Content Aggregators (Netvibes) & PLEs
Summary
With today´s networks, students have access to live conferencing, video sharing, social networking, collaborative tools - directly from their computers. Students can now create content, work collaboratively, socialize, interact and communicate in a more direct way with their peers and teachers. Instead of merely searching for information, applications such as bookmarking, RSS feeds, twitter and pinboards, digital portfolios, etc., along with the possibility of creating their own personal website, gives students the chance of creating their own Personal Learning Environment (PLE). As Attwell (2007) suggests, a PLE “recognizes that learning is continuing and seeks to provide tools to support that learning”. In a PLE students are responsible for the management of their own learning environment and for the selection of tools and contexts where learning will take place. According with Schaffert & Hilzensauer (2008), learning with PLE implies certain changes, such as the role of the student as being more proactive and self organized in constructing and sharing his own knowledge, supported by data retrieved from countless and varied information, made available by community peers; therefore social involvement plays an important role, as the more social software tools multiply sources and connections, therefore more information is attainable.
Thus, PLEs are environments undergoing continuing change, evolving not only with students knowledge interests, but also keeping up with all new applications that appear on web.
For some academics PLE is an environment which aggregates all used tools, such as email, websites and applications; however, to a wider majority, a PLE is an environment containing social software application as well as web services, where students are able to gather information and produce knowledge and reflections. Furthermore, in such environment, students can make RSS feeds to follow the blogs and webpages he finds interesting. According to Schaffert & Hilzensauer (2008) PLE can be seen as “mash-up in a single portal for the purpose of learning. (...) Examples for PLE applications are Netvibes or WordPressMU (a multi user Weblog), but also I-Google or Flock could serve as a PLE”.
With today´s networks, students have access to live conferencing, video sharing, social networking, collaborative tools - directly from their computers. Students can now create content, work collaboratively, socialize, interact and communicate in a more direct way with their peers and teachers. Instead of merely searching for information, applications such as bookmarking, RSS feeds, twitter and pinboards, digital portfolios, etc., along with the possibility of creating their own personal website, gives students the chance of creating their own Personal Learning Environment (PLE). As Attwell (2007) suggests, a PLE “recognizes that learning is continuing and seeks to provide tools to support that learning”. In a PLE students are responsible for the management of their own learning environment and for the selection of tools and contexts where learning will take place. According with Schaffert & Hilzensauer (2008), learning with PLE implies certain changes, such as the role of the student as being more proactive and self organized in constructing and sharing his own knowledge, supported by data retrieved from countless and varied information, made available by community peers; therefore social involvement plays an important role, as the more social software tools multiply sources and connections, therefore more information is attainable.
Thus, PLEs are environments undergoing continuing change, evolving not only with students knowledge interests, but also keeping up with all new applications that appear on web.
For some academics PLE is an environment which aggregates all used tools, such as email, websites and applications; however, to a wider majority, a PLE is an environment containing social software application as well as web services, where students are able to gather information and produce knowledge and reflections. Furthermore, in such environment, students can make RSS feeds to follow the blogs and webpages he finds interesting. According to Schaffert & Hilzensauer (2008) PLE can be seen as “mash-up in a single portal for the purpose of learning. (...) Examples for PLE applications are Netvibes or WordPressMU (a multi user Weblog), but also I-Google or Flock could serve as a PLE”.
Audience & Format
The workshop is targeted for those who are interested in getting to know a bit more about PLE and how to use it to create knowledge.
Access to a personal computer and Internet are mandatory.
The tutors will give a brief introduction (approximately 60 minutes) about the concept of PLE, tools that can be used and some examples of good practices. Afterwards, the attendees, will be invited to explore some of the tools and to create their own PLE - hands-on approach. Given the nature of this workshop, the results will be private for students.
Tutors
Ana Loureiro, Polytechnic Institute of Santarem - School of Education | http://accloureiro.com | [email protected]
Inês Messias, Polytechnic Institute of Santarem - School of Education | [email protected]
The workshop is targeted for those who are interested in getting to know a bit more about PLE and how to use it to create knowledge.
Access to a personal computer and Internet are mandatory.
The tutors will give a brief introduction (approximately 60 minutes) about the concept of PLE, tools that can be used and some examples of good practices. Afterwards, the attendees, will be invited to explore some of the tools and to create their own PLE - hands-on approach. Given the nature of this workshop, the results will be private for students.
Tutors
Ana Loureiro, Polytechnic Institute of Santarem - School of Education | http://accloureiro.com | [email protected]
Inês Messias, Polytechnic Institute of Santarem - School of Education | [email protected]