The document outlines a research project that aims to develop a personal learning environment (PLE) tool to support self-directed lifelong learning. It describes the 6 phases of the project: 1) literature review on PLEs, 2) needs analysis via surveys and interviews, 3) pedagogical design of the framework, 4) functional design of the tool's features, 5) interface design, and 6) pilot testing. The goal is to create a flexible, customizable PLE that integrates information management, planning, knowledge building, social connection, and self-reflection features to encourage independent, social, and meaningful learning.

1. Iolanda
Garcia,
Ingrid
Noguera,
Mireia
Usart
(eLearn
Center
UOC),
Xavier
Mas
(Programa
d’Innovació
UOC),
Teresa
Sancho
(Estudis
IMT
UOC),
Begoña
Gros
(Facultat
Pedagogia
UB)
h=p://just4me.blogs.uoc.edu/

Background

Method
People
con)nuously
learn
through
their
par)cipa)on
in
different
contexts
(more
or
less
formalized)
depending
on
their
competences.
Lifelong
learning,
conducted
in
both
formal
and
informal
environments,
becomes
a
key
approach
for
adult
professionals
and
prac))oners
to
reach
their
goals.
Self-­‐regulated
learners
control
their
learning
process
being
ac)vely
involved
in
metacogni)ve,
mo)va)onal
and
cogni)ve
areas.
This
process
may
be
socially
supported
(seAng
objec)ves,
self-­‐monitoring
progress,
searching
for
help,
feedback,
)me
management
and
planning
or
self-­‐directed
reflec)on).
Self-­‐direc)on
involves
being
able
to
use
one’s
own
competences
and
resources
to
formulate
goals
strategically,
to
organize
and
structure
informa)on
and
to
build
knowledge
that
is
meaningful
to
one’s
aims.
PLEs
follow
a
learner-­‐centric
approach,
allowing
the
use
of
lightweight
services
and
tools
that
belong
to
and
are
controlled
by
individuals.
PLEs
recognize
the
autonomy
of
learners
by
allowing
them
to
plan,
document,
store
and
elaborate
their
reflec)ons
and
informa)on
that
is
significant
to
them.
PLEs
have
proved
to
be
effec)ve
in
addressing
issues
related
to
learner
control,
agency
and
personaliza<on.
Phase
1.
Literature
review
Phase
2.
Needs
analysis
Ac<ons
2012-­‐13
Review
of
scien)fic
literature
• Conceptualiza)on
of
PLEs
• Cases
implementa)on
of
PLEs
Review
of
presenta)ons
• Personal
PLE
diagrams
• Development
of
PLEs
Review
of
projects
• University
context
• Lifelong
learning
context
• Professional
context
Phase
3.
Pedagogical
design
The specific objectives are:
 To facilitate the planning and monitoring of learning activities with associated
learning resources configurable by the user.
 To provide different view screens to better meeting the needs of each user at
any given time.
 To allow social interaction and learning through the folksonomy system
generated by the PLE users.
 To develop an environment easy to access and use from various devices
(computer, Smartphones, Tablets).
• Pedagogical
approach
• Defini)on
of
main
axes
• Pedagogical
model
structure
Ac<ons
Phase
4.
Func)onal
design
Ac<ons
• List
of
uses
and
func)onali)es
• Selec)on
of
uses
and
func)onali)es
based
on
the
pedagogical
model
• Discussion
and
defini)on
of
Just4Me
uses
and
func)onali)es
Phase
5.
Interface
design
2013-­‐14
• Interface
basic
design
• Naviga)on
system
design
• Access
and
configura)on
design
• Personal
profile
design
• Edi)on
possibili)es
design
• Display
screen
design
• Interface
development

Results
Pedagogical
model
Ques)onnaire
• Mailing
• Medical
social
networks
• COMB
social
networks
Interview
to
an
expert
2013-­‐14
Ac<ons
The main goal of our project is to develop a‬ ‪personal learning environment (PLE)
that integrates ubiquitous access tools and‬ ‪functionality to support independent,
self-directed learning.
Ac<ons
Phase
6.Pilot
test
Ac<ons
• Selec)on
of
the
sample
• Pilot
test
implementa)on
• Analysis
of
the
data
• Implement
changes
and
improvements
into
the
environment
Just4Me
environment
Learners
choose
the
view
that
be`er
suits
their
needs
The
environment
has
three
main
characteris)cs:
flexibility,
openness
and
customizability.
At
the
same
)me,
it
integrates
what
we
have
recognized
as
the
main
func)onal
dimensions:
informa)on
management,
planning
and
knowledge
building
and
social
connec)on
and
open
publica)on.
Those
func)onal
dimensions
support
the
essen)al
stages
in
a
self-­‐regulated
learning
process:
planning,
social
presence
and
support,
and
self-­‐reflec)on
and
evalua)on.
The
personal
configura)on
of
the
different
components
within
each
men)oned
dimensions
should
therefore
encourage
self-­‐directed,
social,
interac)ve
and
significant
learning.
 Conclusions
The
expected
results,
in
terms
of
environmental
design
and
their
usage,
may
be
transferable
to
other
learning
contexts,
hybrid
or
blended
learning,
both
in
the
formal
educa)on
sector
as
in
the
non-­‐formal
and
in
any
discipline.
We
consider
that
this
work
might
contribute
to
the
reflec)on
on
the
rela)onship
between
informal
and
online
learning
through
a
self-­‐directed
learning
approach.
Next
steps
of
the
projects
could
be
focused
on
the
automa)on
of
the
recommenda)on
system
through
the
genera)on
of
users’
ac)vity
metrics
and
the
improvement
of
social
and
connec)ve
func)onali)es.
Project
funded
by:
Partners: