My Blog

"Physiology of a PLE" - relevance for formal and non-formal sectors. March 13, 2011

I'm interested in PLEs (personal learning environments) - so I appreciated the blog below by Steve Wheeler (and associated posts)

(NB History of personal learning environments  - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_personal_learning_environments)


I feel that PLEs provide a useful model for how independent learners can create an ongoing record of their individual learning journeys. This is something we need to consider, if we are independent learners (especially if we are encouraging others to learn independently).

It seems that the appropriate use of some kind of PLE could serve as a mechanism for organising and recording our own learning journeys. Obviously, being organised is helpful in its own right. Having a record of learning development is encouraging to us as non-formal learners. Such a record could also prove useful if there is ever a need to demonstrate to someone "outside" what has been learned.

I've been to several sessions in the formal academic sector over the past year or so where PLEs have been discussed or demonstrated. I've got the  impression that they herald a shift in emphasis towards learner-centred studies rather than course-content centred studies. If so then this brings the approaches of the non-formal (learner driven) sector and the formal sector closer together. I also like the idea of PLEs as evidence of achievement (but discussion of assessment and accreditation is for another day).
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The blog -  Physiology of a PLE - http://steve-wheeler.blogspot.com/2010/07/physiology-of-ple.html

Yesterday I posted my views on what I think are the essential components of a Personal Learning Environment - the Anatomy of the PLE. Today, I want to examine some of the functionality of PLEs - the physiology if you will - what is it that learners need from their PLEs? The slide to the left represents the three main functionalities I believe are the most important functions learners need for lifelong learning in a digital age. You will note that the functionality is exclusive to (continued at http://steve-wheeler.blogspot.com/2010/07/physiology-of-ple.html)