Key Concepts (p. 3-4)

ACCESSIBILITY

In terms of elearning, accessibility generally has two speci.c meanings. Computer accessibility refers to the usability of a computer system by individual users. This would cover disabilities such as colour blindness, dyslexia, sound impairment and lack of manual dexterity. Web accessibility generally refers to the increasingly common practice of making pages on the internet accessible to all users, regardless of whether they access via a slow modem or a state-of-the-art broadband connection. An example might be that large .les or complex graphics may be impossible to download without a high bandwidth connection, resulting in the ‘freezing’ of the system and frustration to the potential user. The key to a consideration of accessibility is to enable users to access information in their own preferred manner, and so this is closely related to the thoughtful design of distributed education. In making computers and the web accessible, careful planning can enhance usability for all users, not just those with speci.c disabilities. Examples are that some users may prefer text links rather than icons, while the incorporation of sound .les to accompany images does not simply bene.t users with a visual impairment. The ability for individual users to self-select the level of accessibility required, for example for a colour-blind user to select a particular colour scheme on the screen, is a feature that is increasingly being built into public-access internet sites.

Web links

Web accessibility initiative: http://www.w3.org/WAI Web content accessibility guidelines: http://www.w3.org/TR/WAIWEBCONTENT

ACTIVE LEARNING

Refers to techniques where students do more than simply listen to a lecture. The notion is not new and not a product of elearning. However, it has been given added impetus through elearning, which is strongly associated with many forms of active learning: constructivism, selfdirected learning, interaction and those processes which engage the learner in an active rather than passive mode. Adapting active learning to the online environment usually involves dialogue with the teacher or other learners, observing or taking part in case studies, role plays or simulations. There is often resistance to active learning by students who are accustomed to lectures or students who prefer passive learning. It is important therefore to prepare students through explaining the objectives of active learning and offering support in the initial stages.

ACTIVITY-BASED LEARNING

This is not a precisely de.ned term and is usually thought of in opposition to passive learning. It marks a shift away from content-based learning which is associated with lectures and some forms of distance education. The underlying theory is that people learn by doing and that experience is the basis of all learning. Allied with the element of activity is the notion of re.ection, and together these two form a cyclic process: action and re.ection on action.

AGENT

A particular type of software application designed in such a way that it can take a variety of ‘decisions’ based upon the design constraints of its programmers. Agents have been used to create the appearance of a person with whom the user can have different levels of interaction and carry out a number of basic tasks or enquiries. At least one European university has used a sophisticated agent to create a helpline ‘problem page’ facility by introducing new students to the ‘character’ of their agent who can ‘discuss’ with other students a range of study problems and possible solutions. A measure of the success of this agent is that several students have apparently attempted to date her!