Comments on: PLEs – the discussion develops http://blog.core-ed.net/derek/2006/11/ples_the_discussion_develops.html Musings on the use and impact of technology in education, and of the future of education in general. Thu, 04 Mar 2010 08:43:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Stephen Becker, Ph.D. http://blog.core-ed.net/derek/2006/11/ples_the_discussion_develops.html/comment-page-1#comment-1039 Stephen Becker, Ph.D. Tue, 07 Nov 2006 20:11:15 +0000 http://blog.core-ed.net/derek/2006/11/ples-the-discussion-develops.html#comment-1039 In response to Derek's answers and the earlier question of ???will there be a superspace??? that brings PLE tools together and exists somewhere between an MLE and a PLE, our response is an resounding YES. Moreover, the new space will answer Derek???s concern over the ???anarchic??? ideal espoused by some exuberant PLE advocates. We envision an nPLE (networked personal learning environment) that involves a learner profile/portfolio designed in a Web 2.0 social networking style similar to MySpace or Facebook. The learners PLE will exist in a global network independent of institutional education. Teachers will have profile pages as well and will be able to create groups (classes) within the network and assume control of administrator functionality within the context of the group. Hence, when it comes to categorizing the next generation learning environment as PLE or MLE, we see a version what not ???either/or??? but ???both/and.??? The new online learning environment will be truly open, globally networked, truly student-centric, and served as a framework for social software applications such as blogs, wikis, podcasts, flickr, etc. The vast network of learners and teachers (from all levels and from inside and outside institutional settings) will contribute to an immense open library of learning materials capable of containing or linking to the content created in virtually any tool (blogger, wiki, flickr, youtube, podcasts, etc). The new OLE would also have an extensive API set, thereby enabling users to program new widgets and learning tools for it. Yes, the next generation online learning platform *will* integrate LMS functionalities relevant to the practical administrative needs of teachers. But these LMS functionalities will derive from presuppositions about the effectiveness of project based learning, modern teaching methods, and an understanding that students are acquiring new competencies for accessing and developing knowledge outside the educational sphere. The LMS will not look, feel, or smell like an LMS (smell is important because in our opinion, most LMS???s, well, kinda stink-???they re-engrain 19th century teaching models in new one-to-one wired classrooms, thereby foreclosing potential of the school???s technology investment.) The new nPLE would empower the teacher to not only be efficient in the practical aspects of adminstering their course but also to be an effective guide in the Web 2.0 world. The framework would allow teachers to meet students where they are already at in the Web 2.0 world where many are already active participants. If such a comprehensive, flexible nPLE (networked personal learning environment) existed, would it not inaugurate the new era of education that is the subject of so much discussion? It seems to us that it would. This is the topic of a whitepaper we???ve recently authored, titled ???In Search of the Next Generation Online Learning Environment.??? <a><a href="http://www.ectoprep.com/ecto2/static/Ecto%20-%20Next%20Generation%20Learning.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://www.ectoprep.com/ecto2/static/Ecto%20-%20Next%20Generation%20Learning.pdf</a></a> In fact, we are have launched the initial elements of this nPLE. We call it Ecto. <a>www.ectoprep.com</a> We look forward to further discussion of these topics. In response to Derek’s answers and the earlier question of ???will there be a superspace??? that brings PLE tools together and exists somewhere between an MLE and a PLE, our response is an resounding YES. Moreover, the new space will answer Derek???s concern over the ???anarchic??? ideal espoused by some exuberant PLE advocates.
We envision an nPLE (networked personal learning environment) that involves a learner profile/portfolio designed in a Web 2.0 social networking style similar to MySpace or Facebook. The learners PLE will exist in a global network independent of institutional education. Teachers will have profile pages as well and will be able to create groups (classes) within the network and assume control of administrator functionality within the context of the group. Hence, when it comes to categorizing the next generation learning environment as PLE or MLE, we see a version what not ???either/or??? but ???both/and.???
The new online learning environment will be truly open, globally networked, truly student-centric, and served as a framework for social software applications such as blogs, wikis, podcasts, flickr, etc. The vast network of learners and teachers (from all levels and from inside and outside institutional settings) will contribute to an immense open library of learning materials capable of containing or linking to the content created in virtually any tool (blogger, wiki, flickr, youtube, podcasts, etc). The new OLE would also have an extensive API set, thereby enabling users to program new widgets and learning tools for it.

Yes, the next generation online learning platform *will* integrate LMS functionalities relevant to the practical administrative needs of teachers. But these LMS functionalities will derive from presuppositions about the effectiveness of project based learning, modern teaching methods, and an understanding that students are acquiring new competencies for accessing and developing knowledge outside the educational sphere. The LMS will not look, feel, or smell like an LMS (smell is important because in our opinion, most LMS???s, well, kinda stink-???they re-engrain 19th century teaching models in new one-to-one wired classrooms, thereby foreclosing potential of the school???s technology investment.)
The new nPLE would empower the teacher to not only be efficient in the practical aspects of adminstering their course but also to be an effective guide in the Web 2.0 world. The framework would allow teachers to meet students where they are already at in the Web 2.0 world where many are already active participants.
If such a comprehensive, flexible nPLE (networked personal learning environment) existed, would it not inaugurate the new era of education that is the subject of so much discussion? It seems to us that it would.
This is the topic of a whitepaper we???ve recently authored, titled ???In Search of the Next Generation Online Learning Environment.??? http://www.ectoprep.com/ecto2/static/Ecto%20-%20Next%20Generation%20Learning.pdf
In fact, we are have launched the initial elements of this nPLE.
We call it Ecto. http://www.ectoprep.com
We look forward to further discussion of these topics.

]]> By: Stephen Powell http://blog.core-ed.net/derek/2006/11/ples_the_discussion_develops.html/comment-page-1#comment-1038 Stephen Powell Tue, 07 Nov 2006 19:27:52 +0000 http://blog.core-ed.net/derek/2006/11/ples-the-discussion-develops.html#comment-1038 Hi Derek. Helen???s opinion that ???the whole PLE is an ePortfolio??? would seem to me to miss the point somewhat - more like an ePortfolio is a a sub-set of a PLE. A PLE being a philosophical belief that is in part enabled through tool/s that allows learners to immerse themselves in a web of network learning as articulated by George Siemens <a href="http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm" rel="nofollow">Connectivism</a> - I found the link for those who haven???t yet read this paper. On another note, I would suggest that a third key component of an e-Portfolio, in addition to the repository(ies) of personal artefacts and the means of selecting ???views??? of content is the ability to selected audience is the ability to post evaluative comments either from the owner of the portfolio or those that it is shared with. What I am trying to get at is that it may be more profitable in terms of learning if the e-Portfolio is not seen as a process rather than juts a product. Hi Derek. Helen???s opinion that ???the whole PLE is an ePortfolio??? would seem to me to miss the point somewhat – more like an ePortfolio is a a sub-set of a PLE. A PLE being a philosophical belief that is in part enabled through tool/s that allows learners to immerse themselves in a web of network learning as articulated by George Siemens Connectivism – I found the link for those who haven???t yet read this paper.

On another note, I would suggest that a third key component of an e-Portfolio, in addition to the repository(ies) of personal artefacts and the means of selecting ???views??? of content is the ability to selected audience is the ability to post evaluative comments either from the owner of the portfolio or those that it is shared with.

What I am trying to get at is that it may be more profitable in terms of learning if the e-Portfolio is not seen as a process rather than juts a product.

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