Article abstract

Journal of Educational Research and Reviews
Research Article | Published January 2024 | Volume 12, Issue 1, pp. 12-24.
 doi: https://doi.org/10.33495/jerr_v12i1.23.138

 

Adopting a personal learning environment and network to strengthen students’ self-directed and life-long learning attributes

 

 

Shanta Dutta1

Yuying Zhang2

Mingjing He1

Daniel C.W. Tsang*2


 Email Author

Tel: +852-3469-3133.

1. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.

2. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.

 

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 Citation: Dutta S, Zhang Y, He M, Tsang DCW (2024). Adopting a personal learning environment and network to strengthen students’ self-directed and life-long learning attributes. J. Edu. Res. Rev. 12(1):12-24. doi: 10.33495/jerr_v12i1.23.138.
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 Abstract 

 

This study explored the implementation of a learner-centered interactive platform termed “Personal Learning Environment and Network (PLE&N)” in fostering a connected, deep, and personalized learning environment for accommodating students' diverse and unique learning needs. Leveraging the network-based and technology-enhanced PLE&N model introduced by the course instructor, students actively engaged with peers, instructors, experts, and professionals in a collaborative learning environment. As the successful implementation of PLE&N extensively relied on the student’s contribution to the PLE&N platforms, they were rewarded with up to 10% of the total marks, which was counted toward the final grading in the subject. Through active and meaningful engagement in the PLE&N platform, students enhanced their learning horizons beyond the traditional classroom boundaries, accessing and exchanging vital and cutting-edge knowledge within their fields of interest, while effectively managing information overload by collaborative effort through PLE&N. The post-study questionnaire survey indicated that the majority of the students (80%) found useful content posted on PLE&N and highly agreed that PLE&N postings improved their understanding of the subject knowledge. Moreover, the integration of constructivist and connectivist pedagogies within PLE&N positively influenced the learning environment, enhancing students’ self-directed learning attributes, as corroborated by in-depth interviews and survey responses. Impressively, at least 65% of students expressed a strong interest in adopting PLE&N for other subjects, suggesting a strong motivation towards life-long learning. These results underscore the potential of learner-driven personalized learning environments, such as PLE&N, to strengthen students' self-directed and life-long learning attributes. Insights from this research might encourage further innovative approaches in designing learner-driven personalized learning environments to strengthen students’ self-directed and life-long learning attributes.

 

Keywords  PLE&N   RSS Feed   Constructive Learning   Connective Learning   Learner-centric Pedagogy  

 Higher Education  

 

Copyright © 2024 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article.

This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0

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