What Are Personal Learning Environments? – Being Parents
EPAs, personal learning environments, refer to a new way of understanding the teaching-learning process. The pedagogical approach of the APEs not only refers to the content, to what the student learns, but also to the way in which he learns, where and with whom.
What are we referring to with EPAs?
For much of the subject matter experts, EPAs are rooted in technology. However, according to more current views, the personal learning environments a person uses to learn extend beyond the technological world.
In general, personal learning environments are understood as a teaching idea. It is a practice of learning by using technology. Linda Castañeda and Jordi Adell have developed a definition. According to them, EPAs are a set of tools, sources of information, connections and activities that every person uses diligently to learn.
In other words: the personal learning environment includes both what a person consults for information, etc., as well as the people who serve as a reference and the connections between these said people.
How to build an adequate EPA?
To begin with, we need to understand that each of us has our own personal learning environment. EPA is not a tool – it is the environment in which we learn.
Now we need to focus on the most important thing: how we need to organize our EPA properly. For this, as Linda Castañeda explains, we must know how to manage the various personal and digital tools. We also need to know how to manage our opportunities to learn.
In addition, a good personal learning environment must have three types of essential elements:
- Reading tools and strategies. The sources of information to which the pupil has access and which provide him with the information sought.
- Reflection tools and strategies. The environments where the student can transform information.
- Relationship tools and strategies. We would include them in what is called the Personal Learning Network : they refer to environments where the student connects with other people from whom he is learning or with whom he is learning.
What do we get with personal learning environments?
In principle, personal learning environments are not just about organizing and structuring knowledge. APEs, as facilitators of the teaching-learning process, do not only make us benefit from collective and public knowledge: they also promote citizen participation, by sharing and creating new knowledge.
Furthermore, EPAs undoubtedly help us to develop new digital skills, as well as to meet and connect with new people in our environment. This allows us to discover other innovative approaches and ideas.
Ultimately, APEs are a collection of sources of information, tools, services, and communities of people that help us direct our own learning as we exchange and share information and experiences.
