THE FEASIBILITY OF A PERSONAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT (PLE) TO SUPPORT ACADEMIC WRITING: ESL PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ PERSPECTIVES

A recent trend has highlighted the need for a personal learning environment (PLE) in education as a system that helps learners take control of and manage their own learning. The current system which focuses on standardized learning support in the form of Learning Management System (LMS) is seen as restrictive and does not allow to accommodate the different needs of learners. Therefore, more language educators have started developing their own PLEs by focusing on two crucial elements: supporting learners’ needs and allowing more learner control. This paper presents an attempt to explore ESL pre-service teachers’ experience via PLE designed to support their writing needs. The researchers hoped that such a positive experience would influence the teachers’ pedagogical strategies and approaches in their teaching once they go into practice. In this qualitative case study, thirty-six third year ESL pre-service teachers at a tertiary education institution embarked on a fourteen-week course via the PLE. Qualitative data were gleaned from focus group discussion transcripts and written reflections. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the qualitative data. Overall, students have positive perceptions towards the PLE by detailing its benefits and usefulness. They also narrated some challenges and proposed suggestions to ensure prolonged engagement. The findings give support to the use of PLE, especially the instructor-made innovation for teaching and learning which allows more learner control and access.

Blended Model Personal Learning Environment (PLE) untuk Meningkatkan Pemahaman Matematika dalam Bilangan Bulat di Sekolah Dasar

Permasalahan pembelajaran matematika dalam bilangan bulat yaitu belum berorientasi pada pemahaman dan kebermaknaan, namun bersifat penyampaian informasi dari guru kepada siswa. Tujuan penelitian ini yaitu mengeksplorasi peningkatan pemahaman matematika dalam bilangan bulat melalui blended learning model personal learning environment (PLE). Metode penelitian ini yaitu clasroom action research model Kemmis dengan desain yaitu plan, action, obsrevasi dan refleksi, pada siswa kelas VI Sekolah Dasar. Lembar pengamatan, wawancara, dan tes digunakan sebagai instrumen pengumpulan data. Hasil penelitian menunjukan blended learning model PLE dapat meningkatkan pemahaman matematika dengan nilai rata-rata pada siklus I yaitu 76,40 dan siklus II yaitu 86,20 terdapat selisih yaitu 9,8 ditinjau kriteria pada siklus I berkategori Baik dan pada siklus II berkategori sangat baik. Berdasarkan Kriteria Ketuntasan Minimal pada siklus I- II mencapai 100 %. Peningkatan nampak pada aspek pembelajaran yang bersifat student center yakni terjadi interaksi pembelajaran antara siswa dengan siswa, siswa dengan guru maupun interaksi dengan sumber belajar lainnya sehingga mampu mengembangkan asfek kognitif, afektif maupun psikomotor. Oleh karena itu, bagi guru SD dalam pembelajaran matematika tentang bilangan bulat disarankan untuk menerapkan blended learning model personal learning environment (PLE).

The Problem Field of Professional (Vocational) Education: Innovations and Ways to Improve

The need for systemic changes in vocational education is considered since the sphere of higher education is in dire need of professionals capable of developing their students, mastering new educational technologies and new pedagogical and administrative tools. The authors reviewed the main methodological approaches and substantiated the use of the synergetic approach to finding ways to improve vocational education. As such a path, the authors proposed a synergy of a personal learning environment along with the correct motivation of students. The authors clearly showed the mechanism of the personal learning environment and the place of each of its participants and proposed a possible variant of the task for the student in this environment and the criteria for its assessment.

The use of social media in the creation of personal learning environment during the #studyfromhome period

Due to the Covid-19 outbreak in Indonesia the Government urged students and lecturers to conduct the learning process from home through an online system called #studyfromhome. The architecture undergraduate students in this study were millennial students who used digital technology on a daily basis. This study was conducted to determine the role of social media, as well as millennial students’ preferences and feedback on the use of social media as learning tools to create a personal learning environment (PLE). Questionnaires were distributed online to students of Class of 2017 and 2018, out of whom 115 respondents provided their feedback. The results of the study showed that the students of the Architecture Study Program at Udayana University in Bali were fond of using social media especially audio-visual applications for learning activities. In addition, very positive feedback was also provided in terms of knowledge sharing and creativity, acquisition of information, and submission of assignments. Social media were considered more student-friendly. This condition was relevant to the characteristics of the millennial students who were independent learners, and facilitated the creation of PLE. Dealing with the new approach, the students hoped that social media could be used in a better manner as architecture learning platforms.

Modelization of the Personal Learning Environment in the Moroccan Higher Education

Any research focusing on the teaching-learning process must focus on the learner, by mobilizing the various devices to facilitate and optimize learning. In this context, we introduce the integration of educational technologies into a personal learning environment (PLE). The PLE has significant potential for learning; namely self-construction and self-management of knowledge. According to Attwel (2007b), the development and improvement of PLE will lead to drastic changes in the way we use educational technology, as well as in the organization and ethics of education. With the present contribution, we try to modelize the PLE of students within institutions of higher education in Morocco. Based on data from a questionnaire put online using google forms, we have found that digital devices are ubiquitous in the daily lives of learners, but their practices are limited to distracting uses, and that the institutional framework remains more basic to manage their learning. The purpose of this study is to develop learning autonomy and to improve the way of using technologies through our student’s conception of the PLE.

Using Personal Learning Environment (PLE) Management to Support Digital Lifelong Learning

Personal Learning Environment is a promising pedagogical approach to integrate formal and informal learning in social media and support student self-regulated learning. The use of PLEs to support lifelong learning can be expanded to the formal, non-formal, or informal learning environments. This study empirically examined how PLE management predicted the use of PLE to support three types of lifelong learning (i.e., formal, non-formal, or informal learning). This study concluded that PLE management was predictive of each type of learning respectively. PLE is not only a technical platform but also a new digital learning literacy, conceptual space, pedagogical process, and social networks that enable and support learners to achieve their lifelong learning goals. While Open Educational Resources (OERs) are perceived as a solution for social justice in digital lifelong learning, PLE and Open Network Learning Environment are identified as the key pedagogy and instructional strategies to empower learners gaining network-learning literacy and becoming competent digital lifelong learners.