| Common LMS platforms used in higher education | Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle (examples, not endorsements) |
| MOOC completion rates | Typically under 15% for free audit enrollments (MIT and Harvard joint MOOC research, published findings) |
| xAPI successor to | SCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference Model) (Advanced Distributed Learning Initiative) |
| OER licensing standard | Creative Commons (various levels of reuse rights) (Creative Commons organization) |
| Spaced repetition research basis | Hermann Ebbinghaus forgetting curve (19th century, widely replicated) (Cognitive psychology literature) |
Why Terminology Matters in Online Learning
Online education has its own vocabulary — and if you don't know the language, you can waste time, enroll in the wrong format, or misread what a credential actually means. This glossary cuts through the jargon so you can evaluate platforms, courses, and credentials with clarity.
Whether you're exploring a single course or planning a full degree pathway, understanding these terms gives you a practical edge. See our complete map of online learning for context on how these pieces fit together.
LMS
Learning Management System — software used by institutions and instructors to host course materials, track learner progress, and manage communication. Most online courses are delivered through an LMS.
MOOC
Massive Open Online Course — a course designed for large-scale open enrollment via the internet. MOOCs are often free to audit and may offer paid certificates upon completion.
Asynchronous learning
A delivery format where learners access content on their own schedule, with no requirement to attend live sessions. Work is typically completed within weekly or module-level deadlines.
Cohort model
A course structure where a defined group of learners progresses through the curriculum together, sharing deadlines and often collaborating on assignments.
Micro-credential
A short-form certification verifying competency in a specific, narrowly defined skill area. Micro-credentials are stackable — they can often be combined toward larger qualifications.
Digital badge
A verifiable online image representing a completed achievement or demonstrated skill. Badges contain embedded metadata — including issuer, criteria, and evidence — that can be verified by employers or institutions.
xAPI
Experience API (also called Tin Can API) — a technical specification that allows learning platforms to record a broad range of learning activities, including simulations, offline events, and mobile interactions.
Proctoring
Supervision of a learner during an assessment to ensure academic integrity. Remote proctoring conducts this oversight online using webcam monitoring and screen-recording technology.
Spaced repetition
A learning technique that schedules review of material at strategically increasing intervals. Research in cognitive science indicates this approach improves long-term retention compared to concentrated study sessions.
Open Educational Resources (OER)
Freely available teaching and learning materials licensed for open use, adaptation, and redistribution. OER include textbooks, videos, assessments, and full course materials published by universities, libraries, and nonprofits.
Scaffolding
An instructional strategy that provides structured support to learners early in a new topic, then progressively reduces that support as the learner gains competence and independence.
Formative assessment
Low-stakes evaluations — such as quizzes, drafts, or discussion posts — conducted during a course to monitor understanding and guide further instruction, rather than to assign a final grade.
Core Platform and Delivery Terms
These are the structural terms you'll encounter when researching where and how a course is delivered.
| Common LMS platforms used in higher education | Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle (examples, not endorsements) |
| MOOC completion rates | Typically under 15% for free audit enrollments (MIT and Harvard joint MOOC research, published findings) |
| xAPI successor to | SCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference Model) (Advanced Distributed Learning Initiative) |
| OER licensing standard | Creative Commons (various levels of reuse rights) (Creative Commons organization) |
| Spaced repetition research basis | Hermann Ebbinghaus forgetting curve (19th century, widely replicated) (Cognitive psychology literature) |
LMS (Learning Management System): The software platform an institution or instructor uses to host course content, track progress, and facilitate communication. Examples include widely used platforms at universities and corporate training programs.
MOOC (Massive Open Online Course): A course designed for large-scale, open enrollment via the internet — often free or low-cost to audit. MOOCs can reach thousands of learners simultaneously and are offered by universities through third-party platforms.
Asynchronous vs. Synchronous: Two of the most important distinctions in online learning. Synchronous courses require attendance at scheduled live sessions; asynchronous courses let you complete work on your own schedule. Our article on synchronous vs. asynchronous online learning explains the trade-offs in depth.
Cohort model: A structure where a fixed group of learners moves through a course together on the same timeline, often with shared deadlines and group projects. Contrast this with self-paced courses, where learners work independently.
Credentials, Standards, and Assessment Terms
Credentials in online learning vary widely in what they signal and how they're earned. Understanding the vocabulary helps you evaluate what you're working toward.
Micro-credential: A short, focused certification verifying competency in a specific skill or topic area. Micro-credentials are typically narrower in scope than a full certificate program. For a detailed breakdown, see our guide to digital credentials, micro-credentials, and badges.
Digital badge: A verifiable, shareable digital image that represents an achievement or skill. Badges often contain embedded metadata describing the issuing organization, criteria, and evidence of completion.
xAPI (Experience API): A technical standard — also called Tin Can API — that allows learning systems to track a much wider range of learning experiences than older standards, including offline activities, simulations, and mobile learning.
Formative vs. Summative Assessment: Formative assessments (quizzes, discussion posts, drafts) measure learning during the process; summative assessments (final exams, capstone projects) evaluate overall learning at the end of a course or unit.
Proctoring: The process of monitoring a learner during an exam to ensure academic integrity. Remote proctoring uses webcam and screen-recording software to do this online.
Before committing to any program, use the pre-course enrollment checklist to verify that the credential and format align with your goals.
Self-Directed and Instructional Design Terms
These terms relate to how learning is structured and how learners take ownership of their progress — concepts especially relevant on structured learning paths.
Self-paced learning: A format where the learner controls when and how quickly they progress through content, without mandatory live sessions or shared deadlines.
Scaffolding: An instructional technique where support structures (worked examples, guided prompts, feedback loops) are provided early and gradually removed as the learner gains confidence and competence.
Spaced repetition: A study technique that schedules review of material at increasing intervals, based on evidence that distributed practice improves long-term retention compared to massed study.
Open educational resources (OER): Teaching and learning materials that are freely available for anyone to use, adapt, and redistribute, typically under open licensing. Many public universities and libraries publish OER for independent learners.
Familiarity with these terms helps you evaluate course designs critically — not just what a course covers, but how it is structured to support actual learning outcomes.