Glossary of Terms

Purpose

This document defines key terms and common ways technology can be used for remote learning. It also identifies important considerations to help guide you when establishing a remote learning and teaching program. This document should be used as a reference by project planners when considering new remote learning programming, or program adaptations involving remote learning.

Below, the Education Technical Unit has outlined key considerations as well as eight important terms that will be useful to understand when designing or implementing technology-enabled remote learning solutions. A full glossary of terms follows.

Key Considerations

Prioritize Needs
Base your decisions on an up-to-date needs assessment. Aim to ensure that everyone who needs to - teachers, parents, students, boys and girls - can access the technology. No one solution will reach all children and families. An effective program will likely require more than one technology.
Align with National Priorities, Strategies and Curricula
As always, content should align with national curricula and learning objectives (formal and non-formal), as well as to Cluster and National Response Strategies.
Be Flexible
Many policies and practices that work in schools will not apply.
Keep it Simple
Although there is a lot of available online content, this is not necessarily the right time to roll out new tools, unless there is no other option. Remember that parents and caregivers will have limited time and abilities to guide and support children at home.
Collaborate and Coordinate With Other Sectors
Messaging, outreach, and content should reflect both health and protection related messaging in common delivery platforms.
Engage Parents, Teachers and Stakeholders in Decision Making
Be collaborative; base any new delivery platforms and programming on needs reflected in needs assessments to improve uptake and sustainability of programming.
Be mindful of cost
In addition to equity concerns, be mindful of costs being incurred on families for mobile phones and data usage, as well as limitations on coverage and bandwidth in many areas.

Eight Key Terms

How to Deliver

Emergency Remote Teaching
Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) is a temporary shift of instructional delivery to an alternate delivery mode in a crisis. It involves the use of fully remote teaching solutions for instruction or education that would otherwise be delivered face-to-face and that will return to that format once the crisis is over. Because it is temporary ERT differs from Remote Learning strategies, which are purposely designed to use technology for the entirety of the learning course.
Emergency Remote Teaching Instructor
The person who will support the learner in a semi-autonomous learning environment. This person can be an older sibling, parent/caregiver, teacher or any person who has had basic training.
Self-Learning Program
A Self Learning Program (SLP) is a program that has been specifically designed for self-led instruction in home settings. SLPs are normally geared towards reaching out-of-school children with a comprehensive self-study curriculum based on national curricula, with semi-structured support provided by community facilitators.

Access Consideration

Learning Device
The physical equipment used by the learner. With E-Learning approaches, this can include radio, mobile, tablet, laptop, eBook reader, etc. For areas without digital access, home or self-learning materials (textbook kits, student kits) can be utilized by learners.
Infrastructure
The foundational components for functional, safe and equitable access to education technology. These can include power, service providers, supply chain, privacy/security, connectivity, government policy/regulations etc.
Connectivity
The ability to access information and communication technology services. This can include through radio broadcasting, mobile internet, internet, television broadcasting, etc.
Functionality
The features available on a device. automatic redial, caller ID, text or data transfer, Bluetooth, SD card slot, share files such as pictures and video or access the Internet through the use of integrated Web browsers and other Internet applications optimized to function with a small screen, calculators, camera, video games, HDMI, etc.
Format
The different types of digital content preferably using open standards published using the select delivery mode. This can include: PNG, JPG for images, MP3 for audio, MP4 for video, PDF for printable documents, ePub for contents to be presented on different devices and SMS for messenger apps.

Term

Definition

Examples / Additional Context

Application (App)

Programs that are designed to be user-friendly and provide a specific service to a mobile phone or tablet; apps are specific to an operating system (i.e. Google Play apps can only be accessed on Android phones), therefore, a developer must build multiple versions for the app to be accessed by all smartphone and tablet users.

Asynchronous Learning

Ways of learning using an EdTech device that does not require interaction with others to occur at the same time. For example, children learning individually at home on a tablet or phone at any time they choose.

Autonomous / self-directed

Approach to learning where learners decide when and how long to learn for using their EdTech device.

Basic Phone

Mobile phone that provides access to voice and text-based services; common worldwide including in rural communities

Broadband

High-speed, always-on Internet connectivity enabling services such as cloud computing and mobile apps.

Broadband penetration

The number of broadband subscribers per 100 inhabitants in a location.

Connectivity

The ability to access information and communication technology services.

radio broadcasting, mobile, Internet, television broadcasting

Delivery mode

The digital mode in which the learning content is delivered to learners on their device.

learning management system (LMS), software, application, etc.

Desktop Computer

Computer designed for regular use at a single location on or near a desk or table due to its size and power requirements.

An example of a common desktop computer is: Lenovo

E-book reader

Lower-cost and low-power computing device dedicated for use with e-books. Some examples of these include:

Amazon Kindle

Kobo

Emergency remote teaching

Emergency distance learning

In contrast to experiences that are planned from the beginning and designed to be online, emergency remote teaching (ERT) is a temporary shift of instructional delivery to an alternate delivery mode due to crisis circumstances. It involves the use of fully remote teaching solutions for instruction or education that would otherwise be delivered face-to-face or as blended or hybrid courses and that will return to that format once the crisis or emergency has abated.

ERT Instructor

The person who will support the learner in his/her learning in a semi-autonomous learning environment. This person can be an older sibling, parent/caregiver, teacher or any person who has received the foundational orientation on how to facilitate learning using EdTech.

Feature Phone

Mobile phone that provides access to voice, text, and internet-services; enables the use of applications and multimedia content

Format

The different types of digital content preferably using open standards published using the select delivery mode.

HTML for text in different languages on websites

PNG, JPG for images

MP3 for audio

MP4 for video

PDF for printable documents

ePub for contents to be presented on different devices

SMS for messenger apps

Functionality

The features available on a device.

Automatic redial, caller ID, text or data transfer, Bluetooth, SD card slot
Shared files such as pictures and video,
Access the Internet through the use of integrated Web browsers and other Internet applications optimized to function with a small screen,
Calculators, camera, video games, HDMI

Gamification

The application of game-like mechanics to non-game entities to encourage a specific behavior

Infrastructure

The foundational components for functional, safe and equitable access to education technology.

Power, service providers, supply chain, privacy/security, connectivity, government policy/regulations

Instructional design

The systematic development of instructional specifications using learning and instructional theory to ensure the quality of learning using EdTech. It is the entire process of analysis of learning needs and goals and the development of a delivery system to meet those needs.

Important considerations for designing modular learning content include but not limited to:

Curricular content (reading, math, science, geography etc.)
Learning objective
Language of learning (French, Hausa, Arabic, etc.)
Instructional format (short story, game, activity, song, exercises, eBook, etc.)
Delivery format (SMS, short text, video, audio, image, etc.)
Length of modular lesson (3 minutes per micro-lesson)
Frequency (30 minutes a day)
Dosage (5 hours a week)

Interactive

A description of any service that allows for a simultaneous two-way flow of information; a service that responds to a user’s input

Internet access

The combination of speed and bandwidth.

Speed is the measure of how fast information is transferred.

Bandwidth refers to the capacity of an individual Internet connection measured in bits per second (bps).

if your internet connection has a bandwidth of 5 Mbps, your speed would only be that fast if it’s operating at full capacity

Laptop Computer

Portable personal computer powered by a battery, or an AC cord plugged into an electrical outlet, which is also used to charge the battery.

An example of a regular laptop computer is: Lenovo

Learning device

The physical equipment used by the learner electronic or digital purposes

radio, mobile, tablet, laptop, eBook reader

Learning Management System (LMS)

A software application that enables mobile or Internet-based instruction by providing a way to deliver learning materials, to foster a learning community, and to track students’ learning progression.

Open source LMS – Moodle, TalentLMS, Google Classroom, etc. Fee for service LMS – Kaya, etc.

Messenger Apps

Are free mobile apps used for SMS/text messaging, sharing photos, videos, audio recordings and for group chats; can be used for sharing educational content to users.

WhatsApp, Imo, Facebook Messenger, Telegram, WeChat, Viber, etc.

mLearning Apps

A mobile-phone based learning management system

Cell-ed, Eneza Education

Mobile network access

The combination of coverage and speed of wireless Internet access through mobile service. Coverage is the geographical area covered by the mobile network in order to complete a phone call or access the Internet Mobile Internet speed is the measure of how fast information is transferred such as 2G, 3G, 4G connections.

2G provides data at the speed of 9.6 kbit/s to 28.8 kbit/s

3G provides data at a speed up to 348 kbit/s

4G provides data at a speed up to 1gbit/s (also known as Long Term Evolution or LTE)

Mobile Network Operator (MNO)

A private company that provides mobile network services to customers

Mobile phone penetration

The number of SIM cards or mobile phone numbers in a certain location. It does not refer to the number of mobile phone devices. The data is presented as a percentage and can exceed 100% if the number of SIM cards in the country is higher than the actual population number.

Netbook

An inexpensive laptop-style portable computer that typically provides limited processing power, uses solid state storage memory instead of a hard disk drive, and has long battery life.

An example of a low cost Netbook: iBall Netbooks

Offline capability

Apps that continue to work while offline that enable entering data while disconnected and automatically sync with a server when connected. Even with Wi-Fi and cellular broadband, there are many scenarios (Wi-Fi only devices, remote areas) where people still need to work without a connection.

Radio broadcasting

A medium for audio content that is often a source of news, entertainment and sports, but also used for educational programming. Radio's immediacy, portability and ubiquity make it an invaluable tool in providing learning opportunities in emergencies contexts.

Interactive Radio Instruction (IRI)

A distance education system that combines radio broadcasts with active learning. IRI programming requires teachers and students to react physically and verbally to questions posed by radio characters and to participate in group work and other activities suggested by the presenters.

Radio broadcasting coverage

The combination of geographic coverage, radio frequency and radio broadcasting station. Typical frequencies are Shortwave (SW), FM, AM. HD and Satellite radio are less accessible in emergency context. Radio stations can be divided roughly into four categories: state-controlled public radio; privately owned commercial radio; community-controlled radio and international radio. Local radio still performs the function of a community telephone in many isolated rural areas.

Server

A computer that stores and manages data; LMS and apps use a server to store user data such as their learning profile.

Smart Phone

Mobile phone that provides access to voice, text, and advance operating systems for accessing the internet; enables the use of wireless internet (WiFi) and GPS/ location-based services

SMS (Short Message Service)

SMS is a text message service provided by most mobile service providers. SMS has been used to support literacy and numeracy instruction through guided tutorials and regular message support for instructors.

Social Media Apps

Are free applications that enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking; can be used for sharing educational content,including video, to users.

Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, WhatsApp.

Solar powered radio

A portable radio receiver powered by photovoltaic panels. It is primarily used in remote areas where access to power sources is limited. These include brands such as:

Life Energy

Freeplay

Synchronous Learning

Ways of learning that require interaction with others to occur at the same time, i.e., interactive webinars, videoconferencing, or listening jointly to a radio program. Remote learning that is interactive and in real-time.

Tablet

A mobile device that provides similar functionality to a smartphone with a larger screen.

An example of a low cost tablet: Rumie Tablets

WAP (Wireless Application Protocol)