Basic Computer Terminology

Network:

Computers linked together locally to share information. The link is typically completed through wires. But wireless connectivity is now becoming more available. Network speeds are usually very fast.

Internet:

Computers linked together globally to share information. The link is typically completed through wires. But wireless connectivity is now becoming more available. Internet speeds can vary from modem (slow) to broadband (fast).

Web site:

Information made available through the Internet. The presentation of information can be multi-medial, including text, graphics, photos, video, sound, hyperlinks, and files to be downloaded. Web sites are created by individuals, businesses, organizations, or groups of people. A Web site usually consists of more than one page.

Homepage:

The first and main page of a Web site. Homepages have been termed the most personally identifiable feature of the Internet.

Web page:

An individual page of a Web site. Web pages can be hyperlinked to other Web pages in the same Web site or to other Web sites.

Web designer:

The person (s) who create Web pages or Web sites.

Web design elements:

There are 25 basic Web elements that are used in creating Web pages. These elements are subdivided into six categories: links, lists, tables, images, forms, and frames.

Content:

Actual information on a Web site.

Host:

The computer where the homepage and most of the content of the Web site is stored. A host computer can reside anywhere in the world.

Navigation:

A computer user must be able to travel within or between pages; understand needed information to make navigational decisions; and ultimately retrieve and process the information to complete the original task. Travel is defined as the ability to confidently navigate and orientate with purpose, ease and accuracy within an Internet environment. Navigation is defined as the movement within a Web page. Orientation is defined as the awareness and understanding of the relationships between the elements of a Web page. And, the level of mobility is defined as the ease and confidence in which a user can travel.

Coping strategies:

An experience computer user understands that a computer will break at the least convenient time. All of their work is vulnerable to loss. Coping strategies are used to help a computer user plan for these problems with the least frustration. It has been identified that the most successful computer users utilize coping strategies.

Purpose:

Two factors that impact a person's ability to learn are motivation and purpose. These two factors are not independent. Motivation increases with a defined and relevant purpose. Before beginning any learning activity, learners are advised to understand their personal purpose for that activity.