Online Update of the Statewide Technology Inventory Glossary of Terms - Fall 2007
GeorgiaDepartment of Education,
Office of Instructional Technology & Media
Online Update of the
Statewide Technology Inventory Glossary of Terms - Fall 2007
This page contains definitions of all of the terms that are used throughout the Technology Hardware Survey, including descriptions of what types of computers are to be counted in each of the categories.
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1-to-1 Computing
When students and teachers have access to a modern computer in every classroom, every day.
21st Century Classroom
A classroom that has, at a minimum, the following technology installed: A dedicated computer for the teacher, a mounted projector, an electronic presentation device (board, panel) and an electronic testing/voting system.
Administrative Computers
Computers used by administrative or student support staff in main offices, principals’ offices, media specialists’ work areas, guidance counseling offices, etc. Students and/or teachers have little or no access to these machines.
Alternative School
An alternative school offers learning opportunities that are targeted toward helping improve the graduation rates for at-risk populations who are not performing well in traditional K-12 schools. Common configurations are night or modified schedule schools, schools with more disciplinary structure, or schools focused on providing extra care to special populations, such as students with a history of drug abuse, legal problems, depression, violence, and/or home/family conflict. Alternative high schools are often vocationally-oriented.
AppleShare
The AppleShare protocol is a communications protocol from Apple Computers, Inc. that allows client applications in a computer to exchange files with and request services from server programs in a computer network. AppleShare can be used over the Internet on top of the TCP/IP protocol, or on top of other network protocols such as Internetwork Packet Exchange and AppleTalk. Using the AppleShare protocol, a user can access files, applications, printers, and other resources on a remote server. It can communicate with any server program that is set up to receive an AppleShare client request.
AppleTalk
AppleTalk is a set of local area network communication protocols created for Apple Computers, Inc. An AppleTalk network can support up to 32 devices and data can be exchanges at a speed of 230.4 Kbps. Devices can be as much as 1,000 feet apart.
Assistive Devices
Assistive technology products are those items or software packages that can enable people with disabilities to use technology and/or computers.
Blog/Blogging
An online diary; a personal chronological log of thoughts published on a Web page; also called Weblog.
Camcorders/Movie Camera
A self-contained unit of communications equipment made up of a lightweight, digital or videocassette recorder that captures full-motion action instead of only still shots.
CPU
Stands for Central Processing Unit and refers to the portion of a desktop computer that houses the computer’s processor and other key electronic components central to the computer’s; functionality.
Chatting/Chatroom
A site on the internet where a number of users can communicate in real time (typically one dedicated to a particular topic).
Classroom
The primary, physical space where any number of students are regularly scheduled to receive instruction. These spaces include mobile instructional areas, even if they are detached from the school’s main building (for example: mobile units). These spaces may also include auditoriums, cafeterias, and even closets IF teachers and students are permanently scheduled to meet there for the purposes of instruction for the entire school year. Classrooms can resemble labs in that they may contain many computers. However, the difference between a classroom and lab is the way students are scheduled in the space, not the number of computers. A classroom is the primary, regularly-scheduled meeting space for teachers and students. A lab is a place that students and teachers leave their regularly-scheduled meeting place to visit. A room that does not have teachers/students regularly-scheduled during this school year is not to be counted as a classroom for this survey.
Data/Video Projector
A specialized projector with its own, internal lighting source that hooks to a computer monitor or another visual display device and projects the image displayed by that monitor or display advice on a movie screen. Such devices are commonly used in presentations. Data/Video projectors can use either Digital Light Processing (DLP) technology, developed by Texas Instruments or light-crystal-display technology (LCD). LCD projectors are distinguished from LCD panels in that they have their own light source; whereas, LCD panels borrow an overhead projector’s light source. LCD projectors should be counted in this category. LCD panels should not.
Desktops
A computer designed to fit on top of a desk, typically with a separate CPU, monitor, and keyboard (although some computers, especially Macs, are all-in-one models). Desktop computers typically weigh 30-50 pounds and are not considered portable like a laptop computer.
Digital Cameras
A camera that captures and stores still images as digital data instead of on photographic film.
Digital Tagging
Placing Meta-data tags on instructional content for the purposes of making the content searchable.
Direct-Connect Printers
A printer that is connected directly into the machine that will be printing to it. A non-networked printer.
District Demark
The point where the state-funded network router for Internet Access is located in the district.
Ethernet
Ethernet is the most widely-installed local area network (LAN) technology. Specified in a standard, IEEE 802.3, Ethernet was originally developed by Xerox and then developed further by Xerox, DEC, and Intel. An Ethernet LAN typically uses coaxial or special grades of twisted-pair wires. Ethernet is also used in wireless LANs. The most commonly installed Ethernet systems are called 10 BASE-T and provide transmission speeds up to 10 Mbps. However, fast Ethernet or 100BASE-T provides speeds up to 100Mbps and is typically used for LAN backbone systems, supporting workstations with 10BASE-T cards. Gigabit Ethernet provides and even higher level of backbone support at 1000 Mbps. 10-Gigabit Ethernet provides up to 10 billion bits per second.
Fax Machines
A facsimile machine that transfers print copies of documents through a telephone line to another facsimile machine.
Firewall
A system designed to prevent unauthorized access to or from a private network. Firewalls can be implemented in both hardware and software, or a combination of both. Firewalls are frequently used to prevent unauthorized Internet users from accessing private networks connected to the Internet, especially intranets. All messages entering or leaving the intranet pass through the firewall, which examines each message and blocks those that do not meet the specified security criteria.
Graphing Calculators
A small hand-held computer that interfaces with a computer (or a computer program that simulates a hand-held calculator) and creates charts and graphs of various mathematical functions. Some graphing calculators even permit simple text editing and programming.
GSAMS
The Georgia Distance Learning and Telemedicine Act of 1992 established the Georgia Statewide Academic and Medical System. Two-way, interactive communications are shared over T-1 lines throughout the State, allowing for videoconferencing between educational institutions, medical facilities, youth development centers, and other public and private organizations within Georgia and beyond.
Hardware
Hardware is the physical aspect of computers, telecommunications, and other information technology devices. Refers to objects that can be touched, like disks, disk drives, display screens, keyboards, printers, boards, and chips.
High-speed Internet Access
Internet Access at speeds greater than that provided by a 56Kbps dial-up modem connection.
High-speed Internet Connection
Same as above.
Home Access
The ability to access the World Wide Web from a person’s primary place of residence.
Instructional Computer
A computer used by teachers and/or students for instructional purposes. These are most often located in classrooms, media centers, instructional labs, and teacher work areas.
Interactive Video Capability
Ability to have real-time, two-way video exchanges among two or more participants in different locations.
Interactive Presentation Device
Refers to any device that is connected to some electronic device such as a computer. In order to be interactive, it must take input from a touch device (examples: stylus, touch pen, touch screen).
Interactive Whiteboard
Refers to any whiteboard (that is, any board for drawing) that has a connection to some electronic device such as a computer, display device or printer
IPX/SPX
Short for Internetwork Packet Exchange, a networking protocol used by the Novell NetWare operating systems. Like UDP/IP, IPX is a datagram protocol used for connectionless communications. Higher-level protocols, such as SPX and NCP, are used for additional error recovery services.
LAN
Stands for Local Area Network; a group of computers networked to share resources, confined to a small geographic area (often a single building).
LAN Topologies
The arrangement in which the nodes of a LAN are connected to each other.
Land Line-ATM
Hard-wired network where ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) protocols are utilized.
Land Line-Fiber
Hard-wired network where fiber wiring is utilized.
Land Line-Frame Relay
Hard-wired network where frame relay protocol is utilized.
Laptops
A small, portable computer usually weighing 3-10 lbs. Also called “notebook” computers.
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like operating system that was designed to provide personal computer users a free or very low-cost operating system comparable to traditional and usually more expensive Unix systems. Linux has a reputation as a very efficient and fast-performing system. Linux's kernel (the central part of the operating system) was developed by Linus Torvalds at the University of Helsinki in Finland.
Mac
Common name (abbreviation for MacIntosh) for a product designed, manufactured and delivered by Apple Computers, Inc. See
Maintenance
The process of keeping acquired computers in optimal working order.
Mbps
A measure of data transfer speed. Short for “megabits per second.” A megabit is equal to one million bits. Network transmissions, for example, are generally measured in Mbps.
MediaCenter
A modern facility that offers a wide range of resources in a variety of formats—print books, computer resources, audio and videotapes—that appeal to different learning styles. Includes hardware and software to provide access to electronic resources.
Microsoft Networking
Network protocol that utilizes the Microsoft operating system networking features.
Mobile Labs
Computers that can be moved to different locations for instructional purposes. Mobile labs may be desktops on carts or laptops. Mobile labs can connect to the schools LAN via hard-wired or wireless connections or they may serve only as stand-alone computers.
Modems
A modulator/demodulator; hardware that translates digital computer signals into sounds that be transmitted through a telephone line.
Modern Computer
Equal to or better than a Pentium IV or comparable AMD processor OR equal to or better than a Macintosh G4 which would also include all Intel-based processors for Apple Products. None of these G4 machines would have entered system inventories before 2001.
NAT
NAT (Network Address Translation) is the translation of an Internet Protocol (IP) address used within one network to a different IP address known within another network. One network is designated the inside network and the other is the outside. Typically, a company maps its local inside network addresses to one or more global outside IP addresses and unmaps the global IP addresses on incoming packets back into local IP addresses. This helps ensure security since each outgoing or incoming request must go through a translation process that also offers the opportunity to qualify or authenticate the request or match it to a previous request. NAT also conserves on the number of global IP addresses that a company needs and it lets the company use a single IP address in its communication with the world.
Network Protocols
A common set of rules and instructions that each computer follows so that multiple computing devices can communicate with one another.
Networked Printers
A printer that receives an IP address from the network and can be accessed by any computer that also connected to that network. Networked printers are most easily located by their ability to print jobs from multiple computers in various locations.
Novell/Netware
NetWare, made by Novell, is a widely-installed network server operating system.
Older
A computer that does not fit the definition of modern computer because it was manufactured before 1999.
Operating System or OS
A computer program that controls the components of a computer system and facilitates the operation of applications. Windows XP, Linux, and MacOS are common operating systems.
OS X server
A server running Macintosh Operating System X.
Other Locations
A category for instructional computers that are not located in classrooms, labs, or media centers. Examples of other locations include teacher work areas, wiring closets, and server rooms.
PDA’s
Short for personal digital assistant, a handheld computing device that is smaller and more portable than a laptop, but has less computing power and storage. Unlike laptop computers, most PDAs began as pen-based, using a stylus rather than a keyboard for input; although keyboard accessories are now readily available for most PDAs. Some PDAs combine computing, telephone/fax, Internet and networking features. Some PDA can function as a cellular phone, fax sender, Web browser and personal organizer. Some PDAs can also react to voice input by using voice recognition technologies. PDAs are also called palms, hand-held computers and pocket computers and most interface with a full-functioning computer to upload and download information.
PeachStar Video Distribution
PeachStar Education Services is a division of Georgia Public Broadcasting and offers a wide range of services to educational, state and commercial clients. These services include print and web design and production, PeachStar specializes in the design, development, production and distribution of video-based resources.
Podcasting
A method of publishing files to the Internet, allowing users to subscribe to a feed and receive new files automatically by subscription, usually at no cost. It first became popular in late 2004, used largely for audio files.
Projectors
See Data/Video Projector.
Regular Classrooms
Classrooms not serving vocational education or special education classes exclusively.
Retrofitting
Modifying existing buildings to accommodate modern technologies. Retrofitting can include updating electrical service or wiring, installing network infrastructure, venting or cooling a server room, or even reinforcing the structure of a roof to hold a structure for wireless transmission devices.
Scan Converters
A device that changes the number of lines per frame of a video image to adapt to a lower resolution format, either by deleting lines, compressing lines or by imaging only a part of the original frame. Also used as a synonym for analog-to-digital converter.
Scanners
A device used to trace out an object and build up an image. A scanner can convert a paper drawing or photograph into pixels on a display screen. Scanners are also used to relay information in optical data processing.
School Website
A website that is created and maintained for the purpose of sharing information about the school.
Servers
A computer, or a program on the computer, acting as an Internet site whose data is available to client computers.
Software
Computer instructions or data. Information that can be stored electronically is software Software is often divided into two categories: (1) systems software, which includes the operating system and all the utilities that enable the computer to function; and (2) applications software, which includes programs that do real work for users. For example, word processors, spreadsheets, and database management systems fall under the category of applications software.
Special Education Classrooms
Classrooms serving only special education students.
Stationary Labs
Instructional areas with multiple computers that are unmoving.
System Website
A website that is created and maintained for the purpose of sharing information about the school system.
Tablets
A type of notebook computer that has an LCD screen on which the user can write using a special-purpose pen, or stylus. The handwriting is digitized and can be converted to standard text through handwriting recognition, or it can remain as handwritten text. Tablet PCs also typically have a keyboard and/or a mouse for input.
TCP/IP
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol; the communication program common to most connected computers.
Telephone
An instrument that converts voice and other sound signals into a form that can be transmitted to remote locations and receives and reconverts waves into sound signals.
Televisions
An electronic apparatus that receives electromagnetic waves and displays the reconverted images on a screen.
Terminals
A monitor and keyboard used for data entry and display to and from a mainframe computer. Unlike computers, the terminal does not have its own central processing unit.
Thin Client
A network computer without a hard disk drive, which, in client/server applications, is designed to be especially small so that the bulk of the data processing occurs on the server.
Unix
A multi-user computer operating system developed by AT&T; UNIX has built-in TCP/IP and is the most commonly used operating system for servers on the Internet.
Unix-based
An operating system that is based on the Unix Kernal (the central part of the operating system). This includes Linux.
Video Distribution System
The use of streaming video to broadcast previously recorded content. The distribution can take place over the Internet or via any other proprietary network.
VPN
Stands for Virtual Private Network. This is the use of encryption to provide a secure connection through an otherwise insecure network, typically the Internet.