Glossary of common terms

A multiple-choice question (MCQ) is composed of two parts: a stem that identifies the question or problem, and a set of alternatives or possible answers that contain a key that is the best answer to the question, and a number of distractors that are plausible but incorrect answers to the question.

It is one of the core question types in Moodle.

More information:

• https://docs.moodle.org/en/Question_types
  
• https://docs.moodle.org/en/Multiple_Choice_question_type

Useful reading:

• Multiple-Choice Testing in Education: Are the Best Practices for Assessment Also Good for Learning?
  
• MCQs with 1 correct answer & 2 distractors tend to be more valid & reliable
• Top 10 stupid mistakes in design of Multiple Choice questions (external site)

Related Moodle plugins:

• All-or-Nothing Multiple Choice
  
• Matrix question
  
• MTF (ETH)
  
• OU multiple response

Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM) is a collection of standards and specifications for web-based e-learning. It defines communications between client side content and a host system called the run-time environment (commonly a function of a learning management system). SCORM also defines how content may be packaged into a transferrable ZIP file.
After going through SCORM standards 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 2004 first edition, the current latest version is SCORM 2004 2nd edition.

An anti-plagiarism module originally developed by Dan Marsden, but was redeveloped by Turnitin, who now maintain it, as a Third Party Plugin. John McGettrick is the Lead on behalf of Turnitin.   

Vocational Education and Training. 

This is a term used in Australia to refer to programs that are aimed at trades or skills-based vocations. For example, an electrician would undertake a VET course in order to become an electrician and would learn the skills during the process, but a lawyer would not. VET courses can be delivered through schools, universities, TAFEs (Technical and Further Education providers) or RTOs (Registered Training Organisations). 

VET courses can start from Cert I (basic skills) and go all the way up to Advanced Diploma level. (The order goes Cert I, Cert II, Cert III, Cert IV, Diploma, Advanced Diploma) 

The zone of proximal development, often abbreviated ZPD, is the difference between what a learner can do without help and what he or she can do with help. It is a concept introduced yet not fully developed by Soviet psychologist Lev Vygotsky (1896 – 1934) during the last two years of his life. Also, many theorists are still applying to their work today.

Vygotsky stated that a child follows an adult's example and gradually develops the ability to do certain tasks without help. Vygotsky's often-quoted definition of zone of proximal development presents it as...

"...the distance between the actual developmental level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development as determined through problem solving under adult guidance, or in collaboration with more capable peers. For example, two 8 yr. old children may be able to complete a task that an average 8 yr. old can do. Next, more difficult tasks are presented with very little assistance from an adult. In the end, both children were able to complete the task. However, the styles methods they chose depended on how far they were willing to stretch their thinking process."

Vygotsky and some educators believe education's role is to give children experiences that were within their zones of proximal development, thereby encouraging and advancing their individual learning.

"The zone of proximal development defines functions that have not matured yet, but are in a process of maturing, that will mature tomorrow, that are currently in an embryonic state; these functions could be called the buds of development, the flowers of development, rather than the fruits of development, that is, what is only just maturing."

Source: Wikipedia.org

An acronym for Automated Manipulation of Strings, Moodle's translation tool located at lang.moodle.org.

A Bitnami Stack provides a single application LAMP, WAMP or MAMP for Moodle installations. This approach offers a good solution to Users who want a test site on a stand alone computer. The Bitnami Stack also provides a more stable environment for adding additional PHP applications than other, similar solutions.  

In Moodle, the term "context" may have a specific meaning.

A Moodle context is a place where permissions are assigned to a user (usually through a role).  In Moodle, contexts are layered in a hierachry.  Some examples: a site is the overall context; each course category is a context in the site; each course is a context in it's course category; each topic/section is a context and the resources and activities in a topic/section are contexts.   Blocks, filters and special pages are contexts that are at minimum part of the  site context.    Permissions are passed down automatically. For example, a user who has a teacher role in a course will be assigned that role when a Forum context is created.   Roles for individuals or groups can be changed in a context. This makes it possible for one user to be a teacher in one context and  a student in another.