Personal Learning Networks Research Articles

Extending the online focus group method using web-based conferencing to explore older adults online learning

ABSTRACTThis exploratory research documents the use of the web conference technology WebEx™ to expand the variety of focus group data collection methods. Drawn from four synchronous online focus groups with older adults from across Canada, who create and use online personal learning networks to enhance and support their informal self-directed learning processes, these reflections are elaborated to include lessons learned regarding recruitment, group moderation, data triangulation, and the implementation of web-based conferencing. Recommendations for research practice include consideration of research populations, geographical location, research topics, web conference systems, moderation processes, and researcher biases. This application of the WebEx™ platform to conduct synchronous online focus groups demonstrates the validity of integrating online communication tools into the research context, thus bridging the gap between the traditional face-to-face and online focus group methods and heeding the call to researchers to continue to share their experiences of novel approaches to conducting educational research.

Networked individualism and learning in organizations

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate the extent professionals from the vocational sector are networked individuals. The authors explore how professionals use their personal networks to engage in a wide variety of learning activities and examine what social mechanisms influence professionals’ agency to form personal informal learning networks.Design/methodology/approachThis study applied a mixed-method approach to data collection. Social network data were gathered among school professionals working in the vocational sector. Ego-network analysis was performed. A total of 24 in-depth, semi-structured, qualitative interviews were analyzed.FindingsThis study found that networked individualism is not represented to its full potential in the vocational sector. However, it is important to form informal learning ties with different stakeholders because all types of informal learning ties serve different learning purposes. The extent to which social mechanisms (i.e. proximity, trust, level of expertise and homophily) influence professionals’ agency to form informal learning ties differs depending on the stakeholder with whom the informal learning ties are formed.Research limitations/implicationsThis study excludes the investigation of social mechanisms that shape learning through more impersonal virtual learning resources, such as social media or expert forums. Moreover, the authors only included individual- and dyadic-level social mechanisms.Practical implicationsBy investigating the social mechanisms that shape informal learning ties, this study provides insights how professionals can be stimulated to build rich personal learning networks in the vocational sector.Originality/valueThe authors extend earlier research with in-depth information on the different types of learning activities professionals engage in in their personal learning networks with different stakeholders. The ego-network perspective reveals how different social mechanisms influence professionals’ agency to shape informal learning networks with different stakeholders.

Teachers as Connected Professionals

As education becomes increasingly complex, effective continuing professional learning is an important strategy to support teachers in schools. However, current professional development approaches may not meet contemporary teachers’ needs. Seeking to enhance teachers’ professional learning opportunities, this paper presents a model of learning as a connected professional. The model draws upon the findings of a qualitative case study of 13 teachers who interact with others through a personal learning network (PLN).
 Theories of connectivism, networked learning, and connected learning underpin the model, which conceptualises the whole experience of learning as a connected professional. The model comprises three elements: arenas of learning, teacher as learner, and PLN. Key characteristics of the experience are practices described as linking, stretching, and amplifying. These practices recur in various ways across all three elements of the model. The model promotes professional learning that is active, interest-driven, and autonomous, meeting personal learning needs while being socially connected.
 As education becomes increasingly complex, effective continuing professional learning is an important strategy to support teachers in schools. However, current professional development approaches may not meet contemporary teachers’ needs. Seeking to enhance teachers’ professional learning opportunities, this paper presents a model of learning as a connected professional. The model draws upon the findings of a qualitative case study of 13 teachers who interact with others through a personal learning network (PLN).
 Theories of connectivism, networked learning, and connected learning underpin the model, which conceptualises the whole experience of learning as a connected professional. The model comprises three elements: arenas of learning, teacher as learner, and PLN. Key characteristics of the experience are practices described as linking, stretching, and amplifying. These practices recur in various ways across all three elements of the model. The model promotes professional learning that is active, interest-driven, and autonomous, meeting personal learning needs while being socially connected.

Педагогічна підготовка навчального інженера

Digital technologies command determines the information and professional competence of a teacher. The first competences help him to organize a modern educational process, others provide access to the latest professional information. Studies show that serious complex strategies for the use of digital technologies are beginning to emerge, and a teacher is becoming a leader in future education. Digital technologies are becoming more complicated and there is an urgent need for new professionals - learning engineers who have to provide new strategies in education. The paper considers a complex of open distance courses for the training of teachers to use new educational technologies. The courses use the results of the annual polls of the world's pedagogical community to identify popular pedagogical instruments. They form teachers’ personal knowledge mastery. This contributes to the development of a personal learning environment and a teacher's personal learning network. The learning engineer's training system should consist of software engineering and the proposed teaching block. The last block includes sections for the formation of skills of personal knowledge mastery, the design of a distance course, the development of the structure, organization of distance and blended learning, expertise of the distance course. All sections of the pedagogical unit were tested in open distance courses at the Research Laboratory of Distance Learning at NTU "KhPI". During 2013-2018 open distance learning courses were learnt by more than 2,600 teachers of Ukraine and 370 of them successfully completed the training. The next step should be to integrate efforts with IT specialists, identify competencies of the learning engineer and prepare a training program for a specialist in the future.

Educational Professionals’ Decision Making for Professional Growth using a Case of Twitter Adoption

This paper is a report of an examination of educational professionals’ perspectives on their decision processes to use a Twitter personal learning network (PLN). When investigating each of the participants’ decision-making processes to accept or reject the use of a Twitter PLN, the externally supported individualized learning experience was integral to the educational professionals’ active decision to adopt the new tool. The five major findings revealed external stimulus and support is (1) vital to address pre-existing attitudes and beliefs, (2) to target the acquisition of technical and implementation knowledge, and (3) to encourage continued exposure, interaction, and exploration. The final two findings focus on the (4) interaction with a social learning community supports decision making and informal learning, and (5) personal experimentation and exploration of a Twitter PLN allows educational professionals to build their professional network, quickly access high quality information, and read educational material. Educational professionals’ informal learning activities were also revealed while using their PLN. Educational professionals reported sharing information and resources with colleagues as having the most significant impact on professional practice. In addition to interviews, the nature of the Twitter platform provided valuable evidence of informal learning activities. These activities reflected in the educational professionals’ tweets included: reading educational subject matter, reflection and collaboration. Also, a new category: Resource Collection was created to reflect the second most popular activity on educational professionals’ Twitter PLN.

Е-НАВЧАННЯ АСИСТЕНТІВ УЧИТЕЛІВ У ПІСЛЯДИПЛОМНІЙ ПЕДАГОГІЧНІЙ ОСВІТІ

The article defines the necessity of involving e-learning of teachers’ assistants in postgraduate pedagogical education to ensure their continuous professional development on the job. The authors have studied the European experience on inclusive teaching and learning and e-resources that can be used in postgraduate pedagogical education of teachers’ assistants. In this article you can find the results of e-learning readiness survey of teachers’ assistants and their choice of postgraduate education forms: intramural, distance learning, blended learning. The authors have analyzed which forms of instructions meet the needs of teachers’ assistants: individual programs of professional development, online consultations, e-coaching, blended learning. The conditions for e-learning implementation in postgraduate education have been defined, they are as follows: the availability of informational and educational environment (multimedia-materials, distance learning on inclusive education, online group for mutual help and messaging, online expert help: teachers and experts available for online consultations, Q&A and managing forums); digital competency of the learners (information search and sharing ideas via the Internet; developing e-resources for inclusive education); motivation of teachers for continuous professional development and their willingness to cooperate online. It is proved that e-learning is an essential precondition for continuous professional development of teachers’ assistants. The model of teachers’ assistants’ e-learning in postgraduate pedagogical education has been presented. We defined examples of didactic tasks during the implementation of e-learning and examples of implementation based on the usage of information and communication technologies (consultations, communication of educational information, sharing experience, monitoring and evaluation). E-learning for teachers’ assistants allows to: determine their personal speed, time and the sequence of learning; create individual learning paths within information and educational environment and develop personal learning networks.

Networked learning with professionals boosts students' self-efficacy for social networking and professional development

Previous research has recognized that networked learning—including the use of social media, blogs, and learning communities—offers unique affordances for supporting the development of self-efficacy. However, additional research is needed to examine applications of networked learning that integrate professional contexts into academic learning experiences. The present study reports on an intervention in which networked learning was used to promote student self-efficacy for social networking and professional development. The learning design integrates three techniques: a focus on developing personal learning networks, a blog-based learning community, and mastery experiences for networking with professionals. The hypothesis was that networked learning among peers in the learning community would help support the gradual development of skills and confidence for social networking, while networking to learn with professionals would amplify the impact of mastery experiences on student self-efficacy. A study of 72 undergraduate business students found that the intervention led to significant gains in self-efficacy for social networking and professional development activities. Students also reported a greater likelihood of engaging in these activities in the following year. Finally, students perceived the learning experience as relevant for their lifelong learning and professional success.

Use of scenario development and personal learning environment and networks (PLE&N) to support curriculum co-creation

Abstract In much of the current discussions on business environments, a recurring theme both for academics and practitioners is that it is marked by inherent uncertainty (unknown unknowns). Hence, knowledge workers must have skills and understanding of the possible ways to navigate through and adapt to constant change. However, the tendency of prevailing approaches to curriculum development to focus on (static) learning outcomes, we argue, is not appropriate to train young people to adapt to the unpredictable working environment. Instead, more dynamic approaches to curriculum are required, which would instead focus on learning as a continuous relearning and emergent process of adaptation and stimulate students' inquiry and intellectual and creative skills. This paper approaches the issue by discussing the opportunities of using scenario thinking and development together with a personal learning environment and network (PLE&N) for co-creating a curriculum with students, teachers, and practitioners in higher education. In short, the methodology underpinning scenario development recognizes that uncertainty can be best dealt with and understood from the perspective of a range of possibilities and multiple futures through a facilitated, coherently structured process. PLE&N, on the other hand, serves as a learning space which stimulates self-regulated and network-based learning. The paper contends that curriculum informed by such a design methodology would lead to more frequent and appropriate updates as well as equip students with skills to work in a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) environment.

Communication, collaboration and identity: factor analysis of academics’ perceptions of online networking

Since the advent of online social networking sites, much has been written about their potential for transforming academia, as communication and collaboration underpin many scholarly activities. However, the extent to which these benefits are being realised in practice is unclear. As the uptake of tools by academics continues to grow, there is a question as to whether differences exist in their use and if any patterns or underlying factors are at play. This article presents the results of an online survey addressing this gap. A disciplinary divide was evident in terms of preferred academic social networking platforms, while perceptions about how academics use online networking for different purposes are linked to job position. Exploratory factor analysis identified four components representing different strategies used by academics in their approaches to online networking, including maintaining a personal learning network, promoting the professional self, seeking and promoting publications, and advancing careers. Published : 10 April 2018 Citation : Research in Learning Technology 2018, 26 : 2013 - http://dx.doi.org/10.25304/rlt.v26.2013

Comparative educational study between online and offline interactions in the knowledge-based economy

Abstract The aim of this paper is to analyse from the educational point of view which are the interactions between online and offline, starting from a set of values that contribute to the stability and functionality of the knowledge-based economy. There are four factors that allow the integration and sharing of values through online and offline interactions: organizational culture, digital technology, implementation of creative methodologies and digital transformation. In this respect, the interactions specific to systems based on open governance were analyzed. Interactions between online and offline are also very important in the educational process. For this reason, we introduced a new concept, called TOTO ("Teaching Online, Transfer Offline" ↔ "Transfer Offline, Teaching Online"). This slogan is meant to promote the acquisition and transfer of knowledge in the future. Particular importance was given to studying the effects of the interactions between Personal Online Learning Networks and Offline Learning Teams. Since social media is a common tool for most socio-economic activities, it has been considered necessary to carry out a case study on the interactions specific to this environment.

What educational leaders should know about social media, collaboration and doctoral learning

Abstract In a global society where knowledge, degrees, and credentials cross international borders, understanding what and how doctoral students think and communicate about learning is relevant to educational leadership. An implication could be in creating new solutions to the age-old problem of students completing coursework but not a dissertation, and therefore, not graduating. United States doctoral students are taking advantage of social media platforms to create, develop, or enhance Personal Learning Networks (PLN). A team of researchers using a qualitative research methodology studied both the views and experiences of nine doctoral students, who were members of a closed Facebook group created specifically as a PLN. The results of the research study confirmed that the students use social media for academic and personal communication, emotional support, and direction through the dissertation stage of doctoral studies. Thematic results concluded that the participants sought help with questions and answers about research, guidance on the Institutional Review Board (IRB) process, and celebrating achievements. Trust was also a significant factor in ensuring the completion of dissertations. The results provide educational leaders useful information and insight into the impact of social media on teaching, research, culture, and learning environmental designs.

Semantic Web, Reusable Learning Objects, Personal Learning Networks in Health: Key Pieces for Digital Health Literacy.

The knowledge existing in the World Wide Web is exponentially expanding, while continuous advancements in health sciences contribute to the creation of new knowledge. There are a lot of efforts trying to identify how the social connectivity can endorse patients' empowerment, while other studies look at the identification and the quality of online materials. However, emphasis has not been put on the big picture of connecting the existing resources with the patients "new habits" of learning through their own Personal Learning Networks. In this paper we propose a framework for empowering patients' digital health literacy adjusted to patients' currents needs by utilizing the contemporary way of learning through Personal Learning Networks, existing high quality learning resources and semantics technologies for interconnecting knowledge pieces. The framework based on the concept of knowledge maps for health as defined in this paper. Health Digital Literacy needs definitely further enhancement and the use of the proposed concept might lead to useful tools which enable use of understandable health trusted resources tailored to each person needs.

The Construction of Personal Learning Network Environment in the Perspective of Knowledge Management

This paper analyzes the objects, processes and strategies of knowledge management and their enlightenment in PLNE (personal learning network environment), proposes a PLNE construction method which use browser as the portal and aggregation platform to integrate and mashup online learning contents, online tools, online services, and online relationships. A pretest-posttest design with nonequivalent groups of both experiment group and control group was conducted in the 2011 class in Department of information technology in Guangdong Teachers College of Foreign Language and Arts. The result of the anonymous survey shows that PLNE can effectively improve the learner's autonomous learning ability and knowledge management ability, and provide a continuously developing virtual learning environment to help learners to enjoy a success lifelong learning.

A Scholar-Practitioner Perspective on a Leadership Development Program in Health Care: Integrating Connectivism Theory

The Problem The U.S. health care system is currently undergoing reform, shifting from a volume to a value-based model. This transformation calls for strong leadership among physicians; however, they are often not prepared for leading changes for multiple reasons. Furthermore, physicians can be a challenging group to train when it comes to nonmedical disciplines. Therefore, identifying what will engage physicians in learning nonclinical topics is crucial for effective leadership development. The Solution I attempt to discuss this aspect by utilizing a year-long leadership development program, which yielded great response from physicians in terms of perceived value of learning. Exploring a more recent learning theory (connectivism) that considers the role of building personal learning networks (PLNs), I describe how the program unfolded and how the slow but steady emergence of PLNs became the basis for the learning. I also illustrate how theory has been used to guide program development, leading to successful outcomes. The Stakeholders Scholar-practitioners within human resource development (HRD), and leadership development professionals can be inspired to apply connectivism as a lens to further understand adult learning theories in the era of information and technology as well as apply to the development of leadership programs aimed at highly skilled professional groups.

PLE & PLN for language learning and teaching: a case study

Recent developments in learning technologies are creating a significant shift in the educational experience. The paper aims at exploring the potential of PLEs (Personal Learning Environments) and PLNs (Personal Learning Networks) through the description of a case study relating to an online training initiative: an innovative answer to the “lifelong competency” management approach to language teaching. The case study refers to an online international initiative promoted in 2012 addressed to teachers, trainers and educators from all over the world, passionate about language learning with the use of technologies.The authors of this contribution planned and moderated a five-week training session within “EVO 2012” (Electronic Village Online), offering a free opportunity to discuss and share ideas, practices, experience through a Moodle platform, in synch meetings with international experts and asynchronous working tools.The main aim was to promote greater awareness of this topic, guiding teachers and trainers to the effective exploitation of the potential of PLE and PLN in EFL classes.

Conceptual design and empirical study of a personal learning environment and network (PLE&N) to support peer-based social and lifelong learning

PurposeThis paper aims to describe a conceptual design of Personal Learning Environment & Network (PLE&N) and a learning model developed in support of peer-based social and lifelong learning in higher education, which collaborate with classroom learning.Design/methodology/approachThe model consists of students, instructors and external parties interacting synergistically in learning in PLE&N-enabled courses based on the collaborative designs of instructor-led pedagogical approach and external parties-assisted lifelong learning “first-mover” development. The research constructs, tests and assesses this model in courses of 12 subjects in nearly two years.FindingsThe practicality of the designs is evidenced in post-course surveys and reflected by students’ ability in productively using collaborative resources over the internet to create an ever-expanding personal learning space stretching from home to campus and beyond, oriented toward individuality, universality, ubiquity, interactivity and connectivity.Originality/valueThe research contributes to PLE&N, social and lifelong learning seamless integration in theory and practice to dramatically enhance students’ virtual learning skills.

Integración de un curso MOOC y de un PLN-PLE en un curso presencial sobre fundamentos de la programación

This paper describes the educational experiences in Computer Programming Fundamentals for students of Social Sciences and Humanities that integrates face-to-face classes with elements of virtual education such as participation in a Massive and Open Online Course (MOOC) and the development of personal learning environments and networks (PLE-PLN). This hybridization of face-to-face and virtual components requires proper integration and synchronization. In this sense the MOOC course has been taken as an assistant in the delivery of a practical part of the course and in the classroom the theoretical part is reviewed and exercises and comments are carried out trying to integrate the two educational modalities. This integration is reinforced by the PLN-PLE that each student develops according to the progress achieved in class and in the massive course. PLNs-PLEs as a whole can be considered as cyber-spaces of information exchange and knowledge construction. The central coordination of the activities of both educational modalities is carried out in the classroom through a virtual learning and teaching environment (EVEA) implemented in Moodle. The instructional design that has been followed in classes is supported by the methodology of project-based learning that allows the teacher and the students to have a well-planned vision and objective from the beginning of the school period. The pedagogical framework that supports the presence and virtual elements is given within a context of connectivist learning that seeks to achieve different levels of interaction and cognitive involvement among the participants.

Integración de un curso MOOC y de un PLN-PLE en un curso presencial sobre fundamentos de la programación

This paper describes the educational experiences in Computer Programming Fundamentals for students of Social Sciences and Humanities that integrates face-to-face classes with elements of virtual education such as participation in a Massive and Open Online Course (MOOC) and the development of personal learning environments and networks (PLE-PLN). This hybridization of face-to-face and virtual components requires proper integration and synchronization. In this sense the MOOC course has been taken as an "assistant" in the delivery of a practical part of the course and in the classroom the theoretical part is reviewed and exercises and comments are carried out trying to integrate the two educational modalities. This integration is reinforced by the PLN-PLE that each student develops according to the progress achieved in class and in the massive course. PLNs-PLEs as a whole can be considered as cyber-spaces of information exchange and knowledge construction. The central coordination of the activities of both educational modalities is carried out in the classroom through a virtual learning and teaching environment (EVEA) implemented in Moodle. The instructional design that has been followed in classes is supported by the methodology of project-based learning that allows the teacher and the students to have a well-planned vision and objective from the beginning of the school period. The pedagogical framework that supports the presence and virtual elements is given within a context of connectivist learning that seeks to achieve different levels of interaction and cognitive involvement among the participants.

Personal Learning Networks as a Support for Transitioning MSc Students

This paper reflects on the lessons learned from an attempt to evaluate an online non-assessed module which was run for the first time in 2016 as part of a larger MSc Social Work module taken by 26 final year students. It uses a Real World Research Approach to consider the lessons which can be learned from research enquiry which yields an unexpected or disappointing response. The paper discusses these lessons learned from initial results in the context of literature on Personal Learning Networks (PLNs) (sometimes referred to as personal learning environments). It uses this literature to explore the context within which students might use PLNs as they transition into becoming newly qualified social workers. It concludes by suggesting that further enquiry into the role of PLNs is required with a further study planned for the next academic year.

The role of learning networks in agricultural extension service delivery: a survey in the nine provinces of South Africa

This paper seeks to present the findings of a study based on learning networks conducted in nine provinces of South Africa during 2013. The aim of the study was to establish to what extent this tool is known or used in the provinces of South Africa. The information was important in order to assist decision makers in future planning to strengthen extension and advisory services. Both qualitative and quantitative paradigm were used to investigate the perceptions of the extensionists with regards to networks, the size of such networks in South Africa, and whether they are known or used by the extension advisors. The quota system was used to extract 10% from the total population of 3 368 which resulted in a sample of 315 extensionists. Data were collected through 315 questionnaires which were later captured and processed through SPSS, version 21. The results showed that: 34% of the respondents were above 20 years of work experience, 56 % were males who dominated the services, and 48 % of respondents were advisors as opposed to other professionals. Northern Cape was the only province which had the majority of advisors that show awareness and used Learning Networks. The study concludes by indicating positive aspects of personal learning networks such as a need for proper guidance and to increase the use of it due to its inherent potential in order to improve service delivery in future. Keywords: Learning networks, Service delivery, Agricultural extension