Giáo trình Tiếng Anh chuyên ngành - Ngành: Kỹ thuật lắp ráp, sửa chữa máy tính - Trường Cao đẳng công nghiệp Hải Phòng

Nội dung text: Giáo trình Tiếng Anh chuyên ngành - Ngành: Kỹ thuật lắp ráp, sửa chữa máy tính - Trường Cao đẳng công nghiệp Hải Phòng

1. UBND TỈNH HẢI PHÒNG TRƯỜNG CAO ĐẲNG CÔNG NGHIỆP HẢI PHÒNG GIÁO TRÌNH TIẾNG ANH CHUYÊN NGÀNH Chuyên ngành: Kỹ thuật lắp ráp, sửa chữa máy tính (Lưu hành nội bộ) HẢI PHÒNG
2. Vị trí, tính chất của môn học: - Vị trí: Môn học này là một trong các môn chung bắt buộc dành cho sinh viên khoa Công nghệ thông tin hệ cao đẳng. - Tính chất: Môn học này nhằm hình thành và phát triển các kỹ năng: nghe, nói, đọc, viết tiếng Anh chuyên ngành công nghệ thông tin giúp cho sinh viên phát triển năng lực sử dụng tiếng Anh chuyên ngành để đáp ứng yêu cầu đòi hỏi của thị trường lao động trong quá trình hội nhập quốc tế. Mục tiêu môn học: - Về kiến thức: + Trình bày hệ thống thuật ngữ tiếng Anh chuyên ngành Công nghệ thông tin; + Trình bày hệ thống kiến thức ngữ pháp cơ bản trong tiếng Anh chuyên ngành Công nghệ thông tin. - Về kỹ năng: + Đọc hiểu các tài liệu kỹ thuật đơn giản trong lĩnh vực Công nghệ thông tin; + Nghe hiểu và giao tiếp cơ bản sử dụng tiếng Anh chuyên ngành Công nghê thông tin trong môi trường làm việc tại doanh nghiệp; + Viết các đoạn văn đơn giản liên quan đến chuyên ngành Công nghệ thông tin. - Về năng lực tự chủ và trách nhiệm: Hình thành cho sinh viên thái độ nghiêm túc, hăng say trong học tập. Nội dung môn học Nội dung tổng quát và phân phối thời gian: Bài Tên bài Nội dung giảng dạy - Computer applications Unit 1 Computers today - Reading: What is a computer? - Speaking: Your ideal computer system - Grammar focus: Relative clauses - Reading: Point and click! - Writing: Describing your computer Unit 2 Devices screen - Grammar focus: Requirements: need to, have to, must, be + essential, critical Revision 1 + - Review Unit 1 & 2 Progress 1 - Progress test 1 Unit 3 Software - Reading: Operating systems 2
3. - Reading: Computer graphics - Writing: Creating a home page with a Web page editor - Grammar focus: Conditional clauses - Reading: Programming languages Unit 4 Programming - Writing: Describing C language - Grammar focus: Infinitive constructions Revision 2 +- Review Unit 3 & 4 Progress 2 - Progress test 2 - Reading: Security and privacy on the net. Computers Hackers! Unit 5 tomorrow - Mini project: designing a cybercafe - Grammar focus: making predictions Final Revision - Final Review MỤC LỤ 3
4. C Unit 1: Computers today 5 WARM UP: COMPUTER APPLICATIONS 5 READING 7 GRAMMAR FOCUS: RELATIVE CLAUSES 10 SPEAKING: YOUR IDEA COMPUTER SYSTEM 11 Unit 2: Input/ output devices 12 WARM UP 12 READING 14 WRITING 15 Unit 3: Software 16 WARM UP 16 READING 17 GRAMMAR FOCUS: CONDITIONAL CLAUSES 19 READING 20 WRITING 22 Unit 4: Programming 23 WARM UP 23 READING 24 GRAMMAR FOCUS: INFINITIVE CONSTRUCTIONS 26 Unit 5: Computers tomorrow 27 WARM UP 27 READING 28 GRAMMAR FOCUS: MAKING PREDICTIONS 30 4 TUYÊN BỐ BẢN QUYỀN
5. Tài liệu này thuộc loại sách giáo trình nên các nguồn thông tin có thể được phép dùng nguyên bản hoặc trích dùng cho các mục đích về đào tạo và tham khảo. Mọi mục đích khác mang tính lệch lạc hoặc sử dụng với mục đích kinh doanh thiếu lành mạnh sẽ bị nghiêm cấm.
6. Unit 1: Computers today WARM UP: COMPUTER APPLICATIONS A. Computers have many applications in a many fields. Look at these pictures of different situations and match them with text 1 to 4 below. a b d c 1 A computer has high speed of calculation, diligence, accuracy, reliability, or versatility which made it an integrated part in all business organizations. Computer is used in business organizations for: Payroll calculations Budgeting Sales analysis Financial forecasting Managing employees database 2 The computer has provided a lot of facilities in the education system. The computer provides a tool in the education system known as CBE (Computer Based Education). CBE involves control, delivery, and evaluation of learning. 6
7. The computer education is rapidly increasing the graph of number of computer students. There are number of methods in which educational institutions can use computer to educate the students. It is used to prepare a database about performance of a student and analysis is carried out on this basis. 3 Computers are widely used in Engineering purpose. One of major areas is CAD (Computer aided design). That provides creation and modification of images. Some fields are: Structural Engineering - Requires stress and strain analysis for design of Ships, Buildings, Budgets, Airplanes etc. Industrial Engineering - Computers deal with design, implementation and improvement of integrated systems of people, materials and equipments. Architectural Engineering - Computers help in planning towns, designing buildings, determining a range of buildings on a site using both 2D and 3D drawings. 4 Computers are largely used in defense. Modern tanks, missiles, weapons etc. Military also employs computerized control systems. Some military areas where a computer has been used are: Missile Control Military Communication Military Operation and Planning Smart Weapons B. Match these captions with pictures above: Learning with computers is very interesting I can’t image how our company operates without computers everyday This is the modernist computerized control missile The engineer is working with new component C. Discussion: In small groups, choose one of the areas in the diagram below and discuss what computers can do in this area. 7
8. Formula 1 cars Entertainment Factories Hospitals Useful words Formula 1: racing car, car body, design, mechanical parts, electronic components, engine speed Entertainment: game, music, animated image, multimedia, encyclopedia Factories: machinery, robot, production line, computer-aided manufacturing software Hospitals: medical personnel, database program, records, scanner, diagnose, surgery Useful constructions Computers are used to A PC can also be used for Computers can help / make / control / store / keep / provide manage / give / perform / measure / test / provide access to READING A. In group of four, finish the word puzzle of computer parts below. 8
9. B. Read the text and study the diagram below. What is a computer? 9
10. Computers are electronic machines which can accept data in certain form, process the data and give the results of the processing in a specific format as information. Three basic steps are involved in the process. First, data is fed into the computer’s memory. Then, when the program is run, the computer performs a set of instructions and processes the data. Finally, we can see the results (the output) on the screen or in printed form. Information in the form of data and programs in known as software, and the electronic and mechanical parts that make up a computer system are called hardware. A standard computer system consists of three main sections: the central processing unit (CPU), the main memory, and the peripherals. Perhaps the most influential component is the central processing unit. Its function is to execute program instructions and coordinate the activities of all the other units. In a way, it is the “brain” of the computer. The main memory holds the instructions and data which are currently being processed by the CPU. The peripherals are the physical units attached to the computer. They include storage devices and input/output devices. Storage devices (floppy, hard or optical disks) provide a permanent storage of both data and programs. Disk devices are used to handle one or more floppy disks. Input devices enable data to go into the computer’s memory. The most common input devices are the mouse and the keyboard. Output devices enable us to extract the finished product from the system. For example, the computer shows the output on the monitor or prints the results onto paper by means of a printer. On the rear panel of the computer, there are several ports into which we can plug a wide range of peripherals – modems, fax machine, optical drives, and scanners. These are the main physical units of a computer system, generally known as the configuration. C. Use the information in the text and the diagram to help you match the terms in the box with the appropriate explanation or definition below. 10
11. a. software b. peripheral devices c. monitor d. USB e. hardware f. input g. port h. output i. CPU 1. The brain of the computer 2. Physical parts that make up a computer system 3. Programs which can be used on a particular computer system 4. The information which is presented to the computer 5. Results produced by a computer 6. Hardware equipment attached to the CPU 7. Visual display unit 8. Small device used to store information. 9. Any socket or channel in a computer system into which an input/output device may be connected GRAMMAR FOCUS: RELATIVE CLAUSES A. Study these sentences: 1. The microprocessor is a chip. 2. The chip processes the information provided by software. Both sentences refer to chip. We can link them by making sentences 2 a relative clause: The microprocessor is a chip which processes the information provided by software. The relative clause is in italics. Note that the chip in sentences 2 becomes which. Study these other pairs of sentences and note how they are linked. 3. The teacher has just arrived. 4. The teacher is responsible for the computer centre. 3+4: The teacher who is responsible for the computer centre has just arrived. B. Now link these sentences. Make the second sentences in each pair a relative clause. 1. Virus is a destructive software. This software causes damage to the data, the information or the hardware of the computer. 2. A USB port is a gateway. The gateway is used to connect all kinds of external devices to your computer. 11
12. 3. A co-processor is a silicon chip. The chip carries out mathematical operation at a very high speed. 4. The megahertz is a unit of frequency. The unit is used to measure processor speed. 5. A password is a secret word. The word must be entered before access is given to a computer system. 6. The gateway is a device. The device is used to interconnect different types of networks. . SPEAKING: YOUR IDEA COMPUTER SYSTEM A. Make notes about the features of the computer that you would like to have CPU: Speed: Minimum/maximum RAM: Hard disk: Monitor: Software: . B. Now describe it to your partner. Useful expressions It has got It’s very fast. It runs at The standard RAM memory and it is expandable The hard disk can hold I need a SuperVGA monitor because As for the Internet 12
13. Unit 2: Input/ output devices WARM UP A. Interacting with your computer Input devices are the pieces of hardware which allow us to enter information into the computer, the most common are the keyboard and the mouse. We can also interact with a computer by using one of these: a lightpen, a scanner, a trackball, a graphics tablet, a joystick or a voice recognition device. Look at the illustration and see if you can name them. 3 1 2 5 6 4 B. About the keyboard Look at the picture of PC-compatible keyboard below and identify these groups of keys. 1. Alphanumeric keys: arranged in the same order as a typewriter. 13
14. 2. Function keys: used by various programs to instruct the PC to perform specific tasks such as Save, Copy, Paste, Help, etc. 3. Numeric keypad: set of numeric or editing keys. The Num Kock key is used to switch from numbers to editing functions. 4. Editing keys: cursor and other keys usually used within word processors to page up and down in a long document or to edit text (using Insert or Delete keys) Match these descriptions with the names of keys on the right. Then find them on the keyboard. 1. A long key at the bottom of the keyboard. Each time it is arrow keys pressed, it produces a blank space. 2. It moves the cursor to the beginning of a new line. It is also return used to confirm commands. caps lock 3. It stops a program without losing the information from the main memory. Sometimes, its use depends on the applications. shift 4. It works in combination with other keys to produce special tab characters or specific actions. 5. It removes the character on the left of the cursor or any selected escape text. space bar 6. It produces UPPER-CASE character. 7. It produces upper-case letters, but it does not affect numbers backspace and symbols. 8. It removes the cursor horizontally to the right for a fixed alt number of spaces. 9. They are used to move the cursor, as an alternative to the mouse. 14
15. READING Point and click! A computer mouse is an input device that is most often used with a personal computer. Moving a mouse along a flat surface can move the on-screen cursor to different items on the screen. Items can be moved or selected by pressing the mouse buttons (called clicking). It is called a computer mouse because of the wire that connects the mouse to the computer. The people who designed the first computer mice thought that it looked like the tail on a mouse. Today, many computer mice use wireless technology and have no wire. In 1964 Douglas Engelbart (1925-2013), a researcher at Stanford Research Institute, wanted to find a way to make using computers easier. In those days, computers were large and expensive. Using them was very hard because everything had to be typed in by hand, and there was no way to alter things if you made a mistake. After studying and designing for a long time, Engelbart succeeded in inventing an input device which he named 'XY index'. At first, it needed two hands to use, but it was changed so that only one hand was needed to use it. This model was more like the mouse that we use today. Xerox Palo Alto Research introduced a GUI in 1981, using a mouse. The mouse was used with Macintosh of Apple Inc. when it came out in 1984. Microsoft Windows also used the mouse when it came out, so over time computer mice became used with many computers. Modern mice have three buttons: left button, right button, scroll button. On most computers, the user can move the mouse to move the cursor in the same direction. To choose something that is on the screen, the user can move the cursor to it and "click" the left mouse button. The right mouse button is used to open menus that are different depending on where the cursor is. The other mouse buttons can do different things, depending on the software. Most mice have two buttons to click. Most mice also have a "scroll wheel"—a small wheel found between the two main mouse buttons. The user can move the wheel back and forth to "scroll" through things like a website or folder. "Scrolling" means moving the words or pictures up 15
16. or down on the screen, so another part of the page comes into view. The wheel can also be pressed, to click it like another button. Try to answer these questions: 1. Why it is called a computer mouse? 2. Who invented the first computer mouse model? 3. How many buttons are there in a computer mouse normally? 4. What is the function of left mouse button? 5. Can the scroll wheel be pressed like another button on the mouse? WRITING What do you know about your computer screen which you are using? Write 100-150 words to describe it. 16
17. Unit 3: Software WARM UP A. Look at the diagram. What are the functions of the operating system? B. Read the text below and complete it with the phrases in the box mouse programs computer management user An operating system is a group of computer that coordinates all the activities among computer hardware devices. It is the first program loaded into the computer by a boot program and remains in memory at all times. The basic functions of an operating system are: Booting the Performs basic computer tasks, e.g. managing the various peripheral devices such as , keyboard. Provides a user interface, e.g. command line, graphical interface (GUI) Handles system resources such as computer's memory and sharing of the central processing unit (CPU) time by various applications or peripheral devices. Provides file which refers to the way that the operating system manipulates, stores, retrieves and saves data. 17
18. READING Read the text and answer questions below. Operating systems Operating systems usually come preloaded on any computer you buy. Most people use the operating system that comes with their computer, but it's possible to upgrade or even change operating systems. The three most common operating systems for personal computers are Microsoft Windows, Apple Mac OS X, and Linux. Modern operating systems use a graphical user interface, or GUI (pronounced gooey). A GUI lets you use your mouse to click icons, buttons, and menus, and everything is clearly displayed on the screen using a combination of graphics and text. Each operating system's GUI has a different look and feel, so if you switch to a different operating system it may seem unfamiliar at first. However, modern operating systems are designed to be easy to use, and most of the basic principles are the same. Microsoft Windows Microsoft created the Windows operating system in the mid- 1980s. Over the years, there have been many different versions of Windows, but the most recent ones are Windows 8 (released in 2012), Windows 7 (2009), and Windows Vista (2007). Windows comes preloaded on most new PCs, which helps to make it the most popular operating system in the world. If you're buying a new computer or are upgrading to a newer version of Windows, you can choose from several different editions of Windows, such as Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate. You may need to do some research to decide which edition is right for you. Mac OS X Mac OS is a line of operating systems created by Apple. It comes preloaded on all new Macintosh computers, or Macs. All of the recent versions are known as OS X (pronounced O-S Ten), and the specific versions include Yosemite (released in 2014), Mavericks (2013), Mountain Lion (2012), Lion (2011), and Snow Leopard (2009). Apple also offers a version called Mac OS X Server, which is designed to be run on servers. According to StatCounter Global Stats, Mac OS X users account for 9.5% of the operating systems market as of September 2014 - much lower than the percentage 18
19. of Windows users (almost 90%). One reason for this is that Apple computers tend to be more expensive. However, many people prefer the look and feel of Mac OS X. Linux Linux (pronounced LINN-ux) is a family of open-source operating systems, which means they can be modified and distributed by anyone around the world. This is different from proprietary software like Windows, which can only be modified by the company that owns it (Microsoft). The advantages of Linux are that it is free, and there are many different distributions—or versions—you can choose from. Each distribution has a different look and feel, and the most popular ones include Ubuntu, Mint, and Fedora. Linux is named after Linus Torvalds, who created the Linux kernel in 1991. The kernel is the computer code that is the central part of an operating system. 1. What does GUI mean? 2. When was Windows operating system created? 3. Which version of Windows you are using now? 4. What is the name of the company created Mac OS? 5. How many percent of users use Mac OS X, according to StatCounter Global Stats as of September 2014? 6. What does open-source operating system mean? 7. What are the advantages of Linux? GRAMMAR FOCUS: CONDITIONAL CLAUSES A. Two types of conditional clauses When you want to talk about a possible situation and its consequences, you use a conditional sentence. Here, we examine two types of conditionals. 19
20. First conditional (possible situation) If A happens, B will happen. (present simple), (will + verb) E.g. If you click on the speaker icon, you’ll get a piece of dialogue from the movie. In the main clause, we can also have modal (can, be able to), an imperative, or a present tense verb. Second conditional (unlikely situation) If A happened, B would happen. (past simple), (would + verb) E.g. If I had money, I would invest in a multimedia upgrade kid. Other modals (could, should, might, be able to) may appear in the main clause. B. Read these sentences, then identify the tenses used in the if-clause and in the main clause. 1. If you upgrade your PC, you’ll be able to run multimedia applications. 2. If the marketing manager had a multimedia system, she could make more effective presentations. C. Put the verbs in the brackets into the correct form. 1. If I (get) . a sound card, I’ll be able to create my own music with a MIDI. 2. If the system (have) . a SuperVGA card, we would obtain a better resolution. 3. You won’t be able to play CD-ROM disks if you (not have) . a CD-ROM drive. 4. If you (come) . to the annual computer exhibition, you could see the new Macs. 5. If I could afford it, I (buy) . a multimedia PC. 20
21. D. Match the sentences in Column A with appropriate sentences from Column B. Then join each action and effect using an if-sentence. Column A Column B 1. you press Print Screen a. you drag it across the screen 2. you press Ctrl+Alt+Del in Windows 7 b. it would speed up the computer 3. you added more memory c. you may lose data 4. you installed a modem d. you would have more space at your 5. you used a better search engine desk 6. you forget to save regularly e. you would be able to connect to a 7. you hold down the mouse button over telephone line an icon f. you can make a copy of the screen 8. you used an LCD display g. you would find more relevant results h. it displays a list of active programs E. Describe the consequences of these actions using an if-sentence 1. you don’t virus-check USB 2. there was a power cut while you were using your computer 3. you install a faster processor 4. you forgot your password 5. you press the delete key 6. you use search engine 7. you double-click on an icon 8. you use power-saving options READING A. Read the text below Computer graphics Computer graphics are visual representations of data displayed on a monitor made on a computer. Computer graphics can be a series of images (most often called video) or a single image. Computer graphics are very useful. Computer-generated imagery is used for movie making, video game and computer program development, scientific 21
22. modeling, and design for catalogs and other commercial art. Some people even make computer graphics as art. Computer graphics can be 2D or 3D. They are made differently and used differently. People use different computer programs to make different types of graphics. 2D computer graphics are usually split into two categories: vector graphics and raster graphics. Vector graphics use lines, shapes, and text to create a more complex image. If a vector graphic image is made very big on the monitor, it will still be as good as its regular size. This is one of the reasons vector graphics are liked so much. Vector graphics are made with programs like Adobe Illustrator and Inkscape, and were used for some older computer games. Today, they are often used for when computer graphics have to be printed out. Raster graphics use pixels to make up a larger image. This does not mean the artist has to change a single pixel at a time - raster programs often have tools like paintbrushes, paint buckets, and erasers to make a picture. Programs used to make these include Adobe Photoshop and Corel Paint Shop Pro. These are often used as part of what the user sees when she uses a computer program. Sometimes people do use only pixels to make an image. This is called pixel art and it has a very unique style. 3D graphics are graphics that look like objects because they are three- dimensional. This means the computer thinks it has a height, a length, and a depth, and displays them as this. Some programs used to make 3D graphics are Bryce, 3D Studio Max, Maya and Blender, and 3D graphics are used many times in movies and TV shows and video games. Computer graphics may be used in the following areas: o Computational biology o Information visualization o Computational physics o Rational drug design o Computer-aided design o Scientific visualization o Computer simulation o Special Effects for cinema o Digital art o Video Games o Education o Virtual reality o Graphic design o Web design o Infographics 22
23. B. More about graphics Graphics programs have several options that work in conjunction with the tools menu to enable the user to manipulate and change pictures. Look at the facilities on the left and match them with the definitions on the right. 1. Patterns menu a. Turning an image round 2. Scaling b. A tool which lets you scale the ‘view’ of a picture and edit a small potion of it as if you were working under a magnifying glass. It is very useful for doing detailed work as you can edit the pictures one dot at a time. 3. Rotating c. Making the object larger or smaller in any of the horizontal, vertical, or depth directions. 4. Inverting d. A shading technique where two different colors are placed next to each other; the human eye blends the colors to form a third one. It is also used to show shading in black and white. 5. Zoom e. A palette from which you choose a design to fill in shapes. 6. Slanting f. Reversing the color of the dots in the selected part of a picture, so that white dots become black and black dots become white. 7.Black-and-white g. Inclining an object to an oblique position. dithering WRITING What should I do if I want to have my own website? And you know how to create a homepage with a webpage editor? Let’s make a step-by-step note to help. 23
24. Unit 4: Programming WARM UP A. In pairs, try to think of an answer for the question. What is programming? B. Complete the following definitions with the words and phrases in the box. the various parts of the program may occur in programs language 24
25. binary numbers a given problem 1. algorithm The step-by-step specification of how to reach the solution to 2. flow chart A diagram representing the logical sequence between . 3. coding The translation of logical steps into a programming 4. machine code The basic instructions understood by computers. The processor operates on codes which consist of . 5. debugging The techniques of detecting, diagnosing and correcting errors (or ‘bugs’) which READING Read the text and find answers to questions below. Programming languages Unfortunately, computers cannot understand ordinary spoken English or any other natural language. The only language they can understand directly is called machine code. This consists of the 1s and 0s (binary codes) that are processed by the CPU. However, machine code as a means of communication is very difficult to write. For this reason, we use symbolic languages that are easier to understand. Then, by using a special program, these languages can be translated into machine code. For example, the so-called assembly languages use abbreviations such as ADD, SUB, MPY to represent instructions. These mnemonic codes are like labels easily associated with the items to which they refer. Basic languages, where the program is similar to the machine code version, are known as low-level languages. In these languages, each instruction is equivalent to a single machine code instruction, and the program is 25
26. converted into machine code by a special program called an assembler. These languages are still quite complex and restricted to particular machines. To make the programs easier to write and to overcome the problem of intercommunication between different types of machines, higher-level languages were designed such as BASIC, COBOL, FORTRAN or Pascal. These are all problem-oriented rather than machine-oriented. Programs written in one of these languages (known as source programs) are converted into low-level language by means of a compiler (generating the object program). On compilation, each statement in a high-level language is generally translated into many machine code instructions. People communicate instructions to the computer in symbolic languages and the easier this communication can be made, the wider the application of computers will be. Scientists are already working on Artificial Intelligence and the next generation of computers may be able to understand human languages. Instructions are written in a high-level language (e.g. Pascal, BASIC, COBOL, Ada, C, Lisp). This is known as the source program. Compiler Compilers translate the original code into a lower-level language or machine code so that the CPU can understand it. Instructions are compiled and packaged into a program. The software is ready to run on the computer. 1. Do computer understand human languages? 2. What are the differences between low-level and high-level languages? 3. What is an assembler? 4. What is the function of compilers? 26
27. 5. What do you understand by the terms source program and object program? 6. In the future, could computers be programmed in Spanish, French, or Japanese? GRAMMAR FOCUS: INFINITIVE CONSTRUCTIONS A. The infinitive is used: after adjectives It is difficult to use machine code. after modal verbs with to: ought to, used to I ought to make a back-up copy. Using a computer is much easier than it used to be. after modal and auxiliary verbs without to: can, could, may, might, shall, will, should, would, would rather Unfortunately, computers can’t understand English. I’d rather buy a game than a spreadsheet. B. Make sentences as in the example E.g: Not easy/write instructions in Pascal  It is not easy to write instructions in Pascal. 1. advisable/test the program under different conditions. 2. expensive/set up a data-processing area. 3. unusual for a program/work correctly the first time it is tested. 4. difficult for students/learn FORTRAN. 5. important/consider the capabilities of the programming language. 6. quite easy/write instructions in BASIC. 27
28. C. Now look again at the reading passage. Underline the infinitive constructions after modal verbs. E.g: Unfortunately, computers cannot understand ordinary spoken English D. Look at these pairs of examples and decide where there is an important change in meaning. 1. a. I remember shutting down the computer before I left the room b. Please, remember to buy the new program. 2. a. They stopped to look at the flowchart. b. They stopped looking at the flowchart. 3. a. I like studying C language. b. I like to study C language in the evenings. 4. a. It has started to rain. b. It has started raining. 5. a. He needs to work harder. b. This hard disk needs repairing. Unit 5: Computers tomorrow WARM UP A. Try to answer these questions. 1. Is it technically possible for computer criminals to infiltrate into the Internet and steal sensitive information? 2. What is a hacker? 3. Can virus enter your PC from the Internet? B. Match these texts with the correct pictures. 28
29. 1. Web browsers warn you if the connection is not secure; they display a message when you try to send personal information to a server. 2. Private networks use software and hardware mechanism, called a ‘firewall’, to block unauthorized traffic from the Internet. 3. You have to type your user name and password to access a locked computer system or network. 4. An open padlock in Netscape Communicator indicates the page is not secure; a closed padlock indicates the page is encrypted. b a c d READING Privacy and Security on the Internet: 5 Tips to Stay Safe As the Internet becomes an increasingly integral part of daily life, questions about privacy and security on the Internet are on the rise. Keeping your personal information, private data and finances safe can be difficult, but by following a few tips, you can avoid the vast majority of scams, spyware and privacy breaches. Tip 1: Be Aware 29
30. The best tool to avoid spyware and stay safe on the Internet is your own brain. Free software with no potential upgrades or strings attached, websites that are covered in flashy ads, and free Wi-Fi in an unexpected place are all signs that something may be wrong, and ignoring that intuition can get you in trouble. By staying aware of what you are doing, and thinking about your security while you live your online life, you stand a better chance of avoiding potentially dangerous situations. Tip 2: Check for website safety The Internet can be dangerous because so many websites require your personal information to either log in to your account or to complete a transaction. Hackers, thieves and spyware programmers realize this and often try to intercept your information during these transactions, so make sure you are always dealing with secure websites and companies. First, only provide your information to reputable businesses, then ensure that the company's website uses a Web address that starts with "https" and has a padlock symbol either in the address bar or at the bottom of the browser. This means that the site encrypts your information, making the data nearly useless to any thieves or hackers who may intercept the transmission. Tip 3: Choose strong and varied passwords For most people, a password is the strongest protection to ward off hackers and thieves, and yet so many choose passwords that are barely worth the time it takes to enter them. When creating a password, always use a mix of letters and numbers, and include a symbol if the website allows it. While more difficult to remember, this will make your password almost impossible to guess. More importantly, you have to use different passwords for different websites. Think about how often you use the same username and password for many online accounts. Hackers specifically target low-security sites to gain access to large lists of usernames and corresponding passwords, knowing that many people use the same combination of credentials for things like online banking. Additionally, take advantage of any two- factor authentication offered by these sites. This requires not only a password to log in, but a code that's sent to a dedicated device or to your smartphone as an SMS message. This makes it very difficult for a third party to hack into your account. Tip 4: What is spyware? How do I stop it? Spyware probably poses the biggest threat to privacy and security on the Internet, yet so few people really know what it is or how it works. Put simply, spyware is any piece of software that records your actions or information without your knowledge. Some spyware is fairly benign, tracking browsing history and keeping the data it receives anonymous, while other spyware is specifically designed to get your online banking credentials so thieves can clean out your accounts. Because it's almost impossible to avoid spyware on your own, having anti-spware and antivirus programs running on your computer is a must. These programs will automatically scan any piece of incoming software for malicious signatures and block the installation if the program looks suspect. They'll also scan existing files and monitor Internet traffic to ensure that spyware isn't hiding somewhere on the machine and sending your information to some hacker's terminal. There are free anti-spyware programs out there, but you have to be careful when trying to save a buck or two — quite a few of these programs are really Trojan horses in disguise, looking to infect your machine instead of protect it. Instead, your best option is to go with an industry leader. These companies have no interest in scamming you, and are big enough to ensure that their databases are constantly updated as new threats emerge. The best options also offer a free trial, so you can see the anti-spyware program in action before paying some of your hard- earned cash. Tip 5: It's not all about spyware and scams With all this talk about spyware, hackers and Internet security, it's important to remember that most people with privacy issues on the Internet put themselves in that position. Think about 30
31. social networking sites and just how much personal information you have posted there. If someone were trying to steal your identity and needed your father's middle name or where you went to elementary school — two commonly used security questions — you need to think about how a thief could locate those facts. If you're concerned about Internet privacy, you have to consider staying away from social networking sites, minimizing the information you put out there, or maximizing privacy settings on these sites. Complete privacy and security on the Internet is a tough goal to reach, these tips will help you go a long way toward keeping yourself safe. Millions of people use the Internet, and thieves will inevitably go for easy targets. People who give even the smallest amount of thought to security and privacy, and take steps in that regard, will find themselves passed over as thieves search out greener pastures. (From GRAMMAR FOCUS: MAKING PREDICTIONS A prediction is a statement about a particular subject in which we say what we think will happen in the future. Predictions are not always absolute, but can be expressed with the different levels of certainly, according to the context in which they are made. Certainly can be expressed by: will (definitely, certainly) certain, sure without a doubt, without question Probability can be expressed by: probable, probably, likely most/highly probable, most probably, most/highly likely Possibility can be expressed by: may (not), might (not), can, could, possible, possibly, perhaps These expressions are used in sentences in different ways. For examples: 1. Notebook computers will definitely be cheaper next year. 2. It is highly probable/ likely that notebook computers will be cheaper next year. 3. Notebook computers may/ might be cheaper next year. 4. Perhaps notebook computers will be cheaper next year. 5. It is unlikely/ doubtful that notebook computers will be cheaper next year. 6. Notebook computers will most probably not be cheaper next year. 7. Notebook computers will definitely not be cheaper next year. 8. It is impossible that notebook computers will be cheaper next year. A. Match the if-clauses to the main clauses to make complete sentences. 31
32. 1. If you never read computer magazine, a. you would be able to access our bulletin board. 2. If you back up your hard disk, b. it is unlikely that you will have a problem with computer virus. 3. If you had a modem, c. we should have a bigger range of typefaces and fonts to choose from. 4. If you don’t copy pirated software, d. you will miss important new products. 5. If I knew more e. I would get a better job. programming languages, 6. If we bought a better printer, f. you will probably lose some important files. B. Now make up three first conditional and three second conditional sentences of your own. Glossary of ICT terminology A Absolute Link: A term used by Web authors. In an HTML document a Relative Link indicates the location of a file relative to the document, whereas an absolute link specifies the full URL. For example, the relative link of this Glossary to the ICT4LT homepage is /en/en_glossary.htm whereas it's absolute link is It's generally better for Web authors to link to files within the same website using relative links rather than absolute links, as this makes site and file maintenance easier. See Section 5.4, Module 3.3, headed Shared resources. Acceptable Use Policy (AUP): An AUP is a set of rules that define the ways in which ICT facilities can and cannot be used in a business or educational institution, including a description of the possible sanctions that can be applied if a user breaks the rules. Two of the most important topics covered by an AUP are (i) e-safety and (ii) awareness of and compliance with copyright. See Section 12.6, Module 1.5, headed E-safety, and General guidelines on copyright for further information about these topics. 32
33. Access: The name of a Database program forming part of the Microsoft Office suite of programs. Accessibility: The fundamental issue regarding accessibility is that everyone should have access to the services provided by ICT, e.g. computer programs, Email and the World Wide Web, regardless of any visual, auditory, or other physical impairment they might have. Assistive Technology may be employed to increase access to such services, e.g. Text To Speech (TTS) screen readers, screen magnifiers, speech recognition systems, hearing assistance devices, etc. Designers of computer programs and websites need to take account of accessibility when choosing colours, fonts and font sizes, etc: see Font. See Section 4, Module 3.5 regarding speech technologies and how they may help unsighted and partially sighted computer users and people with hearing impairments. See SENDA. See Section 6.3.1, Module 3.3, headed HTML Validators, regarding website accessiblity. Action Maze: A type of computer program used in Computer Assisted Language Learning. See Maze for a more detailed explanation. Active Matrix: A term used to describe the newer type of computer Display Screen that makes use of Thin Film Transistor (TFT) technology: see TFT. Active matrix screens have excellent colour resolution and can display motion accurately and rapidly. See Resolution. Additive Colour: A term used mainly by graphic designers. Additive colour is produced by the addition of light from a luminescent primary source. A light bulb appears white because it emits light in all colours of the visible spectrum, which combine to produce white light. All the colours in the light spectrum add up to make white light. Computer monitors use three additive colours, Red, Green and Blue (RGB), which are combined in different ways to produce millions of other colours. See CMY, RGB, Subtractive Colour. Address Book: Usually supplied as part of your Email software. An address book in this sense is used to keep a record of all the email addresses of people whom you may wish to contact by email. ADSL: Abbreviation for Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line. A high-speed digital telephone connection that operates over an existing copper telephone line, allowing the same line to be used for voice calls. ADSL lines offer transmission speed that are usually in the range 2Mbps to 8Mbps, and are used mainly for Internet access. The term asymmetric is used because the data flows more quickly from the telephone exchange to the user than from the user to the exchange - because most Web users are more interested in receiving data quickly from websites rather than uploading it to websites. The term symmetric is used for connections where the data flows at the same speed in both directions, which is essential for accessing websites where there is a high degree of interactivity. See Broadband, ISDN, Kbps, Leased Line, Mbps. Adventure Game: Adventure games date back to the early days of mainframe computing. The early adventure games consisted entirely of written text, but modern adventure games incorporate elaborate graphics, sound and video sequences. The dividing line between an adventure game and a Simulation is rather fuzzy. In both sorts of programs there are a number of obstacles to overcome, and the player has to indulge in mind-stretching lateral thinking in order to overcome them. Adventure games are often set in a fantasy world, e.g. Myst or Riven, but some are more down-to-earth and can play an important role in language teaching and learning, e.g. Who is 33
34. Oscar Lake? See Section 3.4.9, Module 2.2, headed A simulation on CD-ROM. See Maze, MOO, MUD, MUVE. Adware is software that may have been installed on your computer by a remote computer, i.e. via the Web. Many free utilities that you download from the Internet will install hidden software that sends details of the websites you visit and other information from your computer (which can include your email address) to advertisers so they can target you with popup ads and spam. See where tools for removing adware and spyware are described. See Spam, Spyware. AI: Abbreviation for Artificial Intelligence. AJAX: Acronym for Asynchronous JavaScript and XML. AJAX is a Web programming tool (or rather a set of tools) that makes it possible to create interactive Web applications that work in much the same way as computer applications on your computer's hard disc, i.e. more responsive, more spontaneous, so that when you click on something on the Web page there is very little time delay - as in your word-processor, for example. While you are browsing a Web page AJAX is working behind the scenes. AJAX allows your browser to fetch data from the Web and use it to update a fragment of the page without refreshing the whole page so that you don't have to wait for the whole Web page to refresh or reload each time you click on a button or initiate an action in some other way. This increases the Web page's interactivity, speed, functionality, and usability. Google Maps is a typical example of a Web application incorporating AJAX. Scroll around the map and watch it update itself with relatively little time delay. AJAX is a programming tool that is used extensively in what are known as Web 2.0 applications. See Section 2.1, Module 1.5, headed What is Web 2.0? ALTE: Abbreviation for Association of Language Testers in Europe. Alt Key: The Alt keys can be found on either side of the space bar on a computer keyboard. They are commonly used in conjunction with a set of numbers to enable foreign characters to be typed. See ASCII, ANSI. See Section 5, Module 1.3, headed Typing foreign characters. Analogue: The basic meaning of analogue is "something that corresponds to something else". For example, in the context of equipment used for recording and playing back sound, analogue refers to the way in which the sound is recorded and reproduced. If you look closely at the groove of a 33 rpm vinyl gramophone record you will see that it is essentially a continuous wave, an undulating series of "hills". These "hills" correspond to the nature and volume of the sound that has been recorded. As the stylus of the record player moves along the wave it produces vibrations that are amplified and converted into sound. A parallel can be drawn with radio transmissions, where the sound signals are transmitted in the form of invisible waves. Early mobile phones worked in a similar way. Older tape recorders and videocassette recorders are based on the same principle, except that the signals representing the sound and moving images are imprinted onto a plastic tape coated with a magnetic powder. All analogue recordings suffer from background noise, and the quality of reproduction gradually degrades as the record or tape wears out. If the recording is copied, the copy will not be as good as the original, regardless of the quality of the equipment used to copy it. See the contrasting term Digital. 34
35. Anchor: A term used in connection with HTML, the coding system used for creating Web pages. An anchor is the target of a Hyperlink, i.e. a point in a Web document to which you jump when you click on a hyperlink. Animation: The display of a sequence of images in a computer program or on a Web page to give the impression of movement. ANSI: Abbreviation for American National Standards Institute. This is a system that specifies code numbers for all the characters that appear on a computer Keyboard, plus the extended character set used in Microsoft Windows . It includes all the ASCII codes plus many others. Each character on the keyboard of a computer is assigned a unique ANSI code number, e.g. A = ANSI 65. Characters that don't appear on the keyboard can be typed by holding down the Alt key, pressing a series of digits on the number pad, e.g. ALT + 0233, and then releasing the Alt key. 0233 is the ANSI code for é. See also Unicode. See Alt Key. See Section 5, Module 1.3, headed Typing foreign characters. Anonymous FTP: An anonymous FTP is a convention whereby users are not required to identify themselves with an account number, user name or password when they access a website from which they wish to download publicly available programs or files. Users may, however, be required to enter their email address before accessing certain websites. The vast majority of publicly available Freeware and Shareware archives on the Web permit anonymous FTP. See FTP. Anorak: A colloquial term that is often used to describe someone who is fascinated by the technology of computers but not particularly interested in their applications. A synonym is Trainspotter. Both terms are closely allied to Geek, Nerd andTechie - which have slightly different connotations. Anti-virus Software: See Virus. Apache: The most popular Web Server software on the World Wide Web . Apache runs mainly on Unix systems, although there is also a Microsoft Windows version. The Apache Project website is at API: Abbreviation for Application Programming Interface. API is a so-called protocol of communication that enables different computer programs to communicate with one another. A good API makes it easier to develop a program by providing all the building blocks that the programmer needs. Although APIs are designed for programmers, they are also good for program users insofar as they guarantee that all programs using a common API will have similar interfaces. This makes it easier for users to learn new programs. App: Abbreviation for Application. Applet: A small program written in the Java programming language and embedded in a Web page. When you use your Browser to access a Web page, an applet may run "inside" the Web page, as it were, to perform an interactive animation, make a calculation or carry out another simple task. 35
36. Application: A computer program or a suite of computer programs that performs a particular function for the user, such as a word-processor, e.g. Microsoft Word, or a range of functions, such as Microsoft Windows or Microsoft Office. Commonly abbreviated to app, especially in the context of Web 2.0 and Mobile Assisted Learning (MALL) apps. See Computer Program, Operating System, Windows, Word-processor. Archive: Used to describe documents or files that are not immediately needed but which should not be completely discarded. An archive may be stored on an external Hard Disc , CD-ROM, DVD or other Storage Device. Also used to describe stored messages that have been contributed to discussion lists or blogs. Also used as a verb. See Blog, Discussion List. Artificial Intelligence (AI): The ability of a computer to mimic human attributes in finding a solution to a problem. Artificial Intelligence techniques are applied in various ways in computer applications in the language world, e.g. in Machine Translation (MT) programs and in grammar and style checkers. See Module 3.5, Human Language Technologies (HLT), especially Section 6, headed Human Language Technologies and CALL, and Section 8 on Parser-based CALL. See ICALL (Intelligent CALL). ASCII: Abbreviation for American Standard Code for Information Interchange. This is a system that specifies code numbers for all the characters that appear on a computer Keyboard, plus other specialised characters. Each character on the keyboard of a computer is assigned a unique ASCII code number, e.g. A = ASCII 65. Characters that don't appear on the keyboard can be typed by holding down the Alt key, pressing a series of digits on the number pad, e.g. ALT + 130, and then releasing the Alt key . 130 is the ASCII code for é. The ANSI character set (as used in Microsoft Windows ) includes many more characters, Unicode includes even more and is becoming a standard coding system. See Unicode. See Alt Key. See Section 5, Module 1.3, headed Typing foreign characters. ASF: Abbreviation for Advanced Streaming Format. This is Microsoft's own file format that stores both audio and video information and is specially designed to run over the Internet. ASF enables content to be delivered as a continuous stream of streaming audio or streaming video data.with little wait time before playback begins. This means that you no longer have to wait for your audio and video files to fully download before starting to view them. See Streaming. See AVI, MOV,MPEG, RM, which are alternative video file formats. See Media Player. See Section 2.2.3.4, Module 2.2, headed Video editing software. ASR: Abbreviation for Automatic Speech Recognition. Assistive Technology: This term describes computer software or devices used by people with special needs to enable them to access the services provided by ICT, e.g. computer programs, Email and the World Wide Web. Technologies under this heading include Text To Speech (TTS) screen readers for the unsighted or partially sighted, alternative keyboards and mice for people who have problems in hand-eye coordination, head-pointing devices, speech recognition software, and screen magnification software. See Accessibility, Pointing Device, SENDA. Association of Language Testers in Europe (ALTE): An association of providers of foreign language examinations: 36
37. Asynchronous: "Not at the same time". Often used to refer to communication by Email or via a Discussion List, where the recipients of the email or the participants in the discussion do not have to be present at the same time and can respond at their own convenience. A feature of asynchronous learning is that the teachers and learners do not have to be present at their computers at the same time. See Synchronous. See Section 14, Module 1.5, headed Computer Mediated Communication (CMC). Attachment: A term used in connection with Email. An attachment can be a File of almost any kind - a document file, an image file, a sound file or a video clip - that you can add, i.e. attach, to an email. Attribute: A term used by Web authors. An attribute of an HTML tag controls how that tag operates. For example, in the HTML fragment , the required attribute src defines the image file to be displayed, and the optional attribute alt defines the text to be displayed when the Mouse moves over the image. Attributes can only exist within tags. See HTML, Tag. Audio Card: See Sound Card. Audioconferencing or Audio Conferencing: A computer-based communications system that allows a group of computer users at different locations to conduct a "virtual conference" in which the participants can hear one another as if they were in the same room participating in a real conference. Unlike Videoconferencing, audioconferencing systems do not allow the participants to see one another. See Conferencing. See Section 14.1.2, Module 1.5, headed Audioconferencing: a synchronous communications medium. AUP: Abbreviation for Acceptable Use Policy. Authoring Package / Authoring Program / Authoring Tool: These terms describe content- free software packages that allow the teacher to develop interactive learning and teaching materials without having to have a detailed knowledge of a computer Programming Language. These terms may also be applied to software packages used for creating Web pages, e.g. Front Page or Dreamweaver. See Module 2.5, Introduction to CALL authoring programs. See Module 3.2, CALL software design and implementation. See Module 3.3, Creating a World Wide Web site. See Content-Free. Authorship Analysis Software: Authorship Analysis Software can help to identify authorship of texts. Such software has been used by literary and linguistic researchers for many years and is now widely used by security services in counter-terrorism activities. Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR): A branch of Human Language Technologies devoted to the automatic processing of human speech. See Speech Recognition. See Section 4, Module 3.5, headed Speech technologies. Avatar: A graphical representation of a real person, such as used in a MUVE or MMORPG, a kind of "virtual world". Participants in a MUVE or MMORPG choose a name and a visual representation of the character that they wish to adopt as an inhabitant of the MUVE or player in the MMORPG. See Section 14.2, Module 1.5, headed Chat rooms, MUDs, MOOs and MUVEs. 37
38. AVI: Abbreviation for Audio Video Interleave (or Interleaved). A file format for storing video recordings on a computer. See ASF, MOV, MPEG, RM, which are alternative video file formats. See Media Player. See Section 2.2.3.4, Module 2.2, headed Video editing software. Top B Backup or Back Up: Used as a verb, to back up means to copy a File or Folder from your computer to another Storage Device, e.g. a CD-ROM, as a precaution in case your Hard Drive fails or is infected by a Virus. A backup, used as a noun, or a backup copy describes a copy that you have made in this way. It is essential to back up new files and folders at regular intervals. Bandwidth: The amount of data that can be sent from one computer to another through a particular connection in a certain amount of time, e.g. via a computer to the Internet and vice versa. The more bandwidth available, the faster you are able to access information. Bandwidth is usually measured in kilobits per second (Kbps) or megabits per second (Mbps). See ADSL, Broadband, Kilobit, Megabit, Narrowband. Baud: A unit of measurement at which data can be transferred (i.e. the baud rate), for example over a telephone line via a Modem or from a computer to an external device such as a Printer. Rarely used nowadays, as transfer transfer rates are normally expressed in kilobits per second (Kbbs) or megabits per second (Mbps). BBS: Abbreviation for Bulletin Board System. See Bulletin Board. BECTA: British Educational Communications and Technology Agency, formerly known as NCET (National Council for Educational Technology), MESU (Microelectronics Education Support Unit) and the CET (Council for Educational Technology). BECTA is due to close down under the recently elected UK government (May 2010). Binary: A number system using base 2 instead of the usual (human) base 10, which is normally referred to as the decimal system. Computers use base 2 because they can only recognise two values, 1 or 0. This is simulated electronically by using a device, such as a switch, which is either on (1) or off (0). All numbers are represented by combinations of ones and zeroes, thus the number 9 is represented as 1001, the right-most column being the units column and the other columns, moving from right to left, being 2, 4, 8. See Hexadecimal. Binary File: Strictly speaking all computer files are Binary, consisting of a string of ones and zeroes, but the term binary file is often used to differentiate program files and data files from text files, which contain only unformatted printable ASCII characters. See ASCII, Text File. 38
39. BIOS: Acronym for Basic Input/Output System. This is a built-in ROM Chip on the Motherboard containing essential programs to manage the computer's input and output, which are loaded into memory during the boot process. See Boot,ROM. Bit: Contraction of binary digit. A bit is the smallest measurement unit of computer memory or data transmission speed, e.g. via a Modem. See the entry on Measurement Units. See Byte, Kilobit, Kilobyte, Megabit, Megabyte. Bitmap: A computer graphic or image composed of thousands of individual dots or pixels , each pixel being stored as a number. The image is displayed by specifying the colour of each pixel. Bit-mapped graphics can be imported into other applications, e.g. a word-processor, but they cannot be edited within these applications. When bit-mapped graphics are resized they usually suffer a loss of sharpness, whereas vector graphics can be resized without such loss. See BMP, Pixel,Resolution, Vector Graphic. Blackboard: A commercial Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) package, i.e. a software package that integrates online communications software with content software enabling teachers to create courses that are delivered partially or entirely via the Web. Courses using Blackboard might be mainly text-based, but can be enhanced with images, audio and video. See: Blackboard and WebCT announced an agreement to merge in October 2005. Blended Learning: This term normally refers to combining Internet-based distance learning with face-to-face tuition but it may also be used to describe combining offline ICT-based materials with more traditional materials, such as books, audiocassettes and videocassettes. See Distance Learning, E-learning, Online Learning, Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). See Section 4, Module 2.3 under the heading Hybrid systems and blended learning. Blog: Contraction of the term Weblog. A blog is essentially a website that contains discrete pieces of information posted by different users. New items of information are usually entered by contributors via a simple form, following the introduction of each new theme by a person who initiates the blog, and then submitted to the site, where they may be filtered by an administrator before being posted. A blog can contain news items, short essays, annotated links, documents, graphics, and multimedia. These posts are usually in reverse chronological order and often take the form of a journal or diary. A blog is normally accessible to any Internet user, but closed blogs may also be created, e.g. to document the thoughts and experiences of a group of students or to provide a means of communication between teachers and students following a particular course. The word blog is also used as a verb, and Blogger is used as a noun to describe someone who blogs (see next entry). A blog is usually distinguished from an Internet Discussion List (also known as a Forum), but the latter can function in a similar way insofar as it typically allows any user to post messages to it that can be viewed via the Web. See Moblog, RSS, Splog, Wiki. See Section 12, Module 1.5, headed Discussion lists, blogs, wikis, social networking. The ICT4LT website blog is at: Blogger: Normally used to refer to someone who blogs , i.e. who regularly writes blogs. Also used to describe a service that provides Web-based tools used by individuals to create a Blog or Weblog. See 39
40. Bluetooth: Bluetooth is a technical industry standard for radio technology which facilitates the transmission of signals over short distances (up to around 10 metres) between telephones, computers and other devices without the use of wires. For example, a Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone can communicate with a Desktop Computer or Laptop Computer for the purpose of synchronising data, such as an appointments diary. BMP: Abbreviation for Bitmap , a file format for storing images. This is the standard format used, for example, by Windows Paint. BMP image files occupy quite a lot of space compared to other formats. See EPS, GIF, JPEG/JPG, TIFF. See also Section 2.2.3.1, Module 2.2, headed Image editing software. Bookmark: A bookmark is a facility within a Browser that enables you to keep a record of Web pages that you have visited and may wish to visit again. Bookmarks are stored in a subdirectory of the Windows directory on your computer. In Internet Explorer bookmarks are known as Favorites (sic - spelt the American way), which is also the name of the subdirectory in which they are stored. Bookmarks are also used to mark positions in a Word document, i.e. positions to which you can jump from other points in the document by clicking on them with the Mouse. Boot: (verb) To start up a computer by loading the operating system into memory. The computer is regarded as bootstrapping itself into operation, i.e. picking itself up by its own bootstraps. The adjective bootable is often used to describe a backup disc that can be used to start a computer, e.g. when the hard disc fails or becomes corrupted for some reason. See Operating System. Bot: Short for Robot. See Crawler. bps: Abbreviation for bits per second, the smallest measurement of data transmission speed, e.g. via a Modem. Computer people normally measure data transmission speeds in Kbps, meaning kilobits per second, or Mbps, meaning megabits per second . If you have a 56Kbps modem (which is slow by today's standards) it means that your modem can transmit at speeds up to 56,000 bits of information per second. See Bit, Kilobit, Megabit. Branching: The process of interrupting a sequence of instructions in a computer program in order to go to a different point. For example, in a CALL exercise the program might branch to one point if the learner is right but to another if the learner is wrong. This is a technique that is also used frequently in adventure games, mazes and simulations. See Adventure Game, Maze, Simulation. Broadband: A general term used to describe a high-speed connection to the Internet. Connection speed is usually measured in Kbps (kilobits per second) and Mbps (megabits per second). Typically, a home user will have a broadband connection using an ADSL telephone line running at 2Mbps to 8Mbps. Educational institutions ideally need a symmetric connection of at least 8Mbps to ensure smooth trouble-free connections to the Internet when large numbers of students are accessing the Internet all at once. See ADSL, Bandwidth, ISDN, Kilobit, Leased Line, Megabit. Contrasted with Narrowband. Browser: A software package installed on the hard disc of your computer that enables you to access and to navigate the World Wide Web - to "surf the Web" in colloquial terms. See Section 3, Module 1.5, headed Using a browser: navigating the Web. 40
41. Buddy Learning: See Tandem Learning (Buddy Learning). Bulletin Board: A type of forum on the Internet or an intranet, where users can post messages by email or via the World Wide Web for other users to read and respond to. Bulletin Board Systems (BBSs) have largely been replaced by other types of online systems for communal communication, such as blogs, discussion lists and forums. See BBS, Blog, Discussion List, Forum. Bug: Not a nasty insect but a logical fault in a computer program which causes it to malfunction. All computer programs contain bugs, some of which take years to come to light. It is rumoured that the term arose as a result of moths getting into the circuitry of an older Mainframe Computer, causing it to break down. See Debug, Millennium Bug. Burn: When data is written to a CD, for example using a CD-Read/Write drive, a pattern of microscopic dots is etched with a laser beam in a spiralling track on the CD surface. This is a process often referred to as "burning a CD". See CD-ROM. See Section 1.2.1, Module 1.2. Bus: Not the sort you get on to go into town. This is basically a set of parallel wires for connecting the Central Processing Unit (CPU) of a computer to all other input-output devices. Data can be transmitted in two directions, from and to the CPU. Byte: A measurement of computer memory or disc capacity. A byte comprises 8 bits. See entry on Measurement Units. See Bit, Gigabyte, Kilobyte, Megabyte, Top C C&IT: Abbreviation for Communications and Information Technology. The same thing as ICT but the other way round! C&IT (Communications and Information Technology) is a peculiarly British term that arose in Higher Education as a result of the 1997 Dearing Report and never caught on outside the UK Higher Education environment. C&IT was incorporated in the name of the C&IT Centre for Modern Languages at the University of Hull, which in 2000 became the new name of the former CTICML (Computers in Teaching Initiative Centre for Modern Languages), which was established in 1989. The C&IT Centre (CTICML) was closed down in 2002. See ICT. CAA: Abbreviation for Computer Aided Assessment Cache: The cache contains information stored by a Web Browser on your hard disc, so that you don't have to download the same material repeatedly from a remote computer. Browsers keep copies of all the Web pages that you view so that the pages can be redisplayed quickly when you go back to them. The cache is normally stored under Windows in a folder called Temporary Internet Files. This folder can become enormous over time and can cause your hard disc to become overloaded and then your computer may lock up. The cache needs to be emptied at 41
42. regular intervals - which you can do manually or using utility software such as Window Washer. You can set the maximum size of the Temporary Internet Filesfolder, using the Tools menu in your browser. CAD/CAM: Abbreviations for Camputer Aided Design / Computer Aided Manufacturing. A process of drafting, designing and manufacturing with the aid of a computer. CAD enables the user to manipulate drawings, including 3D drawings, and viewing them from a variety of angles. CAM is a general term for computer support during the manufacturing process. CAI: Abbreviation for Computer Assisted Instruction. CALI: Acronym for Computer Assisted Language Instruction. A term which has now become almost obsolete, having been replaced by CALL in the 1980s. The term fell out of favour because it became associated with Programmed Learning. See CAI, CALL, CELL, TELL . See Section 1.1, Module 1.4, headed What is CALL? and Section 2, Module 1.4, headed History of CALL. CALICO: Acronym for Computer Assisted Language Instruction Consortium, a US -based professional association, founded in 1982. CALICO originally incorporated CALI into its name, but it now favours the term CALL. CALL: Abbreviation for Computer Assisted Language Learning. A term which came into favour in the early 1980s, replacing the older term CALI (Computer Assisted Language Instruction). Often associated (wrongly) with an old-fashioned approach to the use of ICT in language learning and teaching, but the leading professional associations, i.e. EUROCALL, CALICO and IALLT, interpret CALL as meaning the use of computers in the learning and teaching of foreign languages in the broadest sense, from the use of word-processors to the use of the Internet. See CALI, CELL, TELL . See Section 1.1, Module 1.4, headed What is CALL? and Section 2, Module 1.4, headed History of CALL. Camcorder: A portable video camera, capable of recording live motion video for later replay through a videocassette recorder (VCR), DVD player or computer. Videos produced by a camcorder can be uploaded to a computer via a USB cable or Firewire, edited using special software such as Windows Movie Maker, and played on a computer using Media Player software. See Section 2.2.3.4, Module 2.2, headed Video editing software. See Digital Camera, Upload. Can Do Statement: Can do statements are used as a means of describing what learners can typically do at different levels in a programme of studies, for example in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages and in the syllabuses specified by bodies such as the Association of Language Testers in Europe (ALTE) and examination boards such as Asset Languages. See Section 2.2, Module 4.1. The ICT4LT website contains a Word document,ICT_Can_Do_Lists, which contains sets of can do statements relating to the ICT skills that language teachers should find useful. Card: In computer jargon, a card is an electronic circuit board, usually one which can be slotted into your computer in order to fulfil a specialised function. See Sound Card, Video Card. Cascading Style Sheets (CSS): Cascading Style Sheets are a feature of HTML that enables a range of styles for headers, body text, bullet points, links etc., to be specified for hypertext 42
43. documents. This makes it possible to set up CSS file containing a library of styles that are used throughout a website, thereby facilitating consistency. If a style needs to be changed throughout a website it only needs to be changed once in the CSS file and then it will be applied automatically. CSS have a good deal in common with the Styles and Formatting feature in Microsoft Word. Case Sensitivity: Used to describe how a computer program, e.g. a Browser , interprets upper and lower case letters, e.g. in the name of a program, the name of a folder stored on your computer, or the name of a website. Some computer programs may be case sensitive, in other words they make a distinction between capital letters and lower case letters so that, for instance, Manchester is perceived as different from manchester . Other programs may not make a distinction and perceive capital letters and lower case letters as one and the same. Be especially careful when typing the names of websites, as case sensitivity may be crucial and you may not be able to find the website if you fail to type capital letters in the right places. Cathode Ray Tube (CRT): An older type of computer Display Screen or Monitor, in which beams of high-voltage electrons are fired at a screen causing thousands of Red, Green and Blue (RGB) dots to glow in different combinations and intensities, thus producing the full-colour image displayed on the screen. Cathode Ray Tubes are also used in older domestic TV sets. Newer types of display screens are of the LCD or TFT flat panel type - like many modern TV sets. They are much lighter, use less electricity and take up less room on your desk. See Section 1.1.2, Module 1.2 for further information and illustrations of different types of display screens. CBT: Abbreviation for Computer Based Training. CD-ROM: Abbreviation for Compact Disc Read Only Memory. A CD-ROM is an Optical Disc on to which data has been written via a laser - a process often referred to as "burning a CD": see Burn. A CD-ROM looks much the same as an audio CD, but can contain text, sound, pictures and motion video. Once written, the data on a CD-ROM can be fixed and rendered unalterable, hence the term read-only - but modern computers are usually equipped with a read/write CD-ROM drive that enables new material to be stored on a special kind of CD-ROM: CD-R (recordable) or CD-RW (rewriteable). It is worthwhile investing in a read/write CD-ROM drive for making backups and storing your own multimedia materials. Blank CD-Rs or CD-RWs can be bought from computer media suppliers at a relatively low cost. You can store data on CD-Rs using a read/write drive, adding to it until it is full, and then you can format the CD-ROM so that it is fixed and can be read by a standard CD-ROM drive. You can also store data on CD-RWs in the same way, but these discs can only be read by a read/write CD-ROM drive. The advantage of CD-RWs is that they can be erased and used over and over again, but now that the cost of blank CD-Rs has fallen to such a low level it is questionable how useful CD-RWs are. See Combination Drive, Digital Video Disc (DVD). See Section 1.2.1, Module 1.2 and Module 2.2. CEF: Shortened abbreviation for the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. CEFR: Abbreviation for the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Often shortened to CEF (see previous entry). See Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. 43
44. CELL: Acronym for Computer Enhanced Language Learning. An alternative term to CALL that aims to stress the role of the computer as a tool for the learner, making it less central in the learning process. See CALI, CALL, TELL. Central Processing Unit (CPU): Also known as the Central Processor. In a modern computer the CPU is a single microprocessor Chip or Microchip, an intergated circuit which carries out information processing and calculations. In essence, the CPU is the computer's "brain". See Clock Speed, Microprocessor, Motherboard. Central Processor: See Central Processing Unit (CPU). CERN: Abbreviation for Centre Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire, the European particle physics laboratory and the birthplace of the World Wide Web, which was invented there by Tim Berners-Lee. CGI Script: A term used by Web authors. CGI is an abbreviation for Common Gateway Interface. A program residing on a Web Server, usually in a directory called cgi-bin, which processes data from an HTML form. CGI scripts can be written in any programming language suitable for handling text data, but Perl ( is the most popular scripting language. Character User Interface (CUI): A Character User Interface describes a way in which a computer user communicates with a computer by entering commands as text , i.e. in order to run programs and to carry out other operations such as copying information from one Folder to another, deleting files, etc. Contrasted with a Graphical User Interface (GUI), e.g. Microsoft Windows, which allows the user to carry out such operations by clicking on icons, opening and shuttingwindows and dragging and dropping with a mouse. MS DOS and Unix are examples of CUIs. See Icon, Mouse, Operating System, Window, Windows. Chat Room: A synchronous, mainly text-based communication facility, offering a Web-based environment where people either drop into or arrange to meet and chat at specific times. You type in your text online, it is seen almost immediately by others online at the same time who respond online in real time. When used for language learning chat rooms can put a great deal of pressure on students by requiring them to read fairly rapidly and to write, also fairly rapidly, with little time to reflect on the quality of the language used. A degree of caution is advised when joining a chat room. Some have been used for sinister purposes. See Synchronous. Section 14.2, Module 1.5, headed Chat rooms, MUDs, MOOs and MUVEs. Chip: Short for Microchip or Silicon Chip. Client: A computer that receives services from another computer. A stand- alone computer on your desk which you use to browse the Web is a client, and the computers from which World Wide Web files are downloaded to your computer areservers. Similarly, a computer (also known as a workstation) connected to a Local Area Network (LAN) is a client that can receive information from and send information to the server that controls the LAN. See Browser, Server, Web Server. CLIL: Acronym for Content and Language Integrated Learning. 44
45. Clipart or Clip Art: A collection of image files that can be embedded or inserted into Web pages, word-processed documents, PowerPoint presentations, etc. Some clipart images are copyright-free or in the public domain but others may be subject to a licence fee if you wish to make them public, e.g. on a website. See Copyright. Clipboard: A temporary storage area in a computer's memory. It may be used, for example, to store text that you are in the process of copying and pasting from one section of a word-processed document to another section in the same document or to another document. You should find a clipboard viewer program on your computer, which enables you to see what is currently being temporarily stored in the clipboard. Clock Speed: The speed of a computer's Central Processing Unit (CPU), which is normally expressed in MegaHertz (= one million cycles per second) or GigaHertz, (= 1000 MegaHertz). This figure represents the number of instruction cycles the processor carries out each second. In simple terms this indicates how fast the computer runs - how powerful it is. Computers that run at 500 MegaHertz (500MHz) used to be considered fast, but modern computers now run at over one GigaHertz (1GHz). See Hertz, Microprocessor. Cloze Procedure: Note the spelling: Cloze not Close - which is deliberate and was invented by Wilson Taylor: Taylor W.L. (1953) "Cloze procedure: a new tool for measuring readability", Journalism Quarterly 30: 415-433. Cloze procedurewas originally conceived as a tool for measuring the readibility of a text or a learner's reading comprehension level and derives from the gestalt psychology term "closure", whereby people tend to complete a familiar but incomplete pattern by "closing" the gaps. In Cloze tests or exercises every nth word (usually 5th to 7th) or a certain percentage of a text is blanked out and the learner has to fill in the blanks with a suitable word, but not necessarily the original word that appeared in the text. In the days before computers the words had to be blanked out by hand, but now a computer can do the job in seconds, varying the word deletion interval. Cloze procedure is still widely used in language learning and teaching - includingTotal Cloze, where the whole text is blanked out - and figures in numerous CALL programs. See Section 4.6, Module 1.3, headed Cloze procedure. See Section 8, Module 1.4, headed Text manipulation. See Gap-filler, Text Manipulation. CMC: Abbreviation for Computer Mediated Communication (CMC). CMS: Abbreviation for Content Management System, a software package that makes it possible for non-technical users to publish content (text, images, etc) on a website. Also stands for Course Management System, a type of Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). CMY: Abbreviation for Cyan Magenta Yellow. The scheme used in colour printing, where inks of the subtractive primary colours Cyan, Magenta and Yellow are combined to produce millions of other colours. Most colour printers also have a black ink cartridge, both for monochrome printing and to produce a true black in colour printing. See Additive Colour, RGB, Subtractive Colour. CODEC: Short for COmpressor / DECompressor or COder / DECoder. A CODEC is software that is used to compress or decompress a digital audio or video file. CODECs are additional pieces of software that operate in conjunction with different media players, and certain types of audio and video recordings will only play back if the relevant CODEC is running in 45
46. conjunction with the media player that you are using. A CODEC can consists of two components, an encoder and a decoder. The encoder compresses the file during creation, and the decoder decompresses the file when it is played back. Some CODECs include both components, while other CODECs include only one. CODECs are used because a compressed file takes up less storage space on your computer or on the Web. When you play an audio or video file in your media player it will use a CODEC to decompress the file. See Section 2.2.1, Module 2.2, headed Media players. Collaborative Writing: A process that involves the creation and editing documents using Web 2.0 tools designed for use by multiple authors, e.g. Google Documents or Zoho Writer. Such tools look, act and feel like normal word processors, but simplify the process of sharing and viewng documents. Colour Depth: The number of colours that can be displayed at any one time on a computer Display Screen. Modern computers can display a range of millions of colours, producing very high quality images. See Resolution. Combination Drive: A Disc Drive that is capable of reading and writing to CD-ROMs, audio CDs and DVDs. See Section 1.2.1, Module 1.2. Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Usually known simply as the CEFR or CEF. This is a scheme developed by the Council of Europe, dating back to the 1970s, with the aim of providing a basis for the mutual recognition of language qualifications, thus facilitating educational and occupational mobility. It is increasingly used in the reform of national curricula and by international consortia for the comparison of language certificates. See Section 2.2, Module 4.1. Comms: Short for communications, as in Information and Communications Technology (ICT). Used to refer to ways in which computer systems communicate with one another, e.g. via a cable, a telephone line, satellite or wireless. Compatiblity: Pieces of hardware and/or software which are capable of being used together are described as compatible. Compiler: A program which converts programs written in a high-level programming language, i.e. as used by professional human programmers, into Machine Code, a language that can be "understood" by a computer. A compiler produces abinary executable program file after the programmer has completed the programming. Program files on personal computers can be recognised by their three-letter .exe or .com Extension after their filenames, e.g. winfile.exe. See Binary File,Executable, Interpreter, Programming Language. Compression: A technique which reduces the amount of space required to store data, e.g. as used to reduce the amount of space needed to store an image, an audio recording, or a video recording. Computer Aided Assessment (CAA): See Module 4.1, Computer Aided Assessment (CAA) and language learning. 46
47. Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI): A term used mainly in the business world. Implies a top-down, instructor-centred approach to teaching with computers and is closely associated with Programmed Learning. See CALI. Computer Based Training (CBT): A term used mainly in the business world. Implies a top- down, trainer-centred approach to teaching with computers and is closely associated with Programmed Learning. Computer Mediated Communication (CMC): Computer Mediated Communication is used as a term describing the use of the Internet as a means of fostering teaching and learning, especially the use of Email , Conferencing and Social Networking. See the entry under Web 2.0. See Section 14, Module 1.5, headed Computer Mediated Communication (CMC). Computer Program: A set of instructions that the computer carries out in sequence to perform a given task. Programs are written in English-like programming languages (e.g. C, Pascal), and are then converted into binary machine instructions via a compiler or an interpreter. See Compiler, Interpreter, Programming Language. Concept Keyboard: An overlay or replacement for the traditional computer Keyboard. Concept keyboards are useful for small children or learners with special needs: for example, offering pictures or symbols as an alternative to the alphabetic keyboard. Concordance Program: A Concordance Program (also known as a Concordancer) operates on a body of texts (a corpus) and is commonly used for compiling glossaries and dictionaries, e.g. by arranging every word in the text alphabetically or in order of frequency, together with its context. Concordance programs also play an important role in language learning and teaching, for example: (i) the teacher can use a concordance program to find examples of authentic usage to demonstrate a point of grammar, typical collocations, etc; (ii) the teacher can generate exercises based on examples drawn from a variety of corpora; (iii) language learners can work out rules of grammar and usage for themselves by searching for a particular key word in context (KWIC). Concordance programs form the basis of a methodology pioneered by Tim Johns, University of Birmingham, which he described as Data Driven Learning (DDL). See Module 2.4, Using concordance programs in the Modern Foreign Languages classroom, and Module 3.4, Corpus linguistics. See also Data Driven Learning. Concordancer: See Concordance Program. Condenser Microphone: This type of microphone is probably the best type to use in multimedia CALL programs as it provides a stronger signal when the learner is recording his/her own voice. Condenser microphones work only with sound cards that provide power to the microphone. Also known as a powered microphone. The other main type of microphone is known as a Dynamic Microphone, which provides a softer signal and may result in faint playback. See Microphone,Sound Card. See Section 1.2.4, Module 1.2 for further information on microphones. See also Module 2.2, Introduction to multimedia CALL. Conferencing: Computer conferencing is a development of Email designed to support many-to- many communication, whereby computer users in different locations can take part in a "virtual conference". A conference usually consists of a group of participants who have a common 47
48. interest in the conference subject matter. Computer conferencing software enables the organisation, storage, structuring and retrieval of messages. Messages may be organised under different topics, by author or by date of posting. Asynchronous conferencing may take place via a Blog , Discussion List, Forum or Wiki: see Section 12, Module 1.5, headed Discussion lists, blogs, wikis, social networking. Synchronous conferencing takes place in "real time", e.g. within a Chat Room. See also Audioconferencing, Videoconferencing. Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL): A term used to describe learning a subject such as history or geography through the medium of a foreign language and thereby learning the foreign language at the same time. Content-Free: Used to describe a computer program which is supplied as an "empty shell", i.e. without content such as texts, images, audio recordings, or video recordings. The user (i.e. the teacher) is expected to provide the content, and the program then enables to content to be manipulated in various ways, for example to set up exercises and activities for different groups of learners. See Authoring Package. Content Management System (CMS): See also Course Management System. Continuing Professional Development (CPD): Further study relevant to one's profession that most bodies encourage their members to undertake. This can take the form of seminars, research, training courses, etc. The materials at the ICT4LT website can serve the purposes of CPD. Cookie: A piece of information stored on a user's computer by a Web Browser when the user visits a website for the first time. Websites use cookies to recognise users who have previously visited them. The next time that the user visits that site, the information in the cookie is sent back to the site so that the site can tailor what it presents to the user, e.g. tastes in music or shopping habits. Copyright: New technologies have raised all kinds of new issues relating to copyright - mainly because it has become so easy to copy materials from a variety of digital sources. We have produced a Web page at the ICT4LT site: General guidelines on copyright. Course Management System (CMS): A type of Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), e.g. Moodle. Courseware: A set of computerised lessons, exercises, tests and reference material. CPD: Abbreviation for Continuing Professional Development. CPU: Abbreviation for Central Processing Unit. Crash: A term describing what happens to hardware or software when it suddenly fails to work properly. The commonest symptom of a crash is the "frozen screen", i.e. when the keyboard and/ or mouse goes dead with the result that nothing can be typed and the Cursor cannot be moved around the screen. Modern computers typically crash several times a day. Most crashes are not serious and are simply the result of faulty programming - i.e. most programming. Some kinds of crashes can be symptomatic of more serious problems, however, and should be investigated if 48
49. they keep occurring. Operating systems themselves, e.g. Microsoft Windows, are particularly prone to crashes. See Operating System, Windows. Crawler: A crawler is a program that searches the Web for new links, new content and changes in order to keep Search Engine results up to date. A crawler may also be called a bot (short for robot ) or spider. Crawlers within search engines perform a useful indexing function, but there are also crawlers or bots that have more sinister motives, such as gathering addresses to be targeted by spammers. See Spam, Spambot, Spyware. CRT: Abbreviation for Cathode Ray Tube. Ctrl Key: The Ctrl keys can be found on either side of the space bar on a computer keyboard. They are used in conjunction with other keys as "shortcuts" for operations that would normally be carried out with a Mouse, e.g. Ctrl + S will save a file that you are working on. It is also possible to program the Ctrl keys to carry out operations that you specify yourself, e.g. for typing foreign characters. See Section 5, Module 1.3, headed Typing foreign characters. CSS: Abbreviation for Cascading Style Sheets. CUI: Abbreviation for Character User Interface. Cursor: The pointer which appears on screen and is controlled by a pointing device, such as a mouse. The cursor usually has the shape of an arrow, but can also take other shapes: e.g. an I- beam in a document, an hourglass whilst an operation is under way, or the graphic image of a hand over a Hyperlink. See I-Beam, Mouse, Pointing Device. Cyberspace: William Gibson coined this phrase in his novel Neuromancer, first published in 1984 - some years before the World Wide Web was invented: "Cyberspace. A consensual hallucination experienced daily by billions of legitimate operators, in every nation, by children being taught mathematical concepts A graphic representation of data abstracted from the banks of every computer in the human system. Unthinkable complexity. Lines of light ranged in the nonspace of the mind, clusters and constellations of data. Like city lights, receding " Today the word cyberspace is used to refer to the world of the Internet, more specifically the World Wide Web. See Internet, World Wide Web. Cybersquatter: A term normally used to describe someone who registers the name of a popular Web address - usually a company name - with the intent of selling it to its rightful owner at a high price. Cybersquatters also watch out for registered domain names that become available when the owner has no further use for them, goes bankrupt, or simply forgets to pay their registration renewal fees. This can lead to perfectly harmless and legitimate sites being transmogrified overnight into sites containing offensive material. See Graham Davies's article on "Dodgy links": See also Linkrot. Top 49
50. D Data: Strictly speaking the plural of "datum", but now usually considered as a collective noun in the singular, with the plural form "data items" or "items of data". Data is information in a form which can be processed by a computer. It is usually distinguished from a computer program, which is a set of instructions that a computer carries out. Data can be text or sets of figures on which a computer program operates. See Computer Program. Database: A structured collection of data that can be used for a variety of purposes. Databases are usually stored on a Hard Disc inside your computer, on a CD-ROM, or at a website. A database may contain data relating to staff employed by a company or to students at an educational institution. Databases can also contain bibliographies, glossaries, vocab lists, etc. In order to set up and manage a database you need a database program such as Microsoft Access. Data Driven Learning (DDL): An approach to language learning pioneered by Tim Johns, University of Birmingham, whereby learners of a foreign language gain insights into the language that they are learning by using concordance programs to locate authentic examples of language in use. In DDL the learning process is no longer based solely on the teacher's initiative, his/her choice of topics and materials and the explicit teaching of rules, but on the learner's own discovery of rules, principles and patterns of usage in the foreign language. In other words, learning is driven by authentic language data. See Concordance Program. See Module 2.4, Using concordance programs in the Modern Foreign Languages classroom, andModule 3.4, Corpus linguistics. Data Projector: A device that enables the image displayed on a computer screen to be projected onto a wall screen or Interactive Whiteboard. DBMS: Abbreviation for Database Management System. An Application enabling the storage, modification, retrieval, and querying of data in a Database. DDL: Abbreviation for Data Driven Learning. Debug: To test a program and remove all the bugs. Permanent bugs that defy eradication are often referred to ironically as "features". See Bug. Default: A setting or value automatically assigned to a computer program or device in the absence of a choice made by the user. When you use a program for the first time, e.g. a Browser or Word-processor, all the settings will have been preset to their default values - many of which can be changed to settings that you prefer, e.g. the default font type and size. The term default route is used in connection with Computer Assisted Language Learning, meaning the route that the teacher believes to be optimal for the learner to follow in a computer program or suite of programs - but which can be overridden by the learner if s/he wishes to follow his/her own route: see Section 3.4, Module 2.1, headed Modes of teaching and learning. Defrag: Short for defragment. A process run by a defragging program (usually supplied as part of Microsoft Windows) whereby parts of data files scattered around different segments of a computer hard disc are gathered together into continuous file segments. This makes applications run more efficiently and also frees up disc space. 50
51. Desktop: The main workspace in Windows is often referred to as a desktop, which is displayed on the screen that you see when Windows is started. This electronic desktop is a metaphor for the top of a real desktop, where jobs to be done are laid out in different folders symbolised by Icons, i.e. small images. Users open and work with programs by clicking on the icons on the desktop, and they can also store shortcuts to documents or websites there. But see also next entry, Desktop Computer. Desktop Computer: A desktop computer is one that is designed to sit permanently on a desk, as opposed to a portable computer, e.g. Laptop Computer, Netbook, Notebook Computer and Tablet Computer, all of which can easily be carried around. Desktop Publishing (DTP): An Application for laying out text, graphics and pictures in order to produce a professional-looking publication. Most modern word-processors can now achieve what older DTP packages were capable of producing. Examples of DTP applications are QuarkXpress and PageMaker, which have probably become too complex and technical for the inexperienced user and are now aimed at the professional graphic designer or layout artist. See Word-processor. Device Driver: Software that enables a computer to communicate with a hardware device such as a Mouse, Printer or Scanner. Hardware devices must each have the proper device driver installed in order to enable them to run. Most hardware devices are supplied with small programs that are installed onto your hard drive when you use them for the first time and tell the computer how to communicate with that specific device. Diacritic: A mark such as an acute, grave or circumflex accent, a cedilla, or an umlaut, which is added to a letter to give it a special phonetic value. Characters with diacritics can be typed on standard computer keyboards by using the Alt Key in combination with a sequence of numbers. Section 5, Module 1.3, headed Typing foreign characters. DIALANG: See Section 2.2.1, Module 4.1, headed The DIALANG diagnostic testing project. Dial-up Modem: An older type of Modem that connects a computer to the Internet via a standard telephone line. Typically a dial-up modem connects to the Internet at a very slow data transmission speed of only 56 Kbps, whereas a modernBroadband modem connects to the Internet at 512 Kbps or much higher. Because dial-up access uses normal telephone lines, the quality of the connection is often poor. See Kbps. Digital: The essential meaning of this term is "based on numbers". The modern computer is a typical example of digital technology, so are CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs, audio CDs and video DVDs, on which numbers are coded as a string of tiny pits pressed into a plastic disc. When a CD audio recording or a DVD video recording is played back, using equipment incorporating a laser as a reading device, the exact numeric values are retrieved and converted into sound or images. Digital recording is relatively free from noise and interference and gives a very high quality of reproduction. Data (including audio and video) or programs stored on CD-ROM or DVD can be read by a computer in a similar way. There are two major benefits to digital technology. Firstly, digital technology - because it is based on numbers - is more precise. Secondly, digital technology is becoming cheaper and more powerful. Digital technology is now used in radio and TV broadcasts. Digital recordings made from any source (audio- or videocassettes, television, 51