How to Talk Like a Techie

American Standard Code for Information Interchange, pronounced “ask-ee,” is a code for representing letters, numbers and punctuation. In ASCII, each character is associated with a number. For example, lower-case “p” is 50. This common coding system allows data to be transferred from one computer to another.

Blog
A method of publishing on the web. Blog is short for “web LOG.” Blogs function as online diaries and, for educators, offer a myriad of possibilities. A blog can act as a class forum or be used to keep parents updated. As well, a student can use one to build a digital portfolio.

Browser
An application that allows you to read and navigate web pages. When you “surf the web,” the browser is your proverbial surfboard. For Windows users, popular “boards” or browsers include Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, Netscape and Opera. Mac users can use Explorer, Chimera or Safari.

Chat room
An Internet forum that allows two or more people to communicate through real-time text transmissions. Some chat rooms are open and anyone can join; others require an invitation.

Digital portfolio
A collection of a student’s work for assessment, stored or presented through a CD-ROM, the World Wide Web or any other digital format.

Download
When you copy a file from its main source to another location. If you get a copy of a file on your computer from a web site, you have downloaded the file.

DVD
Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc. This technology allows you to store large amounts of data, like movies or multimedia presentations, on an optical disk.

Flash
A program that presents animation and multimedia presentations within any browser. Macromedia’s Flash software has become the standard for presenting rich media on the web and can be used for developing CD-ROMs. Because Flash fuses animation, sound and interactivity, its educational potential is great.

FTP
File Transfer Protocol, a method of moving files over the Internet. Protocol is a very common word in Internet-speak; it refers to a way of sending data from one point to another. With an FTP program, you can send and receive image files, word processor files, web pages and music files to and from a server.

HTML
HyperText Markup Language, the language used to display information on the web. HTML is the cornerstone of the web. It is a language based on tags. When a browser reads this line: This sentence is bold., it will display something like this: This sentence is bold. You don’t need any special programs to write HTML; a text editor or word processor will do. Just remember to save your files
as .html files. You can then view your work in a browser. If you want to put your files on the web, you will need access to a web server.

HTTP
HyperText Transfer Protocol, the method used for sharing web pages over the World Wide Web. Whenever you type an address into the address bar of your browser, you usually see “http://” at the beginning of the address. This prefix defines the rules of interaction between your browser and the web server.

Interactive whiteboard (aka SMART board)
A presentation device that lets you display and interact with digital material, while also retaining the traditional elements of a whiteboard. An interactive whiteboard usually works in conjunction with a computer and a projector. Active whiteboards allow you to interact with a computer along with all of its files and applications.

Internet
A worldwide network of computers. These computers are linked and can share information in a variety of ways: e-mail, the World Wide Web, FTP, IRC and newsgroups.

Java Applet
A small program, written in the Java programming language, that runs within a browser. A Java Applet can be much more interactive than plain HTML and usually features some animation.

JavaScript
A scripting language for interacting directly with a web browser. JavaScript is on almost every web page you read. It allows web authors to control various aspects of their web pages, from moving text to changing images to logging in and submitting forms. A very common use of JavaScript in education is in the creation of online tests. With most JavaScript tests, students can submit their answers and receive instant results.

LAN
Local area network, a group of computers link through a communications line or wireless technology, which share files and devices (for example, printers). LANs are usually set up under one roof for a company or a department.

MP3
A compact method of storing sound digitally. When a file is converted to MP3 from a CD, the new file is 12 times smaller than the original. This compression method makes it easier to send sound files over the Internet or to store them. With a digital voice recorder, you can capture reading and speaking done by a student, and use the MP3 file later to analyze the student’s performance. Other uses include posting the MP3 file on a class-related blog or storing the file on a CD-ROM as part of the student’s digital portfolio.

P2P
Peer-to-peer, a network where all the computers have equal capabilities. Popular P2P programs are the infamous file-sharing programs like Kazaa, Gnutella and the old Napster. When you connect to the Internet using one of these programs, your computer acts as both a server and a client. The two roles mean you can make your files available to others and access files on other computers. P2P networks can be useful for students who must work collaboratively; they can share files quickly and easily.

RSS
Rich Site Summary or Real Simple Syndication (no one is really sure which is the official acronym), a method of making website content available to news aggregator programs. RSS is a tool that allows you to keep track of websites with ease. The most common way to stay abreast of updates to your favourite sites is to surf each site individually, which can be time-consuming. Other options include signing up for e-mail updates but this involves giving out your e-mail address and increases the likelihood of getting spam. An RSS feed fixes all of these problems.

Server
A computer that manages files or hardware. There are many types of servers, from file servers that share files over a network to web servers that allow browsers to view web pages. Large companies often have print servers to handle printer requests from various computers.

Spam
Unwanted e-mail, usually offering or promoting some sort of service.

Upload
When you transfer a file from your computer
to a server or a network. Once you upload a
file, it usually becomes available to a wider group of users.

URI
Uniform Resource Identifier, any kind of Internet address. Both http://www.ourkids.net/ and ftp://ftp.ncsa.uiuc.edu/ are URIs. URI is a term that encompasses the address of these various forms of Internet protocols. You can access most of these parts of the Internet through your browser by typing in the URI in the address bar. However, a browser is primarily designed for navigating URLs. For other URIs, like FTP sites, it is usually better to use a program designed for that part of the Internet.

URL
Universal Resource Locator, a web address such as http://www.pioro.net/ or http://www.ourkids.net/. Everything from the “http://” to the end of the address is the URL. Usually, a browser uses a URL to find and load a web page. Most browsers display the URL of the page being viewed in the address bar. Also, a link on a web page comprises a URL.

VoIP
Voice over Internet Protocol, hardware and software that allows you to make phone calls over the Internet. VoIP is also known as Internet telephony, IP telephony or Voice over the Internet (VOI). The advantage is that the cost of phone calls is included in the price of your Internet connection.

Wi-Fi
Wireless fidelity, a method of transmitting information over radio waves. With Wi-Fi, a wireless local network links computers without the usual tangle of cables.

World Wide Web
An organization of linked servers that share information. These servers are connected through a common protocol (HTTP) and language (HTML).

XML
Extensible Markup Language, a language for defining and sending information over the web and between different programs. Like HTML, XML is based on tags that look like this: . With XML, you can design your own tags to categorize information, which then becomes portable and reusable.