This document summarizes a study on students building personal learning environments (PLEs) for the first time in an online course. The study aimed to identify the main functions of PLEs, the tools students used, and what this revealed about their learning conceptions. Students used tools most for interacting, searching, and creating. Less common were tools for managing learning. The study was limited by this being students' first PLE attempt. Further research could explore tools' affordances and learners' experiences through interviews.

1. FIRST TIME BUILDING OF A PLE IN
AN ICT POST GRADUATION COURSE:
MAIN FUNCTIONS AND TOOLS
João Paz
Instituto Piaget - Universidade Aberta
jpaz@almada.ipiaget.org

2. OVERVIEW
• Context
• Research objectives
• Methods
• Results
• Conclusions
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3. CONTEXT
• ICT Post-Graduation course in Portuguese Higher Education institution (DE
regime Moodle)
• Curricular Unit: Virtual Learning Environments (50 H – 1 month)
• Module: Learning in Networks: from Learning Management Systems
(LMS) to Personal Learning Environments (PLE) – 1 week
• Previous modules: closed institutional Moodle LMS
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4. COURSE MODULE INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN
1 week – 4 groups (one in teaching role) - 3 assignments
1. Propose and tag 5 tools in Diigo group PLE TOOLS
2. Debate LMS or/and PLE issues in Google+
3. Design and publish their PLE (in a web 2.0 tool): http://bit.ly/o2MZIj
Communication: Skype/Moodle forum/Twitter
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5. STUDY OBJECTIVES
1. To develop a model of the main PLE functions and represent it in a
graphical way.
2. To identify the most represented PLE functions and tools in the
students' first time building of a PLE.
3. To infer about students' learning conceptions based on their tool
choices.
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6. METHODS
• Literature review to develop a PLE Main Functions Model.
• Content analysis of student’s PLEs representations using the PLE
Main Functions Model categories.
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7. DIFICULTIES
PLE main functions?
Generic PLE?
Tools with multiple
functions?
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8. THE PLE MAIN FUNCTIONS - PROPOSALS
Physiology of a PLE (S. Wheeler) http://steve- How do you manage your information?(G.Siemens)
wheeler.blogspot.pt/2010/07/physiology-of- https://landing.athabascau.ca/pg/blog/read/19803/ho
ple.html w-do-you-manage-your-information
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9. THE PLE MAIN FUNCTIONS MODEL
HTTP://DB.TT/WTDVK9A9
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10. RESULTS
Most referred tools in students' PLEs (%)
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11. RESULTS
Students choices assuming only each tool main function
PROJECT
PLE interface
MANAGEMENT
ORGANIZING 4% COMMUNICATING/CO
1%
11% LLABORATING
36%
SEARCHING
19%
PUBLISHING/SHARIN
CREATING G
20% 9%
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12. RESULTS
Students choices assuming multiple functions of the tools
PLE interface PROJECT
2% MANAGEMENT
ORGANIZING 3% COMMUNICATING/COL
14% LABORATING 30%
SEARCHING
24% PUBLISHING/SHARING
20%
CREATING
14%
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13. RESULTS
PLEs FUNCTIONS AND TOOLS
THE BRAIN
http://webbrain.com/u/139E
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14. CONCLUSIONS
• Most represented functions: interacting/searching/creating
• Less represented functions: managing learning
Study limitations
• First time building of PLE
• Difficult to infer from tools selection to their use
Further research
• Interviews or screencasts add in assignment
• Tools affordances angle
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15. THANK YOU!
jpaz@almada.ipiaget.org
Twitter: @jpaztwtr
Google+: http://gplus.to/joaopaz
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