Comments on: Tired of the PLE Flak http://chrislott.org/story/tired-of-the-ple-flak/ Musings on education, techology, and life.. Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:23:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Scott Wilson http://chrislott.org/story/tired-of-the-ple-flak/comment-page-1/#comment-135370 Scott Wilson Thu, 06 Mar 2008 00:41:03 +0000 http://www.chrislott.org/2008/03/04/tired-of-the-ple-flak/#comment-135370 To some people the PLE *will* seem like air - and wonder why anyone should bother modelling what is as obvious to them as breathing. You don't need to worry about those, they'll take care of themselves. To others the PLE will be far less obvious, and modelling using a PLE sounds like an excellent way of building capability, confidence and independence. Because otherwise they might be sitting on the edge of an amazing experience and never even know they could take part in it. To some people the PLE *will* seem like air – and wonder why anyone should bother modelling what is as obvious to them as breathing. You don’t need to worry about those, they’ll take care of themselves.

To others the PLE will be far less obvious, and modelling using a PLE sounds like an excellent way of building capability, confidence and independence. Because otherwise they might be sitting on the edge of an amazing experience and never even know they could take part in it.

]]> By: chris http://chrislott.org/story/tired-of-the-ple-flak/comment-page-1/#comment-135281 chris Wed, 05 Mar 2008 16:03:09 +0000 http://www.chrislott.org/2008/03/04/tired-of-the-ple-flak/#comment-135281 Martin-- that's a good point. For me, at least, a lot of my frustration and umbrage comes from leaving a number of basic assumptions unstated because I figured they were understood by Alan, D'Arcy and others to be part of the context. Boy was I wrong! Perhaps I'm trying to walk a line that's too fine to walk-- I have no desire to turn the concept of the PLE into any one thing ala the LMS, I see it as more personal and fluid than that... at the same time, I want to rehabilitate the term a bit-- or maybe just move it forward-- out of the realm of the abstractions that are relatively useless to people who are new to the whole idea. The custom, personalized PLE is built over time, but there is so much we can do to help make that process better for people. As always, I guess I'm in search of specifics I can use to help educators get started in realizing this powerful concept and the many even more important aspects that underlie it such as the use social networks, the value of network effects stemming from participation, the tenets of information fluency that they will pass on to their students by engaging them in and modeling the learning network for them, etc. Martin– that’s a good point. For me, at least, a lot of my frustration and umbrage comes from leaving a number of basic assumptions unstated because I figured they were understood by Alan, D’Arcy and others to be part of the context. Boy was I wrong!

Perhaps I’m trying to walk a line that’s too fine to walk– I have no desire to turn the concept of the PLE into any one thing ala the LMS, I see it as more personal and fluid than that… at the same time, I want to rehabilitate the term a bit– or maybe just move it forward– out of the realm of the abstractions that are relatively useless to people who are new to the whole idea. The custom, personalized PLE is built over time, but there is so much we can do to help make that process better for people.

As always, I guess I’m in search of specifics I can use to help educators get started in realizing this powerful concept and the many even more important aspects that underlie it such as the use social networks, the value of network effects stemming from participation, the tenets of information fluency that they will pass on to their students by engaging them in and modeling the learning network for them, etc.

]]> By: Martin http://chrislott.org/story/tired-of-the-ple-flak/comment-page-1/#comment-135277 Martin Wed, 05 Mar 2008 15:52:52 +0000 http://www.chrislott.org/2008/03/04/tired-of-the-ple-flak/#comment-135277 I'm with you on this Chris. To me there are two aspects of talking about PLEs: i) There are still lots of technical issues to work through on how they might work, ie communicate with other more richly (cf. the eduglu stuff) ii) As you say, although there isn't The PLE, we still don't know exactly what one is. Mine accrued over time, but it may be that for other people e.g. students, they need a default one which they can switch things out of and develop. So there may be a continuum from say monolithic, centralised VLE to fully personal PLE. In the middle might be Scott's loosely coupled learning environment, let's call it a TLE (teacher's learning environment), and so on. So to say that because a PLE is personal we can't teach or talk about them is a long way from happening, although I guess D'Arcy and others were trying to warn of the danger of converting the PLE into yet another commercial 'solution.' At the risk of pimping my own blog, I did something on an audit of where we stand with PLEs - http://nogoodreason.typepad.co.uk/no_good_reason/2008/03/an-audit-on-whe.html Have just come across your blog - it's straight into my reader. Martin I’m with you on this Chris. To me there are two aspects of talking about PLEs:
i) There are still lots of technical issues to work through on how they might work, ie communicate with other more richly (cf. the eduglu stuff)
ii) As you say, although there isn’t The PLE, we still don’t know exactly what one is. Mine accrued over time, but it may be that for other people e.g. students, they need a default one which they can switch things out of and develop.
So there may be a continuum from say monolithic, centralised VLE to fully personal PLE. In the middle might be Scott’s loosely coupled learning environment, let’s call it a TLE (teacher’s learning environment), and so on.
So to say that because a PLE is personal we can’t teach or talk about them is a long way from happening, although I guess D’Arcy and others were trying to warn of the danger of converting the PLE into yet another commercial ’solution.’
At the risk of pimping my own blog, I did something on an audit of where we stand with PLEs – http://nogoodreason.typepad.co.uk/no_good_reason/2008/03/an-audit-on-whe.html
Have just come across your blog – it’s straight into my reader.
Martin

]]> By: Ruminate » Blog Archive » I’m Not Interested in “the PLE” http://chrislott.org/story/tired-of-the-ple-flak/comment-page-1/#comment-135254 Ruminate » Blog Archive » I’m Not Interested in “the PLE” Wed, 05 Mar 2008 13:56:10 +0000 http://www.chrislott.org/2008/03/04/tired-of-the-ple-flak/#comment-135254 [...] might have a hard time knowing what it means to describe such a thing as the PLE, but who wouldn’t love to have a few hours to watch over his shoulder and see how [...] [...] might have a hard time knowing what it means to describe such a thing as the PLE, but who wouldn’t love to have a few hours to watch over his shoulder and see how [...]

]]> By: chris http://chrislott.org/story/tired-of-the-ple-flak/comment-page-1/#comment-135251 chris Wed, 05 Mar 2008 13:19:11 +0000 http://www.chrislott.org/2008/03/04/tired-of-the-ple-flak/#comment-135251 Why is asking a serious question on Twitter verboten? I see other people doing it and getting serious answers all the time. Why is any particular kind of question and answer forbidden? If someone asks about digital cameras I don't see a flurry of responses that "photography is about eye and the art, not the tools" in response-- I see recommendations being made, choices being discussed. Why was my question not given that modicum of respect and the assumption made that I don't understand that without people there are no social networks to learn from and with? PARTICULARLY from people that know me? Why is asking a serious question on Twitter verboten? I see other people doing it and getting serious answers all the time. Why is any particular kind of question and answer forbidden? If someone asks about digital cameras I don’t see a flurry of responses that “photography is about eye and the art, not the tools” in response– I see recommendations being made, choices being discussed. Why was my question not given that modicum of respect and the assumption made that I don’t understand that without people there are no social networks to learn from and with? PARTICULARLY from people that know me?

]]> By: New Technology » Blog Archive » Tired of the PLE Flak http://chrislott.org/story/tired-of-the-ple-flak/comment-page-1/#comment-135250 New Technology » Blog Archive » Tired of the PLE Flak Wed, 05 Mar 2008 13:13:34 +0000 http://www.chrislott.org/2008/03/04/tired-of-the-ple-flak/#comment-135250 [...] Alex wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptTired of the PLE Flak [I’ve taken the advice of a good friend– who is usually right in these matters– and trimmed away a bunch of the ranty (and more importantly unfair) bits of this post, though I’m sure it will live on in RSS streams forever.] To discuss the PLE beyond the abstractions that lead… Read the full post from Ruminate Tags: Rant, Uncategorized, ple via Blogdigger blog search for new technology. [...] [...] Alex wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptTired of the PLE Flak [I’ve taken the advice of a good friend– who is usually right in these matters– and trimmed away a bunch of the ranty (and more importantly unfair) bits of this post, though I’m sure it will live on in RSS streams forever.] To discuss the PLE beyond the abstractions that lead… Read the full post from Ruminate Tags: Rant, Uncategorized, ple via Blogdigger blog search for new technology. [...]

]]> By: Ruminate » Blog Archive » If Twitter’s like a Pub Conversation http://chrislott.org/story/tired-of-the-ple-flak/comment-page-1/#comment-135216 Ruminate » Blog Archive » If Twitter’s like a Pub Conversation Wed, 05 Mar 2008 06:54:00 +0000 http://www.chrislott.org/2008/03/04/tired-of-the-ple-flak/#comment-135216 [...] Tired of the PLE Flak  6 Chris Beks, Shannon, Alan Levine, Alan Levine [...] [...] [...] Tired of the PLE Flak  6 Chris Beks, Shannon, Alan Levine, Alan Levine [...] [...]

]]> By: Chris Beks http://chrislott.org/story/tired-of-the-ple-flak/comment-page-1/#comment-135215 Chris Beks Wed, 05 Mar 2008 06:50:12 +0000 http://www.chrislott.org/2008/03/04/tired-of-the-ple-flak/#comment-135215 Thanks for this post. I saw your tweet, and it's been in my mind for most of the day, on how I would explain to people what a PLE is. I certainly had no idea on where to start with that, and Ray's picture above is quite good. Although that's not really my style, I might benefit from it and come up with something that works for me. But your writing and his visual has helped me further with.... guess what... learning! I think your right on the money. Modelling and showing people the tools and options for learning is essential to expanding your own PLE, and it continues to develop for yourself and others. Since its all connected in one way or another. Can you teach this? Yes, of course. Teaching can be done in so many ways, although the word often is interpreted as traditional. Like sit in the classroom, and look and listen to/at the teacher... I'm happy that you introduced me to this, and I can attest to the fact I've taken it and made it my own. You didn't make me, but showed me the tools that worked for you or others. It's up to the individual to use them as they see fit. And share them with their peers, friends, coworkers, family. Although I understand your frustration from the responds tweets, I hope you'll consider staying on Twitter. Because I get a lot of good useful information from you, and other in your network, through Twitter. And I'm sure you have a similar experience. Leaving Twitter would mean giving up a (tiny) piece of your PLE. Although that maybe the best result for you, it will have a ripple effect through your network. I, for one, will miss you. Thanks for this post. I saw your tweet, and it’s been in my mind for most of the day, on how I would explain to people what a PLE is. I certainly had no idea on where to start with that, and Ray’s picture above is quite good. Although that’s not really my style, I might benefit from it and come up with something that works for me. But your writing and his visual has helped me further with…. guess what… learning!
I think your right on the money. Modelling and showing people the tools and options for learning is essential to expanding your own PLE, and it continues to develop for yourself and others. Since its all connected in one way or another. Can you teach this? Yes, of course. Teaching can be done in so many ways, although the word often is interpreted as traditional. Like sit in the classroom, and look and listen to/at the teacher…
I’m happy that you introduced me to this, and I can attest to the fact I’ve taken it and made it my own. You didn’t make me, but showed me the tools that worked for you or others. It’s up to the individual to use them as they see fit. And share them with their peers, friends, coworkers, family.

Although I understand your frustration from the responds tweets, I hope you’ll consider staying on Twitter. Because I get a lot of good useful information from you, and other in your network, through Twitter. And I’m sure you have a similar experience. Leaving Twitter would mean giving up a (tiny) piece of your PLE. Although that maybe the best result for you, it will have a ripple effect through your network. I, for one, will miss you.

]]> By: Shannon http://chrislott.org/story/tired-of-the-ple-flak/comment-page-1/#comment-135213 Shannon Wed, 05 Mar 2008 06:10:22 +0000 http://www.chrislott.org/2008/03/04/tired-of-the-ple-flak/#comment-135213 What you have written has been running around in my brain for some time, and you put it quite well. I still consider myself a relative newbie on the block and being a college students also makes it hard to know where to begin. When I first started getting into the "edusphere", edutech, learning, and all that goes with it I just tried to see what everyone was doing. If someone commented on a blog I read I would click on a link to their blog. Heck, the only reason I know of you come from the fact my friends on Twitter would tweet about you or to you. I've done a lot imitation of people and I find it definitely makes it easier to make that leap if you have that kind of model and environment to plug into instead of starting from scratch. Having something concrete is important. There needs to be people standing at the gate helping people come on in. We all can't be deep in the cave having a party about how great it is to be where we are. What you have written has been running around in my brain for some time, and you put it quite well.
I still consider myself a relative newbie on the block and being a college students also makes it hard to know where to begin. When I first started getting into the “edusphere”, edutech, learning, and all that goes with it I just tried to see what everyone was doing. If someone commented on a blog I read I would click on a link to their blog. Heck, the only reason I know of you come from the fact my friends on Twitter would tweet about you or to you. I’ve done a lot imitation of people and I find it definitely makes it easier to make that leap if you have that kind of model and environment to plug into instead of starting from scratch. Having something concrete is important.
There needs to be people standing at the gate helping people come on in. We all can’t be deep in the cave having a party about how great it is to be where we are.

]]> By: on the PLE - D'Arcy Norman dot net http://chrislott.org/story/tired-of-the-ple-flak/comment-page-1/#comment-135210 on the PLE - D'Arcy Norman dot net Wed, 05 Mar 2008 06:07:01 +0000 http://www.chrislott.org/2008/03/04/tired-of-the-ple-flak/#comment-135210 [...] is what my PLE is. I didn’t think much more about it, but then I read later that Chris was taken aback by my (and others’) response. That surprised me, but caused me to take a step back to think [...] [...] is what my PLE is. I didn’t think much more about it, but then I read later that Chris was taken aback by my (and others’) response. That surprised me, but caused me to take a step back to think [...]

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