This article focuses on personal learning environments (PLEs). The idea with PLEs is to put stude... more This article focuses on personal learning environments (PLEs). The idea with PLEs is to put students in a more central position in the learning process by allowing them to design their own learning environments and by emphasising the self-regulated nature of the learning. This study describes the structure, functions and challenges of PLEs made by 33 students from vocational and polytechnic level schools in Eastern Finland after the first year of using them. Document and artefact analysis revealed that students built their PLEs for: mirroring the conventional learning environment; as an environment for reflection; as an environment to showcase skills; and as an environment for collaboration and networking. Student reflections indicate that building and using a PLE is a challenging task which requires specific teacher and pedagogical support. Designing a PLE demands both ICT skills and an awareness of one's own learning methods.
The research reported here is concerned with a critical examination of some of the assumptions co... more The research reported here is concerned with a critical examination of some of the assumptions concerning the 'Net Generation'capabilities of 74 first‐year student teachers in a Finnish university. There are assumptions that:(i) Net Generation students are adept at ...
ABSTRACT This case study focuses on the use of social software applications for supporting pre-se... more ABSTRACT This case study focuses on the use of social software applications for supporting pre-service teachers' collaborative inquiry. Second year pre-service teachers (N = 98) were instructed to carry out an inquiry using a selection of suitable applications to support their work in a forest ecology field course. Although they were not specifically instructed on the use of the software applications, the assumption was that being ‘digital natives’ they would be familiar with them or would readily adopt them. The study reports the students' experiences of the course. Results show variations in their experiences: differences in the way they saw the adequacy of their ICT skills, the suitability of the software, and in their opinions about familiarizing themselves with the software applications as part of the inquiry process. The results also indicate that in future it is important to: (i) concretize and explain the pedagogical aspects of using social software applications as part of the learning process; (ii) highlight the reasons why software applications are used for supporting learning, i.e., the added value; and (iii) encourage students to explore and make use of different software applications for different learning purposes.
This article focuses on personal learning environments (PLEs). The idea with PLEs is to put stude... more This article focuses on personal learning environments (PLEs). The idea with PLEs is to put students in a more central position in the learning process by allowing them to design their own learning environments and by emphasising the self-regulated nature of the learning. This study describes the structure, functions and challenges of PLEs made by 33 students from vocational and polytechnic level schools in Eastern Finland after the first year of using them. Document and artefact analysis revealed that students built their PLEs for: mirroring the conventional learning environment; as an environment for reflection; as an environment to showcase skills; and as an environment for collaboration and networking. Student reflections indicate that building and using a PLE is a challenging task which requires specific teacher and pedagogical support. Designing a PLE demands both ICT skills and an awareness of one's own learning methods.
The research reported here is concerned with a critical examination of some of the assumptions co... more The research reported here is concerned with a critical examination of some of the assumptions concerning the 'Net Generation'capabilities of 74 first‐year student teachers in a Finnish university. There are assumptions that:(i) Net Generation students are adept at ...
ABSTRACT This case study focuses on the use of social software applications for supporting pre-se... more ABSTRACT This case study focuses on the use of social software applications for supporting pre-service teachers' collaborative inquiry. Second year pre-service teachers (N = 98) were instructed to carry out an inquiry using a selection of suitable applications to support their work in a forest ecology field course. Although they were not specifically instructed on the use of the software applications, the assumption was that being ‘digital natives’ they would be familiar with them or would readily adopt them. The study reports the students' experiences of the course. Results show variations in their experiences: differences in the way they saw the adequacy of their ICT skills, the suitability of the software, and in their opinions about familiarizing themselves with the software applications as part of the inquiry process. The results also indicate that in future it is important to: (i) concretize and explain the pedagogical aspects of using social software applications as part of the learning process; (ii) highlight the reasons why software applications are used for supporting learning, i.e., the added value; and (iii) encourage students to explore and make use of different software applications for different learning purposes.
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Papers by Stina Hacklin