Non-Adult Education Learners

I found Rita’s statement in The eXtended Web and the Personal Learning Environment PLERN blog concerning “people least likely to use the Internet are also the least likely to participate in adult education” to be so true.  I am amazed by the number of people in my organization who rarely use the Internet as a learning source.  I have been asking myself the same question she poses as to whether we should leave these people behind. 

My close colleagues and I are all excited about technology and how it can improve our learning landscape.  I find it amazing that others within our organization aren’t as excited.  It seems as if technology scares them.  As my colleagues and I build the strategy for the future of our learning organization how are we going to entice these non “adult education” people along?  What will be the carrot that makes the endeavor worth it to them?

I don’t believe we can leave them behind.  The world is producing new technologies every time we turn around.  (What an exciting time to be living in!)  I am hoping that the PLEs offered in the future will hold the right components that “will aid learners who are not so confident in using the Internet for learning activities” (Kop, 2010).

Kop, R. (2010) The eXtended web and the personal learning environment PLERN blog.

PLE Concepts

Personal control over my data is important to me because I like to save data that I will refer back to later.  I am called upon to write recommendations for new programs or tools in my organization.  I use a wiki to store the data I gather that I will need for these recommendations.  If I didn't have control over my data it would take me longer to pull together a recommendation that was based on facts and expert opinions.

The tools I use to gather that data are important but I feel that I could adjust if the tools disappeared and others took their place.  I am able to quickly learn a new tool and figure out ways to make new tools work for me.  As long as information is still out there and I can get to it, I'll use any tool that works.

PLE Mind Map

Using the tool recommended by PLENK, I have my first effort at mapping out my PLE concept map.  I can't figure out how to copy and paste it here, though.  Does anyone have any tips to help me do that?

What I learned from 9/15 Session

PLE is the infrastructure/technology/environment in which people learn

PLN is the people connecting to me and to each

Several members of PLENK have started meeting in Second Life and asked others to join at http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Madhupak/14/25/65

Twitter paper - http://paper.li/tag/plenk2010

I found a blog on Twitter this morning called, The Bamboo Project.  The blogger addressed Seven Strategies for Supporting Personal Learning Environments at Work.  Included in the blog are additional PLE tips.  http://michelemartin.typepad.com/thebambooprojectblog/2007/08/supporting-pers.html

What I Learned Today during PLENK

Simply said:

PLE is the environment in which people learn.
PLN is the people involved; the people connections to me and to each other

My First Blog

By following the steps given by Stephen Downes, I am now the owner of this blog!  As I continue through #PLENK2010 I will use this blog to capture what I learn.