Letter C Teaching Terms

These are common terms found in education. Click on any links to learn more about the topic.

Case study
An investigation format focusing on a specific group, setting, and time period with the aim of studying and clarifying a unique feature(s) of the situation.

Chat room
A virtual environment that allows people to communicate instantaneously over the Internet; typically the communications are sent by typing messages that are relayed to all people in the chat room, but some chat rooms allow communication via voice or video.

Class exercises
Learning exercises or problems students complete during regular classroom or laboratory sessions under the supervision of an instructor.

Cognition
Mental abilities of knowing, perceiving, and understanding.

Cognitive process
Mental process such as knowing, perceiving, and understanding.

Cognitive domain
The mental aspect of experience and learning (knowing, understanding, etc.).

Cognitive model of learning
Learning models based on the theory that acquisition of new knowledge and skills rests on the existence and development of mental cognitive structures.

Collaborative learning
An instructional method that emphasizes students working together in small groups to complete a task or reach a common goal; in some cases students may be responsible for each other's learning

Competencies
An individual's abilities as they relate to knowledge, understanding, and skills; see also minimal competence.

Comprehension
Ability to find and construct meaning from texts.

Computer assisted learning
An instructional format where the computer supplements the instructions, exercises, information and/or feedback provided by an instructor.

Computer-based learning
An instructional format where the computer provides instructions, exercises, information and feedback in place of an instructor.

Computer conferencing
A format for holding discussions by participants in different places by connecting through computer networks to transmit messages that are either text, audio, and or visual. This can be asynchronous using email or a listserver or synchronous using conferencing software.

Computer marked assignments (CMAs)
Assignments that are evaluated and assessed by use of a computer; typical examples are standardize placement tests.

Concept mapping
A learning strategy used to aid students in organizing information; concept maps take a variety of forms suited to the type of information and activity.

Constructivism
A theory learning that claims people learn by constructing knowledge through social interactions with others.

Content developer
Individual who creates and prepares materials used in a learning environment; materials can be in print of electronic format.

Context
The setting where teaching and learning occur; identifying context involves noting social, geographical, political, and other factors related to the learning environment.

Continuing professional development (CDP)
Opportunities for individuals to increase their current level of knowledge and skills through coursework or other means in order to improve their employment.

Continuous assessment
Ongoing evaluation of work during a course in which the scores earned count toward the final evaluation.

Constructed response
Assessment based on written material constructed by the student.

Convergent assessment
Assessment based on emphasizing the ability of the students to focus upon a clearly defined task; opposed to divergent assessment.

Cooperative learning
Learning format the requires the cooperation of a small number of students who work towards the completion of a given task; each student is responsible for a part of the task, and the entire task cannot be completed without all the learners finishing their portion of the task.

Counseling
Aid provided by a staff member or peer (student) in relation to an educational, personal, or social problem.

Courseware
Software and other computer-based materials developed for use in a course.

Creative thinking
Thought processes designed to encourage originality in the development and elaboration of original and diverse ideas.

Criterion referencing
Assessment based on predefined criteria; opposed to norm referencing.

Critical incident
An event that triggers reflective self-examination and critical assessment of the event.

Critical thinking
Evaluating claims, assumptions, and implications of a particular point of view without simply accepting them as facts

Curriculum
Broadly understood as the subjects and materials to be taught by an educational institution; typically it is listed as a set of subjects, but also may include the learning experiences, skills, and abilities students are expected to learn.

Curriculum mapping
A process for organizing data reflecting the primary knowledge, skills, and assesments related to a subject area and used to facilitate communication and instruction.

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