The Web as PLE: Perspective from educational technology and Internet psychology

Today, Internet has turned into the most important source of information. Many Web 2.0 sites provide services for exchange of knowledge between people, and that has a significant influence on self-studying. Personal learning environment (PLE) provides an opportunity for the user to manage his environment for learning and knowledge exchange. This paper describes a pattern of PLE based on Web 2.0 services which is beyond the models of LMS, OLE and MLE.

I. Introduction

Nowadays, Science knowledge may have a very short life span. An aftermath of this trend is the need for constant renewal of knowledge after formal education. The process is known as lifelong learning. As the state of the art information is placed on Internet, it makes Internet an inevitable learning resource. According to a few studies concerning learning in adult age, between 70% and 80% of learning is informal [1], [2], mostly managed by learners, it is intentional and self-directed.