Personal Learning EnvironmentsMohamed S.

Vardalia

University of Johannesburg

Professional Studies 3A

What is a Personal Learning Environment ?

A PLE is a system that provides learners with support so that they may take the initiative to control and regulate their own learning. This means integrating a number of “web 2.0” technologies into the students learning environment.

This includes providing support for a learner to:

• Set their own personalized goals and be reflective in their mean to achieve them.

• Control what they learn(content) and how they learn it(process).

• Communicate with others while learning (sharing ideas, asking for assistance and expressing their views and opinions).

(Dow

nes, 2

010)

A PLE is NOT:A specific software application

What is a Personal Learning Environment ?

(Dow

nes, 2

010)

A PLE is :

• A concept (based on Web 2.0 and social network) rather than specific software

• A group of techniques and a variety of tools:• to gather information • explore/develop relationships between pieces

of information • browser-based (potentially)

What is a Personal Learning Environment ?

(Wh

eele

r, 200

9)

Old way = linear, classroom based

New way = networks of people and online resources

The way we find, store, create, critique, and share information has also changed:

Information Revolution

The we learn has changed

(Wh

eele

r, 200

9)

It’s a river, not a reservoir

SurfingSensingExperiencing

Web 2.0

Emphasis on online collaboration and sharing among users

Users are encouraged to create and manage information

Applications used entirely through a Web browser

“Web 2.0” (Off

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“Web 2.0 tools”

Adapted from Steve W

heeler, University of Plym

outh, 2009

Examples of “Web 2.0” tools

A place to store (and share) my photos(flickr).A place to store and share my

videos(youtube).A place to write a collaborative paper over

summer vacation with my friend on holiday in New York(Google Docs).

A place where I can connect with other all over the world in a really affordable manner(Skype, BBM, Facebook)

A place where I can voice my opinion for the world to see(twitter).

Allows me to know where I am going before I get there(Google maps).

What is my personal learning network? (D

ow

nes, 2

00

8)

What do they mean for learners?A world of free learning resources.This means an entire reservoir of knowledge

in a number of different forms available to the learner at the touch of a button or screen.

(Dow

nes, 2

00

8)

Personalised Learning?

http://www.delasallewaterford.com

Personalized learning?

http://www.hseb.utah.edu

You decide for yourself…….

The role of the educator will change dramatically

Not a ‘sage on the stage’Neither merely that of the ‘guide by the side’Students need to be able to look to prototypes

on which to model their own workthe instructor, therefore, is required to take

an active role in the disciplinary or professional community, demonstrating tactics and techniques, and modelling the approach, language and world view of a successful practitioner.

The role of the educator in a PLE (D

ow

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Connectivism•An important aspect of PLEs is the concept of connectivism.

•Learning is a process of connecting specialized nodes or information sources.

•A learner can exponentially improve their own learning by plugging into an existing network.

•Knowing where to find information is more important than knowing information. Information is changing constantly and located in so many places.

•The ability to find, collect, connect and sort information among a multitude of human and computer networks is a critical skill.

(Wh

eele

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Top 5 Teacher web tools

Microblog Blog Social tagging E-mail Social presence Search engine Social network Collaborative writing

Image sharing0

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2624

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1312 12 12

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ConnectivismS

ou

rce:

Ale

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Functions of a PLE

Adapted from Duke (2009)

Learning

(Wh

eele

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A PLE is an efficient tool for organization and for exploration.

By connecting different Web 2.0 resources together, learners can find other users who share their same interests and continue to build their learning network.

Why Create a conducive environment for PLEs (W

inch

el, 2

012

• PLEs are not another substantiation of educational technology but a new approach to learning.

• A response to pedagogic approaches which require that learner’s e-learning systems need to be under the control of the learners themselves.

• PLE are based on the idea that learning will take place in different contexts and situations and will not be provided by a single learning provider.

• The idea of a Personal Learning Environment recognizes that learning is continuing and seeks to provide tools to support that learning.

Conclusion (Off

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downes, s. (2008, September 25). Personal learning environments. Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada.

Downes, S. (2010, November 17). The Role of the Educator in a PLE World. Moncton, new Brunswick, Canada.

Office of Instructional Development at Dawson College. (2009, October 19). personal learning environments. Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Wheeler, S. (2009, October 11). It’s Personal: Learning Spaces, Learning Web. Plymouth, Devon, united kingdom.

Winchel, R. (2012, November 8). Personal learning environment ple. Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.

Bibliography