This document discusses learning environments and personal learning environments. It defines an environment as the context in which learning takes place, including physical and virtual spaces. A learning environment can be created by an instructor or emerge from a learner-driven process. The concept of a personal learning environment (PLE) emphasizes giving learners control over their tools, resources, and learning experiences. PLEs integrate formal and informal learning across contexts and remove barriers between different technologies and services. While PLEs involve technology, the focus is on how technology shapes learning and social structures rather than just being a tool. The document provides a template for creating a personal learning contract to structure self-directed learning activities and resources.

1. Learning environments
KAK6003
Terje Väljataga
nhs.vic.edu.au
Tallinn University, 2012

2. What is an environment?

3. What is a learning environment?

4. What is a virtual learning environment?

5. The use of technology in education tends to replicate
existing patterns, models and behaviors, where traditional
values, beliefs and practices prevail

6. environment = web/desktop-based tool or service?

8. Henry David Thoreau in 1854:
“Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which
distract our attention from serious things. They are
but improved means to an unimproved end, an end
which it was already but too easy to arrive at”

9. Feenberg (2003): “When you choose to use
technology you not simply render your existing way
of life more efficient, you choose a different way of
life”
Technology carries with it certain values, which
challenges and contradicts with traditional values
Tripathi (2006): “Technology transfer without
appropriate cultural transfer is not sufficient”
Technologies not only affect user behaviour, but also
wider social norms and structures

10. photo: T. Peterseil

11. photo: T. Peterseil

12. photo: T. Peterseil

13. www.shahariaazam.com
Personal learning environment

14. Downes (2007):
“The PLE is a recognition that the ‘one size fits all’
approach of the LMS will not be sufficient to meet the
varied needs of students“

15. PLE discourse can be interpreted as an expression of a
(Johnson et al., 2006) ...
• ... desire for greater personal control & ownership of
technology and learning
• ... desire for more effective ways of managing
technological tools, services & various other
resources
• ... desire for the integration of technologically
mediated activities across all aspects of life
• ... desire for a removal of barriers to the use and
combination of tools and services
• ... desire for mediated collaboration and co-creation

16. Two strands of thinking:
- PLE as a technological solution
- PLE as a broader concept

17. Downes (2007):
“...the key to understanding the PLE consists not in
understanding a particular type of technology so much as
in understanding the thinking that underlies the
concept...”

18. Attwell (2007):
“The development of Personal Learning Environments
represents a significant shift in pedagogic approaches to
how we support learning processes”

19. Moving from...
...a learning environment as an instructional condition,
which is assumed to be created by an instructional
designer
to...
an output of a learning process, designed by students

20. Moving from...
...a teacher - centered and controlled settings
to...
a learner controlled learning experiences

21. A potential personal learning environment ...
... is made of all the
resources “that an individual
is aware of and has access
to…at a given point in time
in connection with a specific
learning project (Fiedler &
Pata, 2009)
photo: S. Anderson

22. Personal learning contract procedure...
... is a systematic vehicle for
driving through one’s learning
experience providing a
framework for structuring
learning activities (Harri-
Augstein & Cameron-Webb,
1996) and its perceived
environment
... is a negotiated agreement
about what and how the
learner will learn and how that
photo: R. vand der Steeg
learning will be measured
(Boak, 1998)

23. Learning contract template
Topic What is the topic I wish to learn about?
Purpose What is the purpose of my task? Why do I wish to learn about?
What kind of technological, material and human resources do I
Resources
need? How can I get access to these?
How do I intend to go about learning this particular topic/task?
Strategy
What action may be involved and in what order?
How will I know when I have completed the task/topic
Outcome evaluation
successfully? How shall I judge success?
How well did I do? What remains to be learnt? Why? What are
Reflection
my strengths and what are my weaknesses? What shall I do next?

24. BYOD - bring your own device

25. Potential problems (R. Faas)
- uneven education
- school’s limited budget for IT staff and for supporting a
wide range of devices
- school’s regulations regarding Internet filtering and content
blocking
- schools tend to standardize on technology
- incompatibility, uneven access in terms of platforms
- teachers as unofficial technology support

26. What does your environment look like?

27. Assignment (learning environment):
- think of a learning task and fill in the learning contract
template
- map your personal learning environment (can be a
schemes, text, pictures, etc.) according to the learning
task

28. Thank you for your attention!
Dr. Terje Väljataga
Tallinn University
Centre for Educational Technology
Estonia
terje.valjataga@tlu.ee
http://terjevaljataga.eu