PLE Students Perception Workshop
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This document proposes a research study to understand how university students perceive personal learning environments (PLEs) and how they use their PLEs to support their own learning. The study would design research questions, goals, and a method for collecting data from students. The workshop targets conference delegates interested in applying the PLE concept in their own countries. PLEs represent a shift from traditional teaching models to open, learner-driven models. They celebrate learner autonomy and focus on developing skills over memorizing facts. PLEs also integrate formal and informal learning using various technologies. However, building an effective PLE can be challenging for students, so understanding students' experiences is important.
PLE Students Perception Workshop
- 1. PLE_SOU Conference WORKSHOP | Fernando Albuquerque Costa, Cristina Costa, José Mota TITLE: How university students perceive the PLE concept? PROPOSAL: The idea is to design a research study FROM SCRATCH. A study focused on what learners consider the PLE to be as part of their learning strategy, and how they use their PLE to support their own learning. TARGET: All conference delegates, who would like to apply this concept to practice in their own countries, are invited to join. PROBLEM RESEARCH QUESTIONS RESEARCH GOALS DATA COLLECTING Southampton, July 13th
- 2. PLE_SOU Conference WORKSHOP | Fernando Albuquerque Costa, Cristina Costa, José Mota Abstract The PLE represents a shift in paradigm. It is impelling a new ‘learning movement’ away from the towards an open learning model in traditional models of teaching and learning which learners adopt their own strategies for learning. The PLE philosophy suggests great potential in allowing educators to implement new ideas regarding how educational contexts should be organized. It also provides new ways of implementing and pursuing a new kind of learning outcomes. it In this new perspective, learning is not just a matter of memorizing concepts and facts; focuses more on the skills and competences learners can acquire through the opportunities they are given. The PLE celebrates autonomy and urges the independent learner to develop learning strategies which match their learning needs. The PLE provides the foundations needed to pursue lifelong learning in the 21st century. Moreover, the proliferation of ICT at home and as well as at the University (Somekh, 2007) provides educators with opportunities to develop learning environments that encourage students to be more motivated and more effectively engaged in the learning process. These changes imply a revamping of the ways in which institutions perceive their role (Siemens, 2008). To this respect, it is fundamental to continuously improve the quality of the learning process, viewing Education as an academic, individual and social experience, and giving learners control and freedom. These are two crucial elements of one’s lifelong learning experience (Paulsen, 2009; Anderson, 2007). This encompasses the acknowledgment of the importance of informal learning, social networking, online presence and digital identity as part of the learning process and in the development of individuals throughout their lives (Attwell, 2007) PLEs have their focus onusers’ practices regarding learning with different technologies. PLEs bridge formal and informal learning, integrate the learning experiences from various contexts and promote connectedness and openness (Anderson, 2008; Attwell, 2007; Downes, 2008, 2007; Wilson et al, 2006, 2007). However, building an effective personal learning environment, with the use of various tools and services, sometimes described as “small pieces loosely joined” (Downes, 2008; Harmelen, 2008), is often not an easy task for the common user. Additionally, and despite all its potential benefits, the learner’s new role can, in some circumstances, also be perceived as too demanding. Hence, it is very important to understand the nature and extension of these difficulties when trying to devise efficient ways of helping learners make the most of what they have at their disposal for learning. Southampton, July 13th