Agile project management - a project management methodology stressing the iterative nature of determining user requirements along with flexibility and interaction between developers and users.
Android - Google’s (Open Source) mobile operating system
BlackBerry - Mobile devices produced by RIM
BYOD - Bring Your Own Device
CAMEL - Collaborative Approaches to the Management of E-Learning
CMS - Content Management System
CSS - Cascading Style Sheets
FE - Further Education
GPS - Global Positioning System
GSMA - Global System for Mobiles Association (see http://www.gsmworld.com) but when founded was originally 'Groupe Speciale Mobile Association'. It is a trade body for mobile operators devoted to promoting and standardising the GSM/3G mobile telephone system. As with JISC,it is usually referred to by acronym.
HE - Higher Education
iOS - Apple’s mobile operating system
JANET - the UK’s academic and research network, connecting several hundred educational institutions, research councils and related organisations.
JISC - Joint Information Systems Committee, although usually referred to by acronym.
Laptop - A mobile computer with a screen, keyboard and battery. Usually wifi-enabled.
LMS - Learning Management System
Loanership - A scheme whereby a user treats an institutionally-provided device as their own but must give it back to the institution at the end of their studies.
MoLeNET - The Mobile Learning Network (an initiative that provided capital funding to Further Education institutions as well as mentoring, research and evaluation - ran 2007 to 2010)
MP3 player - an audio device that plays digital music stored in MP3 format
NSS - National Student Survey
NUS - National Union of Students
Ofcom - Office of Communications (a UK government-approved body that regulates the telecommunications industry)
PDA - Personal Digital Assistant
RDF - Resource Description Framework
RIM - Research in Motion
RSS - RDF Site Summary (often called Really Simple Syndication). A way of publishing frequently-updated resources in a standardised format.
SCORM - Sharable Content Object Reference Model (a collection of standards and specifications for e-learning resources)
Smartphone - An advanced mobile phone combining the functionality of a PDA and mobile phone. Many also feature MP3 player functionality, touschreens, cameras, wifi, GPS and 3G internet access.
SMS - Short Message Service. A standardised text messaging service usable on most (if not all) mobile phones.
Stylesheet - See CSS.
Tablet - a touchscreen device that has some or all of the features of a full-size personal computer.
TEL - Technology-Enhanced Learning
Transactional distance - the ‘cognitive space’ between instructors and learners in an educational setting.
Trojan horse - A phrase used metaphorically and inspired by Virgil’s account of the Trojan War in which the Greeks hid inside a large wooden horse to gain access to Troy. In this context, it represents more revolutionary ideas and concepts that can be smuggled within other seemingly standard projects or initiatives.
UCISA - Universities and Colleges Information Systems Association.
USB - Universal Serial Bus (a standard for connecting data and power supplies between computers and peripherals)
VLE - Virtual Learning Environment
Wifi - A standard for wirelessly connecting mobile devices to networks and/or the internet.
XML - A set of rules for encoding documents in machine and human-readable form.
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