It seems as if in education there is an acronym for almost everything...IEP (Individualized Educational Plan), NCLB (No Child Left Behind), PTA (Parent Teacher Association), GT (Gifted), and the list goes on and on. This week I was introduced to a new term, and of course, it has an accompanying acronym. Personal Learning Environments, better know as PLEs, are "a web space that is designed by the user to assist in collecting, filtering, and organizing information" (John Calvert, 2011). This was a completely new concept to me and I was eager to begin learning more about this.
As I began my quest for searching for blog posts about PLEs, I was disappointed by how few there were as they relate to their impact on education. However, I understand the concept of PLE is new, and therefore, may not yet be a dominant subject matter for many. While browsing through Mohamed Amines' PLE list, the article that caught my eye most was "7 Things You Should Know About PLEs," which is part of a series of "Things You Should Know About" from EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative.
I really appreciated how this article gave me the basics I need to know about PLEs, and did so in a way that avoided everyday jargon. It described what it is, who is doing it, how it works, why it's significant, what the downsides are, where it is going, and what the implications for teaching and learning are. It's important for me, when learning about something new, that I see not only the advantages it has to offer, but the disadvantages as well.
PLEs seem to have such great implications in education. They truly do move away from textbooks to a model where the student is at the center and in charge of their own learning processes. It allows for greater reflection and collaboration, rather than just transmitting data from teacher to student. If the PLE is created from self-direction then ultimately the learning resides in the hands on the learner. PLEs also amaze me as they allow information to be disseminated so quickly, thus starting numerous conversations and the ability to hear the voices of others.
The capability and potential of PLEs is astounding and I can't wait to hear more about them in the future!
I was also on the verge of reading that article on his blog site as well, because I am also new to all of these innovative teaching styles.
ReplyDeleteEverything we have learned thus far in this course has completely changed my outlook on the specific job of an educator and ways to improve my education system in my classroom.
I think PLE's are a great option to offer students in the classroom. Throughout my own personal academic career, I have found that teachers rely on lecture and strict note taking. Students need constant engagement. Sometimes, I have caught myself doing that as well. Now, I feel that I have the tools and ability to offer a more engaging, student-centered classroom, where students can understand the importance of research, and answering their own quesitons without being completely spoonfed.
After looking through the article, I also feel that I have learned the basic tools to begin my own PLE. I would hope to one day bring this idea to other educators I work with. The student needs to learn through self-direction, not just strictly writing down notes and examples. There are an endless amount of ways to create a PLE suited to your discipline.