My Personal Learning Environment

What is a PLE? Seems there's lots of talk about this on twitter this week with the PLE conference going on. Mostly it seems to be focused on the use of social tools (Web 2.0), but I have strayed from this to look at what I use to create my learning environment.

Firstly the learning environment hinges on the tools I have. This is a huge change to when I studied at school. I am more mobile. I use my smartphone, as I mentioned in my previous post, ALOT! But I also always carry around my kindle, a notebook and pen, and my datastick. The notebook is to write my thoughts on articles I read on my kindle. The datastick serves as backup to resources and storage for articles I deem useful, as well as course materials. I am a mobile learner - as I now commute for about 2.5 hours a day. (that's a huge chunk of my 15 hours a week!) I struggle to read papers if I am not commuting, which is wierd. I have created an environment for myself that works for me using the technology around me.

Interestingly I have tried a number of different tools for collecting, like Delicious, and not really got on with them. I am now using Twitter. By retweeted useful links, I remind myself that I thought it was important, as well as sharing with others and participating in a wider community. After all I was told that I need to participate to get the benefit. This is working much better for me than social bookmarking. I still store the useful resources on my datastick - and download to the kindle if I want to digest them. I don't really use a lot of 'Web 2.0' tools - as I don't feel the need. Maybe my PLE is my simplicity.

I have broken down my PLE into three areas: Collecting, Reflecting and Connecting. In a way this mirrors the different elements of learning - whether acquisition, metacognition or participation. They all play a part. Sometimes one plays a bigger role than another.

Are PLEs more important than VLEs? Like many people I probably think of the VLE as part of my PLE. I love the hub of teh OU platform where I can navigate through course materials and link up to the library, and see what else is happening. I certainly wouldn't want that replaced, as it gives structure and stability. However, we are not talking about informal life long learning. This course is institutionally based. It has assessment and counts towards a qualification.
 Every student will build up their own PLE, suited to them, their situativeness. My concern in focusing only on PLE is that it requires a step towards knowing how to learn. Much of the research points towards a need to teach students to learn to learn....so if you chuck PLE, in the sense of building up a raft of Web 2.0 tools into the mix, there's a risk that a student drowns in the possibilities. One needs to feel confident to creating an environment that suits - and that comes with experience and reflection. Much like AM and PM (acquisition and participation), I think that VLE and PLE need to work together.