Wk 21/22 A2

Further consolidation of the perspective that web 2.0 and the power of the Internet are underpinning a translatory period for education because media shift is affording new learning opportunities beyond the transmissive.

“A fundamental issue is that there is considerable lack of awareness among faculty, media staff, and tutors about how to move from a primarily print-based educational paradigm to one that also effectively exploits the dynamic, interactive and communicative aspects of the Internet.” (Sclater, 2008a, p.9)

Indeed Sclater (2008b, p.2) alludes to this further when discussing the disempowment of students implied by introducing learning management systems, or VLEs.

Weller’s PLE entry into his blog was quite a nice way of thinking about one’s own use of the Internet, a web of tools and practices. It clarifies the contrast between individual and institutional ownership, determined by a different set of values, goals and aspirations. E.g., a University should be committed to ubiquitous provision of technology and resource.

Just a note on Weller’s criteria for a tool to be part of his PLE web: he states that it is something that he regularly contributes too, and that things like Guardian Online are borderline tools, however, I tink that anything that is regularly accessed, even if it is one way, is still part of that PLE. Most users of web 2.0 tools are still passive consumers of the dynamic content being produced – web 1.0 traits.

“…many online learners already make effective and customized use of a wide range of online facilities.” (Sclater, 2008b, p.3)

There are many, many issues around having a PLE approach. Every one will be different. How can these integrate effectively with what the University wants to provide in support of its learners? The “utopian vision” of PLE interoperabililty, IPR, security – these are all concerns. As are the need for centralised and secure systems for submitting work, housing and integrating student records, for example.

Just a thought: It is interesting that Sclater writes about VLEs and PLEs in separate documents, is the solution exploration of mutable, hybrid technology?

My stance on PLEs is described by Sclater on p.4, “One vision of the PLE comprises of a piece of coordinating software.” I think I would prefer to call it an aggreagator – and these toools already exist: Digg, for example, or something with an outward facing dimension like Pageflakes. In my opinion this is what we should be aspiring to fit with. Use of existing standards and an emphasis on aligning with them, not putting an onus on organistional ownership imposing itself so heavily in a learner’s educational life online. This is more in line with Weller’s conception of a ‘distance learning environment’. (p.9, distributed LMSs)

I think this is reflected in my PLE diagram (coming soon), where tools for learning are only a tiny part of my online lifestyle.

Just a thought: An e-portfolio is NOT a PLE!

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Sclater, N. (2008a) ‘Large-scale Open Source E-Learning Systems at the Open University UK’, Educause Center for Applied Research, Research Bulletin, vol. 2008, no.12

Sclater, N. (2008b) ‘Web 2.0, Personal Learning Environments, and the Future of Learning Management Systems’, Educause Center for Applied Research, Research Bulletin, vol. 2008, no.13