Week 2: What is a PLE and why do you need one?

Weekly Report & Reflection Post #2: 

PLE's for the Net Generation

In case some of you are wondering why I am here again, it is to inform you of my insights and so-called ‘a-ha’ moments from resources that I dwell hours over reading wherein I dissect my thoughts into meaningful and positive posts that assist in creating a legacy in my digital footprints – and yes, hopefully also assist in learning something new (well at least that is my intent). So then, what did I learn this week? Read on…

THE GOAL OF MY COURSE

I realize now that I should have probably mentioned the goal of my course in my first post; however, it actually makes more sense in this week’s session since it correlates with the topic. The goal: To help learn how to take digital tools and resources of the Internet and use them to support academic learning. The correlation: The set of digital tools that you use to support your personal learning is your personal learning environment (PLE).

WHAT IS A PLE?

Attwell (2007) describes a personal learning environment (PLE) as being “comprised of all the different tools we use in our everyday life for learning” (p.4), and adds that it “purports to include and bring together all learning, including informal learning, workplace learning, learning from the home, learning driven by problem solving and learning motivated by personal interest as well as learning through engagement in formal educational programmes….[and] could also facilitate different styles of learning” (p.2). There are others that can simplify a PLE and its term, but it was Attwell’s statement that was a key reminder in my role as an educator.

MY ROLE AS AN EDUCATOR TO THE NET GENERATION

Before I start on my PLE, I would like to take a moment to discuss my views on PLE’s as an educator (since this is still the profession that I envision for myself for at least the next 20 years). The use of social media in the classroom was always a “no-way – it can’t work” attitude since it becomes more of a distraction and misuse that an actually learning tool. However, since embarking on my adult education degree I have come to realize that we need to go beyond Paulo Freire’s conception of the banking education – where you just deposit information into the student’s mind – to a more holistic view, as Attwell (2007) takes, where we are free to use all the tools that are accessible to learning.  When educators use various technology tools such as blogs, in their teaching methodologies they are more likely to meet the needs of the students - students of the net generation that is.

Now, it may take me some time to get used to being called a “Connected Learning Incubator” – just one of the seven terms that Drexler(2008) uses to depict a teacher that embraces the theory of connectivism – a theory that presumes that learning occurs as part of a social network of many diverse connections and ties. However, she does make one thing clear – that technology is not going to be obsolete and as educators (opps, I mean as connected learning incubators) we must establish, and encourage, a PLE that allows the network student to share knowledge in a collaborate nature via their PLE’s and personal learning networks (PLN). 

[Online image]. Link

“I found a newspaper article form the 1950s worrying over the time young people were spending outdoors playing sports!...There seems to be a timeless pattern of new generations finding new trends about which to panic ….As so often happens when confronted with something new, the reaction of the education systems is to control and to ban it. Young people are told to turn off their mobile phones to go into their lessons on communication!” (Attwell, 2007, p.4).

MY PLE

Besides realizing that I rather be looking back 10 years than looking forward 10 years – I was able to identify that my current PLE, as seen below, is in need of a reasonable overhaul. The task of putting my PLE together did not take much time since I knew that most of the tools were my 'regulars'  or favourites (such as Microsoft's Power Point) - these were the ones that I have used for the last decade (besides being updated versions). In order to make it look appealing and not so bland I did add the current tools that I have been introduced to during these last few weeks such as popplet, which by the way made the export of my PLE diagram user friendly.  What did take some time was thinking about the tools that I have used only a couple of times or forgot that I had used. This reminded me how much we take things for granted – like technology – and that we forget that sometimes using a variety of tools is better since it enables you to customize your PLE to one that is more fitting to your needs or task at hand. A PLE should not be a stagnant model – it should be one that evolves with time. If learning is about changing than changing your PLE can ensure you are active and staying ‘with the times’ in your learning. 

“One of the downsides of a PLE is the potential for isolation, so learners should be encouraged to include an array of different communications tools into their PLE in order to promote discussion and team work”.

(Cann, 2010)

Going forward I am hoping to add to my PLE and stay more current. Cann (2010) suggests some web 2.0 tools that can be considered in building your own PLE and reminds us that the selection should be like FRED: Free, Redundant, Easy to use and, Designed to make you smile. I am looking forward to my new additions and like you, am eager to see how and where all this personal learning ‘stuff’ can be used in our dominating technology environment.

Siviero, M. (CC) 2013.

REFLECTION VIA A WORD CLOUD

Siviero, M. (CC) 2013.

In this week’s learning activity I was able to use Tagul to create my personal word cloud from my last week’s reflection blog. After deleting the most common words such as - a, the, and, that - (opps, have to work on that) – it was clear to visualize that ‘digital footprints’ was the common theme. Secondary, were the words: positive, rules, tools. This was a keen reminder in recognizing that I want to leave a positive footprint by following the rules of technology and that I should be wise when choosing any of the vast technology tools that are available. It is a constant reminder of how important it is to be aware of the legacy that we are leaving behind. A digital footprint is a concrete cementation of posts that can range from pictures, texts, blogs, e-mails, etc…, that are embedded and used to create our digital profile of who we were, who we are and, who we will be – a constant evolution in the world of cyberspace.

FINAL THOUGHTS

The use of the word cloud was a relative ideal activity since it allowed me to remember the significance of a positive digital footprint and how I must follow technology rules when using any or all of the technology tools within my PLE. I leave this week’s session feeling a bit dumb-founded – meaning that I always thought that I was someone who was up-to-date on technology and who was apt in changing and adapting to new tools. However, after this week, I am feeling a ‘yottabyte’ smaller than need be for all the tools that are available. I realize that it is not humanly possible to have a PLE that entails all Web2.0 tools and beyond (nor should it); however, I feel that my PLE is in a desperate need of a make-over since it has not changed much over the last decade.

Here’s to hoping an improved PLE in the next 10 weeks – just hope that it does not mean a total renovation.

References: 

Attwell, G. (2007). The Personal Learning Environments: the furture of eLearning? eLearning Papers, 2(1), 1-8. Retrieved from http://www.elearningeuropa.info/files/media/media11561.pdf

Cann, A. (2010). Before we proceed - a few suggestions. Retrieved from http://microbiologybytes.com/tutorials/ple/ple4.html