Activity One: Creating a PLE

A Personal Learning Environment (PLE) should be considered a concept rather than an entity. Concepts are best described using a framework or model to show details, for the PLE a diagram is helpful in describing, shaping and explaining the concept. Check out this PLE Diagrams site for examples of more PLE’s, no two are the same!

Steps to take:

1. Determine area of focus: A PLE is holistic and can include professional and personal interests.
2. Determine which PLE tool to use, examples include: Symbaloo, Google Chrome or Netvibes. Once you’ve determined which tool to use, you can begin to collect, construct and share your PLE.
3. Create a diagram of the PLE. The purpose of the diagram is to provide a framework for learning goals, identify tools and provide a digital footprint for the PLE (Morrison, 2013)
4. Suggestion: Establish a time each week to continue to develop your PLE. It takes time to develop a robust PLE. This will take commitment and continuous creation, setting aside a time will help you continue to grow your PLE.
5. One way to build and establish your PLE is the use of social networking tools and social media. Access the article about Social Networking to Create a PLE.

For additional information on how to create a Personal Learning Portfolio, reference the article by Debra Morrison (2013). How to create a personal learning environment to stay relevant .

Activity Two: Create a Coggle

• Go to Coggle.
• Create an account.
• Watch tutorial to learn how to make a Coggle. (Coggle YouTube Channel, 2016).

• Now it is your turn! With your Coggle account, follow the directions that you watched in the tutorial to create your own Coggle.
• Use the rubric below to assess your students or yourself. (Nordby, n. d.).

• Bookmark your Coggle in the Diigo Group using the tags ETC655, Chapter 4, ONLE, PLE Designs, in order to share your work with your classmates.

Activity Three: Create an InfoGraphic using Canva.com

1. Head to Canva.com and set up a free account using your Facebook, Google or email.
2. Watch this Canva Tutorial.
3. Familiarize yourself with this tool and then create an infographic to demonstrate your knowledge of the linkage design model.

Bookmark your infographic in Diigo Group. Add tags ETC655, Chapter 4, ONLE, PLE, Linkage Design. That will help your classmates easily locate your infographic to enhance their learning (Harati, H. and Liu, Q., 2016, Chapter 4).

Teacher Resource

Link to Prezi presentation

As an additional resource for teachers, the above link provides a visual presentation of the chapter. This presentation serves as a summary of each section, highlighting the important components of each section.

Discussion Questions:

1. Describe the difference between a PLE and ONLE. How could you integrate these two environments into your classroom?
2. Describe and analyze your PLE and how it supports your learning. What are your most used strategies that support your learning? What types of linkages did you use to support the creation of your PLE?
3. Describe the differences between soft and hard adaptive technologies. What type of adaptive technologies might you utilize in the classroom?

Readings

• Concepts of PLE & ONLE

Tu, C. H. (2014). Concepts of PLE & ONLE. In C. H. Tu, Strategies for building a Web 2.0 learning environment. ABC-CLIO. Santa Barbara, CA. Retrieved from: https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B02hmofyxKPkOEdHTXJsNmMxTjQ

• Horizon Report 2015 K-12

NMC Horizon Report. (2015) Personalized learning. 2015 K-12 Edition, 26-27.

• Educause. (2007). 7 Things you should know about RSS. Retrieved from https://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7024.pdf

Educause. (2009). 7 Things you should know about personal learning environments. Retrieved from: https://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/eli7049.pdf

Highly Recommended

• What is ‘Personalized Learning’? Educators Seek Clarity

Cavanaugh, S. (2014, October 20). What is 'Personalized Learning'? Educators Seek Clarity. Retrieved from: http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2014/10/22/09pl-overview.h34.html

• Personalized Learning Strategies for Higher Education

Keppell, Mike (2014), Personalised learning strategies for higher education, in Kym Fraser (ed.) The Future of Learning and Teaching in Next Generation Learning Spaces (International Perspectives on Higher Education Research, Volume 12) Emerald Group Publishing Limited, pp.3 - 21

• Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age

Siemens,G (2005) Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age. Retrieved from http://er.dut.ac.za/bitstream/handle/123456789/69/Siemens_2005_Connectivism_A_learning_theory_for_the_digital_age.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y