Personal Learning Environments

Definition

From the Wikipedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_personal_learning_environments

"Personal Learning Environments are systems that help learners take control of and manage their own learning. This includes providing support for learners to

1. set their own learning goals
2. manage their learning; managing both content and process
3. communicate with others in the process of learning
4. and thereby achieve learning goals.

Important concepts in PLEs include the integration of both formal and informal learning episodes into a single experience, the use of social networks that can cross institutional boundaries, and the use of networking protocols (Peer-to-Peer, web services, syndication) to connect a range of resources and systems within a personally-managed space.

A PLE may be composed of one or more subsystems: As such it may be a desktop application, or composed of one or more web-based services."

More Information

1. PLE Tag in Delicious, at http://del.icio.us/mbauwens/Personal-Learning-Environment
2. A 2006 report by CETIS, at http://wiki.cetis.ac.uk/Ple/Report
3. A specialized blog at http://www.cetis.ac.uk/members/ple/
4. Special issue of elearning papers at http://www.elearningpapers.eu/index.php?page=home&vol=9
5. The Wikipedia article above is strong on the history of PLE's, see at

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_personal_learning_environments