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
- set their own learning goals
- manage their learning; managing both content and process
- communicate with others in the process of learning
- 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
PLE Tag in Delicious, at http://del.icio.us/mbauwens/Personal-Learning-Environment
A 2006 report by CETIS, at http://wiki.cetis.ac.uk/Ple/Report
The Wikipedia article above is strong on the history of PLE's, see at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_personal_learning_environments
A specialized blog at http://www.cetis.ac.uk/members/ple/