Glossary of Terms

Providing equal opportunity for learners to acquire information, engage in activities and interactions, demonstrate understanding, and enjoy the same services through proactive design approaches. This can also encompass practices of web accessibility, which is the inclusive practice of ensuring there are no barriers that prevent interaction with, or access to, websites on the World Wide Web (as examples, by people with physical disabilities, situational disabilities, and socio-economic restrictions on bandwidth and speed). 

Learning materials that can be accessed freely via the general internet or library subscription but cannot be altered or shared under an all rights reserved copyright

Active learning is an approach to teaching and learning in educational pedagogy that emphasizes student engagement, participation, and interaction with the learning materials, instructors, and fellow students. In active learning, students take on a more active role in the learning process rather than passively receiving information through lectures or readings. This approach is designed to promote deeper understanding, critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and the application of knowledge.

Active learning is rooted in constructivist learning theory, which emphasizes the importance of connecting new information and experiences to prior knowledge and experiences to build new knowledge and understanding. It can also include collaborative and cooperative learning in small groups, which emphasizes the importance of peer-to-peer interactions in learning.

Active learning approaches have increased student performance and decreased failure rates, particularly for students from underrepresented and excluded communities.

The HTML attribute (alt='' '') used in HTML documents to specify alternative text that is to be rendered when the element to which it is applied cannot be rendered. It is used by "screen reader" software so that a person who is listening to the content of a webpage (for instance, a person who is blind) can interact with this element. 

Assessments that actively involve students in monitoring and assessing their own learning. They help to develop student’s ability to learn effectively and prepares students to be self-directed, reflective, and engaged learners. 

Assessments that provides ongoing and frequent ways to measure student progress towards learning outcomes. They give students multiple opportunities to learn through practice and feedback, so they have sufficient time and support to reflect and improve, and act as an informal (i.e., ungraded) check-in to determine student progress in achieving learning outcomes. Data and feedback allows teachers to adapt their instructional decisions in a responsive and immediate fashion.

Assessments that focus on learner performance after instruction has occurred, to allow students to provide evidence demonstrating their level of achievement of the course learning outcomes. Typically such assessments are formal (i.e., graded). Common forms include: student portfolios, projects that have written and/or oral products, midterm and final exams, or performance tasks that demonstrate student achievement of the learning outcomes.

A document that outlines and aligns learning outcomes with course assessments and includes descriptions of the assessment methods and tools. 

Asynchronous learning, on the other hand, involves activities that do not occur in real-time and can be completed at the learners' own pace. This includes pre-recorded video lectures, discussion boards, online assignments, and self-paced quizzes. Asynchronous learning offers flexibility, allowing students to access materials when it suits their schedules.

Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs) are simple, non-graded or low-stakes activities designed to give you and your students useful feedback on the learning-teaching process as it is happening. They are great examples of formative assessment as they are intended to form and shape instructional experiences.

CATs can be used to improve the teaching and learning that occurs in a class by providing just-in-time feedback, information about student learning, student reflection and self-awareness, and concrete evidence that the instructor cares about learning .

A Creative Commons (CC) license is used when an author wants to give other people the right to share, use, and build upon a work that the author has created.

A set of text characters in a certain style and size that may be printed or displayed digitally.

Text that is larger and more distinct than regular paragraph text, used to convey the organization of content.

HyperText Markup Language; the standard markup language for content designed to be displayed in a web browser, ensuring that the content displays various effects (such as font, color, graphics, hyperlinks, etc.) in specific desired ways. 

Also known as a link, a hyperlink directs users to a different portion of a document or page, or an entirely different document or page, once clicked or tapped by users.

Ensuring access to quality education for all learners by effectively meeting their diverse needs in a way that is responsive, accepting, respectful, and supportive.  

A statement of what we want students to learn to do. Effective learning outcomes typically include an observable action-based verb, reference the content, and describe the criteria that will be used to evaluate student performance. The criteria describes the level of proficiency learners will need to demonstrate by providing information on things like quality, quantity, or time measurements.

Free educational materials that are openly licensed to enable reuse and redistribution by users.

Synchronous learning refers to real-time, interactive activities where instructors and learners are engaged simultaneously. This can include live video lectures, webinars, virtual meetings, or group discussions conducted at set times. Synchronous learning allows for immediate feedback, interaction, and a sense of community among participants.

Principles that inform accessible pedagogy and establish a framework for course planning and learning experiences. They are: 1. Multiple means of engagement, 2. Multiple means of representation, 3. Multiple means of action and expression.

A framework that guides the design of courses and learning environments to appeal to the largest number of learners.