coaching is characterised by a counselling- and coaching process. The coach does not provide direct solution proposals but accompanies the clients and supports them in developing their own solutions. Data Bases   Data Bases: A data base contains a large amount of data in a structured form. The entries are provided with key words so that a targeted search for certain sets of data becomes possible. Download   Download: The electronic transferring or copying of a file from one computer to another. Files may be downloaded from another connected individual computer, a computer network, a commercial online service, or the Internet. Drill&Practice   Drill & Practice provides practice in skills previously taught. The programme is designed in a way that the student gets drilled until a skill is not only learnt but is brought to a state where the response becomes automatic. Infrastructure   Infrastructure: The underlying mechanism or system by means fo which voice, video, and data can be transferred from one site to another and be processed. Instructional Design   Instructional Design (ISD): The philosophy, methodology, and approach used to deliver information. Some courseware aspects include question strategy, level of interaction, reinforcement, and branching complexity. Successful ISD should create a learning experience that is engaging and effective, but not require excessive amounts of time to develop and implement. Interactive media   Interactive media: Allows for a two-way interaction or exchange of information. Internet   Internet: An international network first used to connect education and research networks, begun by the US government. The Internet now provides communication and application services to an international base of businesses, consumers, educational institutions, governments, and research organizations. Intranet   Intranet: A LAN or WAN that transports information. An intranet is owned by a company and is only accessible to people working internally. It is protected from outside intrusion by combination of firewalls and other security measures. Learning platforms   Learning platforms: Internal or external sites often organized around tightly focused topics, which contain technologies (ranging from chat rooms to groupware) that enable users to submit and retrieve information. Learning scenarios   Learning scenarios: Possible learning scenarios are traditional teaching, supported self-learning, collaborative learning as well as virtual classroom. Learning theories   Learning theories: Learning theories are characterised by "describing and explaining different attempts at gaining knowledge about conditions and processes of learning". Mental models   Mental models: According to cognition psychology the construction of mental models comprises the acquisition of knowledge and the understanding of complex information. A mental model integrates pre-knowledge, facts and relations to an "image" which more or less corresponds to an extract of the real or possible "world". Multimedia   Multimedia: "The term multimedia refers to technical systems which are able to process different types of data like texts, graphs, sound and animated images and to make them available for interactive use" Navigation   Navigation: Finding your way from page to page on the World Wide Web. Online learning   Online learning: Learning delivered by Web-based or Internet-based technologies. Posting/Post   Posting/Post: To place a message in a public message forum. Also, to place an HTML page on the World Wide Web. Provider   Provider: The term 'provider' characterises a service provider who makes the internet access possible for his/her clients. Real time communication   Real time communication: Communication in which information is received at (or nearly at) the instant it is sent: Real-time is a characteristic of synchronous communication. Self-instructed learning   Self-instructed learning: "The method of 'self-instructed learning' is based on the independent accomplishment of tasks by the participants, who are systematically provided with methodological aids." Stimulus-response-theory   Stimulus-response theory The S-R-theory is the basis of all behaviourist learning- and behaviour-theories. Here learning is understood exclusively as a conditioning process; i.e. the entire behaviour of the organism is explained as a reaction (response) to a previous stimulus. Subscribers   Subscribers: People who use AOL are known as 'subs', as are people who subscribe to any kind of online service (for instance, to receive a weekly online newsletter). Virtual   Virtual: Not concrete or physical. For instance, a completely virtual university does not have actual buildings but instead holds classes over the Internet.