My personal learning environment!

Dear all,

This week I’ll show you my PLE. “What’s a PLE?” (You’ll ask yourselves). Well, a PLE is a personal learning environment which everyone shapes according to his/her interests and learning targets. Actually, a PLE is also a ‘combination of the formal and informal tools and processes we use to gather information, reflect on it and do something with it, which is essentially what we mean when we talk about learning” (Martin, 2007).
Many specialists in this matter decoded different ways to organize a well-shaped PLE. For example, Martin divides it into three areas:

• Gathering information
• Processing information
• Acting on the learning

She clearly pays attention to the importance of defining the three phases of the learning acquisition. Rather than focussing on the importance of the process, I’d prefer to highlight the relevant role of the agents and sources that take part in this process.
For example, we should ask ourselves:

• Where can I learn and enlarge my competences?
• Who can teach me something new?
• Which tools can I use in order to improve my abilities?

Another very helpful subdivision is to divide the formal learning environment form the informal learning environment. I want to share with you this explanatory example I found on “What is informal learning”.


‘Formal learning is like riding a bus: the driver decides where the bus is going; the passengers are along for the ride. People new to the territory often ride the bus before hopping on the bike.’ (photo from flickr)

‘Informal learning is like riding a bicycle: the rider chooses the destination and the route. The cyclist can take a detour at a moment’s notice to admire the scenery or help a fellow rider.’
(photo from flickr)


If we manage to separate these two areas, we’ll be aware of the different way we do learn and all the following implications. I mean, I think it’s very important to know what kinds of parameters influence my learning processes. What I want to say is that while some people manage to learn more in a formal context (e.g. in their job), other people learn more in more comfortable and relaxing situations (e.g. listening to music, chatting with friends, etc.).

What's the aim of the PLE?
I think that a PLE can help you to reflect on your own learning. I noticed that to draw my personal learning environment help me to reflect on the ways I learn, the time I spend and the organization I need. All these aspects of my PLE will me to use the resources I have in a more effective way.

If you want to have a look, here is my PLE:

In conclusion, paraphrasing the words of Martin, I can say that your PLE has real potential as a way to keep learning happening and everyday at a very low cost!

Cheers
Martina