The document discusses how personal learning environments (PLEs) can help form professional learning networks (PLNs) and transition learners from managing their own learning to collaborating in professional communities. It describes how PLEs allow learners to organize resources and connect with others, laying the foundation for PLNs. Learners then expand their PLEs into PLNs and eventually professional learning networks (PfLNs) focused on their specific interests and fields. Social networks and start pages that facilitate mashing up information are presented as tools that support this process of developing independently managed learning into networked professional development and knowledge sharing.

1. Malinka Ivanova, Technical University – Sofia,
Bulgaria
The 5th International Scientific Conference
eLSE - eLearning and Software for Education,
BUCHAREST, April 09-10, 2009
From Personal Learning Environment Building
to Professional Learning Network Forming
From Personal Learning Environment Building
to Professional Learning Network Forming

2. From Personal Learning Environment Building
to Professional Learning Network Forming
Aim
Forming
learning
network for
competence
development
Professional
network
organizing
The meaning of
social and
professional
networks for
education
Building PLE on
start pages
Conclusion

3. Aim
To analyze the experience gained in using of
Web 2.0 environment for competence
development and for professional network
organizing
To analyze the experience gained in using of
Web 2.0 environment for competence
development and for professional network
organizing

4. Social-oriented applications and
professional networks - new opportunities
for learners and educators
W3C “Social Networks Interoperability Roadmap”
Incubator Group (XG)
Federated Interoperable Framework

5. Social network sites can be defined as web-based services that allow
individuals to:
(1)construct a public or semi-public profile within a bounded system
(2)articulate a list of other users with whom they share a connection
(3)view and traverse their list of connections and those made by others
within the system.
Danah Boyd, School of Information, University of California-Berkeley
Nicole Ellison, Department of Telecommunication, Information Studies, and Media, Michigan State
University
Social network sites can be defined as web-based services that allow
individuals to:
(1)construct a public or semi-public profile within a bounded system
(2)articulate a list of other users with whom they share a connection
(3)view and traverse their list of connections and those made by others
within the system.
Danah Boyd, School of Information, University of California-Berkeley
Nicole Ellison, Department of Telecommunication, Information Studies, and Media, Michigan State
University
Social-oriented applications and
professional networks - new opportunities
for learners and educators
Social Networks

6. Social-oriented applications and
professional networks - new opportunities
for learners and educators
Social Networks

7. Professional network generally refers to a professional
network service, a virtual community that it is focused on
professional interactions instead of social interactions.
Wikipedia
Professional network generally refers to a professional
network service, a virtual community that it is focused on
professional interactions instead of social interactions.
Wikipedia
Social-oriented applications and
professional networks - new opportunities
for learners and educators
Professional Networks

8. Social-oriented applications and
professional networks - new opportunities
for learners and educators
Professional Networks

9. A learning network is a group of persons
who create, share, support and study
learning resources (“units of learning”)
in a specific knowledge domain.
Rob Koper, Open University of the Netherlands
A learning network is a group of persons
who create, share, support and study
learning resources (“units of learning”)
in a specific knowledge domain.
Rob Koper, Open University of the Netherlands
Social-oriented applications and
professional networks - new opportunities
for learners and educators
Special-formed learning networks
for life-long learners

10. Social-oriented applications and
professional networks - new opportunities
for learners and educators
Special-formed learning networks
for life-long learners

11. Because of their possibilities for:
 data, information and “knowledge fusion”
 enhancing accessibility, productivity and
innovative solutions
 research tools providing
 forming groups of personal and
professional interests
Social-oriented applications and
professional networks - new opportunities
for learners and educators
To be successful at knowledge creation,
analysis and dissemination, learners need from
network inter-personal and inter-group
interactions

12. PLEs building laid the foundations of some main
ideas:
(1)learning is an ongoing process and tools to
support this learning are needed
(2)the role of the individual in self-organizing
learning is important
(3)learning can take place in different contexts and
situations and cannot be provided by a single
learning provider.
Attwell Graham
PLEs building laid the foundations of some main
ideas:
(1)learning is an ongoing process and tools to
support this learning are needed
(2)the role of the individual in self-organizing
learning is important
(3)learning can take place in different contexts and
situations and cannot be provided by a single
learning provider.
Attwell Graham
Building PLE on start pages
Personal Learning Environment

13. PLEs are systems that help learners take control of and manage
their own learning.
This includes providing support for learners to set their own
learning goals, manage their learning;
managing both content and process;
communicate with others in the process of learning and
thereby achieve learning goals.
Wikipedia
PLEs are systems that help learners take control of and manage
their own learning.
This includes providing support for learners to set their own
learning goals, manage their learning;
managing both content and process;
communicate with others in the process of learning and
thereby achieve learning goals.
Wikipedia
Building PLE on start pages
Personal Learning Environment

14. Web 2.0 applications called “start pages” are
designed to provide a personalized place on the
internet where users can mashup data,
information and knowledge available anywhere,
anytime, including mobile login.
Wikipedia
Web 2.0 applications called “start pages” are
designed to provide a personalized place on the
internet where users can mashup data,
information and knowledge available anywhere,
anytime, including mobile login.
Wikipedia
Building PLE on start pages
Start pages

15. Building PLE on start pages
iGoogle, Netvibes, Pageflakes

16. of data, information,
knowledge
of subject matter,
technologies, how to learn

17. Forming Learning Network for
Competence Development
LMS, Social network, Start page

18. Forming the learning network of the course Internet
Technologies is to:
(1)provide sustainable value to students, not only during the
course, but also after its finishing
(2)stimulate them to contribute their knowledge, insights and
experiences on a continuous basis
Forming the learning network of the course Internet
Technologies is to:
(1)provide sustainable value to students, not only during the
course, but also after its finishing
(2)stimulate them to contribute their knowledge, insights and
experiences on a continuous basis
Forming Learning Network for
Competence Development
LMS, Social network, Start page

19. Personal
competence
development
objectives
Competence development lifecycle
in a learning network (according
Rogers)

20. More of the students who are deeply involved
in the subject matter of the course and think in
perspective are interested in:
 more professional information
 contact to experts and specialists
 they joint to groups with special interests,
professional networks
 they receive professional network services
 they can discuss interests
 stay informed
 share knowledge
Professional Network Organizing

21. Professional Network Organizing
LMS, Social network, Start page
Development of Professional Learning Network

22. Professional Network Organizing
PLE as part of Personal Learning Network and Professional
Learning Network

23. Some advanced students during the PLE building self-orient and arrange content, knowledge and contacts in
two different networks: personal and professional
The transition from PLE to PfLN passes through a middle step of PLN set up
This process is dynamic and continuously
adapted to the present students’ interests
In some cases the boarders between PLN and PfLN are blurred, because
of coincidence of personal and professional interests
PLE can be presented as a core for
networks expanding
The PLE building supports students in socialization and network
processes set up
Professional Network Organizing

24. Conclusion
• A model for PLE building is proposed• A model for PLE building is proposed
• The modified Rogers’ model for competence development lifecycle in a
learning network is used in order to be examined the main phases in
competence progress of each student
• The modified Rogers’ model for competence development lifecycle in a
learning network is used in order to be examined the main phases in
competence progress of each student
• Social networks contribute to the processes by which learners meet and
communicate, and pool, share, learn about and reuse their resources,
knowledge and competencies
• Social networks contribute to the processes by which learners meet and
communicate, and pool, share, learn about and reuse their resources,
knowledge and competencies
• PLE building is found to be a core for PLN and PfLN deployment• PLE building is found to be a core for PLN and PfLN deployment
• The transition from PLE to PfLN is an important step that supports
students to become self-organized and life-long learners
• The transition from PLE to PfLN is an important step that supports
students to become self-organized and life-long learners