VCSE Guidebook/Conclusions/Glossary

7.4. Glossary

Blended learning Form of learning in which face to face learning and e-learning are combined in a methodologically purposeful way. Usually, there is a bigger emphasis on the face-to-face learning part and e-learning elements are intermitted when useful (e.g. ratio face-to-face: e-learning = 60 : 40).

Bologna process Creation of a “European Higher Education Area by 2010, in which students can choose from a wide and transparent range of high quality courses and benefit from smooth recognition procedures” .

Computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environment Virtual learning environment that allows communication and collaboration, independent of time and place, between geographically dispersed students in multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary teams.

Content Management System (CMS) A content management system (CMS) is a system used to manage the content of a Web site, i.e. to create, edit, manage, and publish content in a consistently organized fashion.

Distance learning Full or part time educational activities especially designed to be carried out without the need for the attending person to be physically present, but not necessarily delivered electronically.

ECTS credits European Credit Transfer System used across Europe to facilitate the recognition of studies across Europe and therefore facilitate student mobility.

e-learning Form of learning in which electronic and digital media are used for presenting and distributing information and content and/or for supporting communication, in the form of instruction or active knowledge construction.

Erasmus program International exchange program of the European Commission for students and teachers in higher education. More than 1.5 million students have participated since its start in1987 .

EVS European Virtual Seminar on Sustainable Development. E-Learning-Seminar of the Open University/Netherlands using the case-study approach.

Learning Management System (LMS) A learning management system (LMS) is a software application or Web-based technology used to plan, implement, and assess a specific learning process.

Learning network A relatively loose, formal or informal system of interrelationships, with the objective of mutual knowledge and resource exchange among at least three partners.

Learning space A virtual space for sharing educational activities for the benefit of students and staff. In the case of VCSE, this is intended to become more than the sum of its parts by not only making available existing courses but also providing an opportunity for the generation, development and testing of ideas on the improvement of our educational activities.

Moodle Moodle is a free and open source e-learning software platform

Network A system of interrelationships between at least three partners.

Open module An “elective”; an opportunity for a student to choose a course in a different department or, in the case of virtual mobility as provided by VCSE, a different university.

Open-Source In general, open source refers to any program whose source code is made available for use or modification as users or other developers see fit. Open source software is usually developed as a public collaboration and made freely available.

Problem-Oriented Learning Learning processes based on (real life) problems.

Region An area of interest or activity characterised by human interactions and interrelations, which does not necessarily have certain spatial or even administrative quality.

Regional actor Any kind of regional stakeholder varying from influencing decision maker to average citizen.

Self-Directed Learning Self-directed learning is seen as any form of learning in which individuals have primary responsibility for planning, implementing, and even evaluating the effort.

Subsidiarity Subsidiarity is the principle that matters ought to be handled by the lowest competent authority.

Syndrome Approach Syndromes are typical cause-effect patterns of global change, with impacts on both the environment and human development. The syndrome approach systematically analyzes these interrelations between environment and society.

Typo3 TYPO3 is a free and open source content management system written in PHP.

Various aspects of sustainable development Cultural, social, economic, ecological

Virtual Campus Virtual Campus is understood as “a specific format of distance education and on-line learning in which students, teaching staff and even university administrative and technical staff mainly 'meet' or communicate through technical links” .

Virtual mobility The use of information and communication technologies (ICT) to obtain the same benefits as one would have with physical mobility, but without the need to travel. (http://www.eLearningEuropa.info/)

VCSE Enlargement – expansion of the VCSE project from 5 core partners to 15 partners covering 10 different countries.