Introduction+to+Personal+Learning+Networks

= What does the new learning environment look like? =


 * The Personal Learning Environment (PLE) **

The personal learning environment describes the tools,communities and services that learners use to direct their own learning and pursue their lifelong educational goals. Learners draw a conclusion from the wide variety of resources that compose their PLE. Thus PLE emphasizes the importance of metacognition amongst the learners. They learn by selecting their resources carefully and then reflecting about the information obtained from them. Hence,the personal learning environment is based on the types of tools the learners use to find information. The environment that the learner develops is then used to develop their personal learning network.

The professional development of teachers will depend on the network they develop to learn from others from anywhere around the world

**Personal Learning Networks (PLN)** media type="custom" key="12445206" align="right" Networking is now part of society. When social networking giants facebook and twitter started, they were first seen as social sites, the founders probably never imagined that people would use these sites for learning (Bellino, 2011). People can connect to anyone it seems, and instead of just socializing, we can learn from each other using personal learning networks. A personal learning network is "about connecting with the people, organizations, and resources that relate to your specific interests for the purpose of continuing your education" (2011). The network is based on the specific tools that are used to network. The video to the right emphasizes the importance of using social media to enhance learning through being connected. We must support the use of responsible networking for educators and their learners to instill the skills needed to ensure lifelong learning.

__Personal Learning Networks Navigation__ Home Introduction to Networking Ways to network Curation Building a Network within your school

__References__ Bellino, L. (Aug. 2011) "The Power of Personal Learning Networks…Wait, What’s a Personal Learning Network?". Pearson OLE. Retrieved from []