OLN glossary

PLEASE NOTE: This website was valid from September 1997 until July 1998, and is no longer current. NAEC

Glossary of terms

Collaboration "the process of shared creation, two or more people with complementary skills interacting to create a shared understanding that none had previously possessed or could have come to on their own." (Schrage, 1995)

Co-ordinator the role of designing the structure of the OLN, organising the implementation of the design, responding to feedback to implement changes, troubleshooting, researching, and daily system maintenance and administration. The OLN co-ordinator is Leonie Ramondt.

Course fortnightly sessions of links and summaries posted to promote discussion related to practice, on the topics of collaboration, online community building, the legacy of past learning theory on current practice, where practice is heading and why, approaches to learning and learning styles.

Explorations experiments and excursions organised by participants, and using currently available demonstration software and plug-ins, these online meetings occur at a particular time and URL, with the aim of evaluating WWW sites and practice, or to try out different software environments such as Palace Chat and Moo's. Experiments may also test a variety of online strategies such as "the talking stick".

Host
a discussion host initiates a professional practice discussion, encourages contributors to stay focused, draws out the salient points and posts a regular digest of the discussion for the benefit of the whole OLN community.

exploration host(s)research the required software or online practice for excursions and experiments, post the required (installation) procedures, organise time and place, troubleshoot using FirstClass chat online if necessary, and report the results back to the group.

Mentor an experienced person, who is prepared to engage in one -on-one support, either through email and/or telephone communication.

Online learning communities a self-directed group of people who share the required tasks and objectives, to learn online and collaboratively. Communication extends beyond mere formality to the friendly exchange of stories, reflections and support.

Participants all the people who are participating in any aspect of the OLN.

Reference Schrage, M. (1995) No more teams, mastering the dynamics of creative collaboration . New York, Doubleday.

	Glossary of terms
Collaboration	"the process of shared creation, two or more people with complementary skills interacting to create a shared understanding that none had previously possessed or could have come to on their own." (Schrage, 1995)
Co-ordinator	the role of designing the structure of the OLN, organising the implementation of the design, responding to feedback to implement changes, troubleshooting, researching, and daily system maintenance and administration. The OLN co-ordinator is Leonie Ramondt.
Course	fortnightly sessions of links and summaries posted to promote discussion related to practice, on the topics of collaboration, online community building, the legacy of past learning theory on current practice, where practice is heading and why, approaches to learning and learning styles.
Explorations	experiments and excursions organised by participants, and using currently available demonstration software and plug-ins, these online meetings occur at a particular time and URL, with the aim of evaluating WWW sites and practice, or to try out different software environments such as Palace Chat and Moo's. Experiments may also test a variety of online strategies such as "the talking stick".
Host	a discussion host initiates a professional practice discussion, encourages contributors to stay focused, draws out the salient points and posts a regular digest of the discussion for the benefit of the whole OLN community. *exploration host(s)*research the required software or online practice for excursions and experiments, post the required (installation) procedures, organise time and place, troubleshoot using FirstClass chat online if necessary, and report the results back to the group.
Mentor	an experienced person, who is prepared to engage in one -on-one support, either through email and/or telephone communication.
Online learning communities	a self-directed group of people who share the required tasks and objectives, to learn online and collaboratively. Communication extends beyond mere formality to the friendly exchange of stories, reflections and support.
Participants	all the people who are participating in any aspect of the OLN.