Glossary of Modes of Distance Learning

Audio Tapes
Taking a class by listening to all or part of it on your tape cassette machine.

CD/Multimedia
A class, some or all of whose content, is stored on a CD ROM disk. This content can contain text, sound, video, graphics, animations and files to be downloaded (which means to receive a file into your computer from a remote computer and store it there).

Correspondence
Taking a class some or all of whose content and discussions between you and your professor are carried on via printed communications which are largely exchanged through surface mail.

E-mail
Taking a class by communicating in part or entirely by using electronic mail or messages sent from one person, such as your professor, to another via computer networks. In addition to text, e-mail can contain sound, graphics and attached files to be downloaded (which means to receive a file into your computer from a remote computer and store it there).

Interactive TV
A class where you are seated in a specially-equipped room where you can see, hear and converse back and forth with your professor and fellow classmates who may be located in one or more similarly-equipped rooms no where near yours.

Internet
Taking a class where you will be asked to find information on numerous topics including, for example, your course curriculum, course content and course notes by visiting designated websites.

PC-Based Interactive
Taking a class which involves your taking part in computer-based electronic discussions and dialogs among yourself, your professor and your classmates. These discussions can occur in real time "chat rooms" or at any time of the day or night. When discussions occur any time of the day or night, they are referred to as asynchronous communications or as aynchronous learning networks.

TV
Taking a class by watching all or part of it on your television set.

Video Tapes
Taking a class by listening to all or part of it on your VCR player.