News on the PLE Conference 2015

Posted on June 2, 2015 by Victoria Marín

Good Morning,

The PLE Conference has a record of providing stimulating discussion of personal learning based on innovative approaches to conference organisation and a range of papers which embody research in progress at the leading edge of pedagogy.
This year, while the quality of submitted paper proposals are excellent, and many will go on to be published in journals which partner with the conference; the quantity of papers submitted would not support a full, rounded conference programme.

Therefore the organising group have decided that we will defer the 2015 conference to 2016. However the submitted papers will all be fully reviewed, with a view to journal publication and the paper submissions are now open until 30th June to allow for further submissions. We will direct those papers to the partner journals for publication in the coming year, providing mentoring and support for young researchers to help them on the path to publication.

In the interim, we plan to discuss both the conference themes and how we structure a programme, exploring new concepts to continue to deliver an event that is radical in both content, structure and style. Our aim is to restructure the conference for the next years in two ways.

First we wish to increase the richness of the conversations at the conference, with different activities, to stay at the forefront of innovative conference experiences

Second while the concept of the PLE is a little faded now, the notion of personal learning remains as valuable as ever. We aim to shift the emphasis from just Personal Learning Environments to the wider field of Personal Learning, which includes topics as diverse as analytics, the quantified self, MOOCs and new learning theories. We intend to engage with the ongoing digital transformation in learning, and with lifelong personal learning, among other topics.

We welcome suggestions and ideas, and your participation in this process, which we believe will help us to recover the spirit of this conference.

If you have already made travel arrangements to be in Galway during the originally scheduled PLE time, please contact Leigh Graves Wolf (gravesle [at] msu [dot] edu). The Master of Arts in Educational Technology program via Michigan State University will be happening at NUI Galway during that time and all PLE members are welcome to visit and to attend the free 1/2 day conference on July 16th that was originally scheduled to take place in conjunction with PLE2015.
(http://goo.gl/r9NHc5) There is an unconference scheduled during this event and you are more than welcome to present during that time.

Thank you for your contributions, both now and we hope in the future.

Introducing our Scoop.it and Un-Keynoters

Posted on April 19, 2015 by Victoria Marín

The PLE Conference has always pretended to go beyond ordinary research presentations and be the unique and only one where the most important thing is joining together in order to discuss and learn. That’s why the PLE Conference has been successful in creating a community which we have always called the PLE People.

The PLE People is the name of our Scoop.it curation tool where we keep on track with discussions started by our community on their own sites. Every year, new keynoters and collaborators are introduced so the topics of debate become wider and deeper.

In 2015 we welcome four keynote presenters who have already been added into our Scoop.it feed. So, from now on we will also be updated on the following scholars’ research and interests:

Catherine Cronin & Leigh Graves Wolf

David White & Lisa Marie Blaschke

Here it goes a brief introduction of our unkeynoters, get to know them!

First duet: Catherine Cronin & Leigh Graves Wolf

Catherine Cronin is an open educator and researcher at the National University of Ireland, Galway. Catherine’s work focuses on open education, digital and network literacies, and digital identity; she is currently working towards a Ph.D. in open educational practices in higher education. Catherine is a New Yorker living in Galway, has Masters degrees in Engineering and Women’s Studies, has taught in the community and higher education in Ireland and Scotland — and is thrilled that the PLE Conference is finally coming to Galway (a perfect fit!).

More about Catherine Cronin: https://about.me/catherinecronin

Leigh Graves Wolf is Program Co-coordinator and Assistant Professor of the Master of Arts in Educational Technology (MAET) at the Michigan State University School of Education. Leigh’s research interests focuses on social and cultural impacts of new media, design for online learning and relationships with technology. Leigh holds a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and Educational Technology.

More about Leigh Graves Wolf: http://www.leighgraveswolf.com/

Second duet: David White & Lisa Marie Blaschke

David White is Head of Technology Enhanced Learning at the University of the Arts of London. David’s research interests focuses on Learning in digital spaces, Modes of engagement online, Digital identity, Critical digital literacies, Online credibility, Ways of knowing. His best-known and most-used idea is a method of understanding individuals’ motivations to engage online: “Visitors and Residents”. David is also a regular speaker on topics such as digital identity, digital literacies and online credibility.

More about David White: http://daveowhite.com/

Lisa Marie Blaschke is Program Director of the Master of Distance Education and E-Learning (MDE) graduate program at Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg and Associate Professor within the MDE in The Graduate School (TGS) at the University of Maryland University College (UMUC). Lisa Marie is also head of a communications consulting firm, Kreative Kommunikation, which offers a wide range of distance education and technical writing services. Lisa Marie’s research interests are primarily within the areas of lifelong and self-determined learning (heutagogy), online collaboration, and pedagogical application of web 2.0 technologies.

More about Lisa Marie Blaschke: http://lisamarieblaschke.pbworks.com/w/page/17821601/FrontPage

Stay tuned for further information on our blog about the PLEConf 2015 !!!

PLE 2015 – the 6th International Conference on Personal Learning Environments

Posted on April 8, 2015 by PLE Conf

PLE 2015 – the 6th International Conference on Personal Learning Environments – is going to be held in Galway, Ireland, from July 15th to 17th, with the support of the National University of Ireland Galway (NUI Galway) and in coordination with the MAET/MSU GREAT15 Conference.

The PLE Conference intends to create an engaging, conversational, and innovative meeting space for researchers and practitioners to exchange ideas, experiences, and research around PLE related themes. This edition aims to return to its origins and be a place to develop relevant discussions and conversations around PLEs, combine theory and practice and encourage non-traditional conference sessions, i.e. unkeynotes, hands on sessions, workshops. Therefore, the 6th PLE Conference in 2015 aims at taking the discussion on Personal Learning Environments a step forward, providing a new impulse for PLE research and development.

In this edition we are glad to inform you that we will have two amazing interesting duets of unkeynote speakers!

Catherine Cronin & Leigh Graves Wolf
David White & Lisa Marie Blaschke

The conference invites contributions in the format of “extended abstracts” or “alternative session proposals”. However, authors of both types of contributions will be asked to communicate their research and ideas within session formats that look to avoid the traditional 15 min presentation. More information on the Call for Papers.

All the accepted extended abstracts will be included in The PLE Conference Proceedings with ISSN. In addition, selected extended abstracts will be invited to present a Full Academic Paper that will be proposed for publication in Open Access Academic refereed Journals with which the PLE Conference has established three partnership for 3 special issues that are going to be published in 2016: NAER, Edutec-e and Digital Education Review.

We are looking forward to meeting you at The PLE Conference 2015 in Galway!

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