PLE (Social and information environment designed for lifelong learning purposes): includes networks and connections between a person and resources.
PLE is a new and different approach to learning: learning is produced through discussion/communication and interaction; although motivation, self-direction, good time management and technical aptitude (digital literacy) is required from the learner’s side to create own PLN and efficiently participate in PLE.
Advantages of PLE:
- Learner-centered: learners have freedom to choose what, when and how to learn/learners make own decision and learn their own without prescriptive guidance
- Soft boundaries
- Integrates personal and professional interests (combines informal and formal learning)
- Persistence: reflective postings appear as digital records of the learning process and do not disappear after the course is ended
- Identity: Learners are free to contextualize their own understanding, which can go beyond formal schooling/curriculum
- Ease of use: knowledge can be flown into various applications and new applications can be easily integrated into existing PLE
- Ownership: not restricted to a specific institution, therefore individuals are free to chose which elements are most important for them and their learning
- Possibility for independent inquiry, learner’s autonomy and increased self-regulation
- The ability to locate expertise beyond the classroom walls
- Not limited to resources
- PLE has the greater adaptability to differing learning approaches and environments
How to handle loads of information/navigate an increasingly complex content base? Apply curation tool to filter and assemble information relevant and useful to us and our knowldge
LMS (closed network): Is a system to manage content and learners’ interactions
Advantages of LMS:
- Purposefully designed which fits well with formal teaching and learning
- Is safe and secure: learners expect to have their comments, images, reflections shared within the protected environment
- Ease of use: tools available for easy search, sorting, archiving, editing, retrieving of course content
- Less time is required from teachers/learners’ side for investment
- Discussions are more centralized (owned by the teacher)
Drawback of LMS:
- Teacher-centered, subject-centered, institutional-centered, content limited to curriculum
- Students’ choice is restricted by institutions/teachers’ choices