Glossary & Acronyms

This term is used to describe learning when it is not happening at the same time as the teaching. For example, students watching a recorded video of an educator explaining something is asynchronous because the video is a recording and that explanation is not happening at the same time as the viewing. This means students can pause the video and reply portions of the lesson they may not understand.

"COPPA imposes certain requirements on operators of websites or online services directed to children under 13 years of age, and on operators of other websites or online services that have actual knowledge that they are collecting personal information online from a child under 13 years of age." Educators should check the Terms and Conditions as well as the Privacy Policy of online entities to make sure that student information is not being collected by the site or application. Many districts have COPPA lists of sites which are approved for use. Check with your district to see if they have this list. You can read more about COPPA on the FTC website.

"Continuity of Education is the overall term for any educational practices that occur in the event of a prolonged school closure. It is important that students have the opportunity to maintain and develop skills while away from the customary school environment. This can be done through Planned Instruction or Enrichment and Review." ( COVID-19 PAIU Internal Guidance Document)

"Enrichment and Review consists of informal activities to reinforce or extend students’ prior learning. No standards and skills are addressed through Enrichment and Review." (COVID-19 PAIU Internal Planning Document)

FAPE - Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) is an educational right of all students in the United States that is guaranteed by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973^[1] and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, FAPE is defined as, "...the provision of regular or special education and related aids and services that are designed to meet individual needs of handicapped persons as adequately as the needs of nonhandicapped persons are met and are based on adherence to procedures that satisfy the requirements of" the section. Under the IDEA, FAPE is defined as an educational program that is individualized to a specific child, that meets that child's unique needs, provides access to the general curriculum, meets the grade-level standards established by the state, and from which the child receives educational benefit.

This Federal law protects the privacy of student education records. Be mindful of FERPA when conducting webinars, for example, as you may not know who is in the room with students while they are in your webinar. Additionally, be mindful of who can hear what you are saying in your own household as you need to uphold this federal law and convey confidentiality. When sharing your screen, be careful not to share private information of your students. For more information about FERPA, you can visit the federal government's website.

"Planned Instruction is formal teaching and learning similar to that which occurs in a classroom setting. Within this process, teachers use planned courses of instruction of new concepts/skills aligned to grade level standards. Teachers assess the learning of their students and make adjustments to instruction based upon student progress. In order to receive grade and credit, students must attend regularly and complete the course requirements." (COVID-19 PAIU Internal Planning Document)

This term is used to describe learning when is happening at the same time as the teaching. For example, students engaging in a live webinar with an educator through a service like Zoom are learning at the same time that the educator is explaining. This can allow students to ask questions and interact with the teacher.

"The UDL Guidelines are a tool used in the implementation of Universal Design for Learning, a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. Learn more about the Universal Design for Learning framework from CAST. The UDL Guidelines can be used by educators, curriculum developers, researchers, parents, and anyone else who wants to implement the UDL framework in a learning environment. These guidelines offer a set of concrete suggestions that can be applied to any discipline or domain to ensure that all learners can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities." (The UDL Guidelines)