Joy Iwancio
Glossary of E-Learning, Distance Learning
and Computer-Related Terms
I’ve been in this field for so many years, and the world has turned largely digital, that I sometimes forget that not everyone speaks my instructional tech language. To help others understand many of the terms that I and others in the field use I went searching for a comprehensive glossary that I could link for use. Alas, my search was mostly fruitless as I couldn’t find one glossary that was both comprehensive and up-to-date. So…as those of you who know my creative and determined persona, I decided to create one of my own. To be comprehensive, I included many tertiary terms that are computer-related and even some instructional design terms for foundational knowledge. To be accurate, I referred to multiple sources for cross-referencing and validity. Finally I used my personal experience to make selections and massage the language where possible so that even people outside the field could comprehend the meanings.
The resulting glossary is here. As a google doc you can search it and jump to alphabetical sections via the lettered table of contents. Please share this resource freely. If you are in the field of instructional technology, e-learning, distance education, then I welcome your comments and additions.
