Monthly Archives: November 2005

Personal Learning Environments (PLE)

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A PLE is an approach to managing an individual’s access of e-learning services. Its purpose is to make sense for an individual the multitude of software that are available such as blogs, iTunes, virtual learning environments, individual forums, e-portfolio, wiki, del.icio.us, etc.

The conference session I attended today included some show and tell presentations of prototype Jisc funded projects that, hopefully, will continue to be funded to make reality of the Jisc rhetoric on sustainability.

Nothing particularly breathtaking in concept terms, but it was good to see some software demonstrated.

My observations:

  • a migration strategy from the numerous virtual learning environments on offer would be essential as the technology may be so disruptive to work practices that it might only be adopted enthusiasts
  • the greater functionality of applications and the portability of web based access means that both approaches will probably be required (possibly flash could bridge the divide)
  • the PLE should enable both online and offline use
  • at a rudimentary level, a collection of links to services could be all that is provided
  • providing there are common standards, it will be possible to enable data transfers between services and the PLE
  • HE institutions will increasingly not support an increasingly wide range of software, and may simply offer a PLE or enable students to use their own ‘Google’ PLE to access university core services
  • there are considerable technical issues around database versions when different points of access are used to link to web services
  • this approach directly addresses the issues of personalisation and choice by enabling an individual to have a ‘customised and customisable’ view as well as the possibility of interacting with different Universities web services
  • technology like friends of a friend (foaf) should allow greater ability to form and find groups and individuals to learn with

    It reads like a great list to me, however:^)

    • cetis e-frameworks conference

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    I am at the cetis
    (Jisc Funded) e-frameworks conference in Edinburgh which is intended to set the priorities for the coming year in terms of ‘learning technology standards’.

    This should be of importance to anyone using ICT as a part of their learning mix (everyone!), but I wonder how many people even know of the existence of cetis, what they have done in the past, and what they plan to do in the future. From attending the conference I hope to get a better understanding of what they do, what the implications are for projects like Ultraversity, and to see if there are any opportunities to join in the work they are undertaking.

    Ultraversity Graduation

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    On Saturday I attended the Anglia Ruskin University presentation ceremony (along with Tim, Colin, Ken, Mark, and Lindsey) for the Faculty of Education where the Ultraversity Ba (Hons), Learning, Technology and Research degree programme sits for quality assurance purposes. Well done the trail blazing six student researchers who graduated!

    It is worth reflecting a moment on what these and the other cohort 1 researchers have achieved on a degree programme that is wholly online, uses action research methodology in the workplace, and can be completed in three years.

    - achieved impressive results when judged against undergraduate assessment criteria
    - demonstrated an alternative model for undergraduate learning that uses the workplace as the focus of study using action research methodology
    - demonstrated how Higher Education can be made accessible to groups who through work and life commitments would otherwise find it very difficult to study
    - used online learning communities and ICT as an enabling and empowering technology
    - had significant impact on their workplaces
    - used an approach to assessment that uses ‘patchwork’ presentation supports an assessment for learning approach
    - pushed Higher Educational work practices to change – teaching and learning, student administration, the use of empowering software…

    For individuals there will be many more things that could be added to the lists such as becoming critically reflective problem solvers, etc…