Key terms
A |
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Achievement pathIn Totara Perform, an achievement path is the way a user can make progress against a competency. Some competencies may allow multiple paths to achieving the same level on the competency. |
ActivityA learning item within a course such as a quiz, SCORM object, or forum which involves active participation from learners. |
AppraisalA type of performance activity in Totara Perform. |
AssetA piece of equipment or a service (such as IT Support) that can be linked to a seminar event session in Totara Learn. |
AudienceA group of users which may be created manually (a set audience) or added and updated automatically when users meet predefined criteria (a dynamic audience). An audience can be assigned access or visibility of specific content on your Totara site, such as courses, programs, and/or certifications as well as assigned to specific learning plans, competencies, performance activities or roles. |
Authenticated user |
AuthenticationThe
mechanism by which a user is logged into the system. |
Availability status (performance activities)Indicates whether responses can be submitted and/or modified on a section or instance of a performance activity:
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B |
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BackupIn Totara Learn, a backup is a saved copy of all, or specific items within, a course which is created and stored within a compressed (zipped) file. |
BadgeA digital, verifiable recognition of learning and achievement that may be issued automatically based on predefined criteria. Badges are held in the platform but can also be shared outside (such as on a digital CV or badge ‘backpack’). |
Block |
Block region |
C |
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CapabilityCapabilities are used to define what a particular role can do in the system. These are normally associated to roles by default but can be added or removed by a Site Administrator to customise a role or create a new one. For example, capabilities might include the ability to grade assignments, create performance activities or add new users. |
CatalogueThe catalogue is a searchable, filterable, customisable view of courses, programs, certifications, playlists and resources available on your Totara site. The catalogue can be displayed as a grid or list view. |
CategoryA grouping or folder of similar or associated courses, programs and/or certifications. A category may have any number of sub-categories. |
Certificate |
CertificationA
recurring training requirement where an initial certification and a
re-certification learning path is defined, tracked, and managed to ensure completion
and compliance. Certification pathways consist of one or more courses. |
Certification imageAn image representing a certification within the featured links block and/or the course catalogue. A default image is displayed unless a custom image has been added via a certification's general settings. |
ChildA child item is a component within a hierarchical structure that sits under a top level item or a parent. |
CompetencyAn achievement, skill, or knowledge a user may or must obtain and/or demonstrate. In Totara Perform, competencies can have multiple achievement paths to meet a variety of proficiency levels. |
Competency assignmentThe process of linking a user to a competency (either directly or via their position, organisation or audience membership). This assignment allows users and their managers to track their progress in achieving the competency. |
Conditional accessAlso
known as restricted access. Restricts access to specific course activities based on
the user meeting (or failing to meet) predefined criteria. |
Content Marketplace |
ContextThe scope of the software that a user's role assignment affects i.e. a Learner in a course, a site-wide administrator. The context is the area of the LMS where a role may be assigned or overridden. For example, a user may be a Learner at site context but have the role of Course Creator in a specific course context. |
Contextual helpHelp and additional information for a specific area or field identified by the 'i' icon. |
CourseA
single learning environment for enrolled learners, containing content in the
form of one or many activities and resources. |
Course image |
Course SetA section of a program or certification comprised of a course, set of courses, or a competency. One program or certification may have multiple course sets. |
Course type |
CurationThe act of discovering, gathering and presenting content that surrounds specific subject matter. Curation is not limited to generating content, but is instead the practice of amassing content from a variety of sources and delivering it in an organised fashion. |
Custom fieldA custom field allows for additional information to be captured within a form or activity. Custom fields are created by Site Administrators and can include fields such as multi-choice select, short or long text, radio buttons, dropdown menus etc. Custom fields can be created and applied to a range of areas within Totara, including seminar assets, goal types, user profiles, courses, programs and certifications. |
D |
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DashboardA
customised and configurable homepage that can be assigned to specific audiences. |
DiscussionIn Totara Engage, a discussion is an organised, asynchronous conversation started by a group member in a workspace. It consists of the master post and comments to the post. A comment can be saved as an item in a playlist. Discussions can be linked to topics and are searchable within the group (and more widely if not hidden). |
E |
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Embedded reportA report that is available within Totara that has been created via report builder. Embedded reports can be modified and customised as required by Site Administrators. |
Enrolment pluginThe
mechanism which decides how learners can be enrolled in a course. |
EventA training event within a seminar activity. A seminar may have any number of events which are in turn made up of one or many date- and time-based sessions. |
EvidenceAn item added to the user's evidence bank to demonstrate proof of learning or performance which takes place outside of the platform. |
External participant (performance activities)A person who contributes to a performance activity but does not have a user account in your Totara site. They are invited by email and participate by entering or viewing responses on an external, secure page. |
F |
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FeedbackIn Totara Learn courses, an activity that allows you to create surveys or evaluations. In Totara Perform, feedback is a type of performance activity which is used to gather feedback about an individual in the system. |
G |
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Goal |
GroupA collection of learners within a course which allows restriction of access to specified activities and resources. |
H |
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Hierarchy |
HR importFunctionality that allows the manual or automated import, update, and deletion of user, position and/or organisation information within the system, either via CSV file upload or direct external database connection. Previously known as Totara sync and HR sync. |
HTML editorThe text formatting options available within a content input area. Users can apply heading styles, add images and embed links and media using the HTML editor. |
I |
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Import |
L |
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Language packA collection of translated words and strings which are installed on Totara to allow navigation, functionality, and contextual help to be displayed in non-UK English. |
Learning planA personal and/or professional development plan composed of selected learning elements; including courses, objectives, and programs. The learning plan enables staff to see at a glance their progress against specific learning events and the whole plan. |
Learning typeThe distinction between courses, programs, certifications, playlists and resources. Can be used as a filter in the catalogue. |
LibraryA personal space where all of a user’s informal learning items (playlists, resources and workspaces) are stored. |
M |
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Manually selected participant (performance activities)A participant in a performance activity who has not been automatically selected by the system. Subjects and their managers can manually select other users to participate in an activity. |
Mobile browser authenticationMobile browser authentication is one of the authentication methods available for the Totara mobile app. In this workflow, users are directed to a tab on their mobile web browser to complete authentication actions, then return to the mobile app without needing to reauthenticate. |
N |
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Native authenticationNative authentication is one of the authentication methods available for the Totara mobile app. In the native workflow, users authenticate by logging in within the app itself. |
O |
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ObjectiveA
unique learning or development goal that is set via an individual’s learning
plan. |
Organisation |
P |
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ParentA parent item is a component within a hierarchical structure that has sub-items or children. |
Participant instance (performance activities) |
Participant (performance activities)A user who is expected to engage in a performance activity. Participants are defined by their relationship to the subject of the activity, either automatically by job assignment (such as the user’s manager) or manually selected by the subject or their manager (such as the reviewer). |
Participant section (performance activities)The smallest unit of a performance activity in which progress can be tracked. Participants can submit sections individually. |
Performance activity |
PermissionThe
settings which allow, prevent, or prohibit users from accessing elements in the
system based on their role. |
PlaylistA collection of resources created by a user. Can be public, private or limited to specific people. Linked to a topic, playlists are searchable if not private. Playlists can be liked, shared or commented on. |
PluginA core or custom module or add-on within Totara which provides specific features and functionality. Examples include activities, authentication, and enrolment plugins. |
Position |
ProficiencyIndicates that the user assigned to a competency in Totara Perform has fulfilled sufficient criteria to achieve a level at which they are considered competent. |
ProgramA
prescribed learning path made up of one or many courses with ‘and/then/or’
conditions between sets of courses. |
Program image |
Progress status (performance activities)Indicates progression towards completion of a performance activity:
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R |
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Recommendations engineThe Totara-powered machine learning engine responsible for crafting an individual discovery experience for every user, based on complex algorithms performing analysis on multiple levels of information about a user and their activity on the site. |
ResourceIn Totara Learn, a resource is a learning item within a course such as a page, label or file, which involves a read or view level of participation from learners. In Totara Engage, a resource is a minimum discrete piece of user-generated content, including text, image, video, audio or a combination. Resources are linked to a topic and can be standalone or included in a playlist. Resources can be public, private or limited to specific people. They can be liked, shared and commented on. |
Responding participant (performance activities)A participant in a performance activity who can submit responses. |
RestoreThe process of replacing or adding a course within Totara Learn, with a previously backed up course. |
Restrict accessAlso known as conditional access. Restricts access to specific activities in a course based on the user meeting (or failing to meet) predefined criteria. |
RoleThe access rights and associated capabilities an individual has within the system. Roles can exist in different contexts. |
Role contextThe
area of the system where a role may be assigned or overridden. |
RPL (recognition of prior learning)A
system to accredit a learner’s previous training and experience towards the
completion of activities, resources, and/or courses. |
S |
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ScaleA
customisable rating-system which allows users to be rated against the
achievement or partial achievement of a competency. |
SCORMThe Sharable Content
Object Reference Model (SCORM) allows learning content from any vendor to play
in any SCORM conformant Learning Management System (LMS). Basically there
are 2 parts SCORM Version 1.2: the Run-Time Environment and the Content
Aggregation Model.
| |
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Subject instance (performance activities)A copy of a performance activity generated for the subject of the activity (the user being evaluated). |
Subject (performance activities)In Totara Perform, the subject is the user the performance activity is about (the user whose performance is being evaluated). They may or may not participate in the activity. |
SurveyIn Totara Engage, a survey is a quick, one-question poll with up to ten answer options, created by any user in Totara Engage. In Totara Learn, the survey activity allows you to present a number of pre-set learning surveys to learners in a course. |
T |
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Talent Experience PlatformTotara’s Talent Experience Platform combines a learning
management system (LMS), a user-centric learning experience platform (LXP) and
a comprehensive performance management system under a single and highly
adaptable architecture. |
ThemeThe
design, look, and feel of your site. A theme is usually based on HTML, CSS, and
JavaScript, and can be either custom-made or configured via the administraton
interface. |
TopicIn Totara Engage, a topic is a broad theme for categorising
content, defined by Site Administrators. Resources, playlists and workspace can
all be linked to a topic.
In Totara Learn, a topic is a section of a course page (when the topics course format is selected). |
Totara EngageTotara Engage is a learning experience platform (LXP) that engages, unites and upskills your workforce to deliver high performance and better results. Through peer-to-peer interaction and social learning, Totara Engage empowers your people to create and curate custom content and collaborate in private or public workspaces, all seamlessly integrated with tools like Microsoft Teams. |
Totara LearnTotara Learn is a fully flexible learning management system (LMS) that empowers you to build customised learning environments that meet your unique requirements. It is a scalable way to bring learning to your users in their preferred language, on their preferred device, and personalised by audiences, roles and learning goals. |
Totara MobileThe Totara Mobile app, fully integrated with Totara Learn, provides learners with access to courses, programs and certifications in their current learning. |
Totara PerformTotara Perform is a flexible performance management system which supports your business’ performance management model, however you want to work. It provides you with the flexibility to design your performance management schedules and processes, harnessing the power of continuous performance management to boost workplace productivity, anytime, anywhere. |
V |
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View-only participant (performance activities)A participant who can view responses to a performance activity but cannot submit their own. |
W |
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Webview authenticationWebview authentication is one of the authentication methods available for the Totara mobile app. In the webview workflow allows, users are able to complete most authentication actions in a browser window displayed within the app. |
WorkspaceA space for a group of people to collaborate, social and share information around a chosen subject. Can be public, private or hidden. Can contain playlists, discussions and shared resources. |