Personal Learning Network Clusters: A Comparison between Mathematics and Computer Science Students

Autor/inn/en	Harding, Ansie; Engelbrecht, Johann
Titel	Personal Learning Network Clusters: A Comparison between Mathematics and Computer Science Students
Quelle	In: Educational Technology & Society, 18 (2015) 3, S.173-184 (12 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1436-4522
Schlagwörter	Foreign Countries; College Students; Communities of Practice; Cooperative Learning; Mathematics; Computer Science; Comparative Analysis; Integrated Learning Systems; Learner Engagement; Educational Benefits; Case Studies; Questionnaires; South Africa + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Ausland; Collegestudent; Community; Kooperatives Lernen; Mathematik; Informatik; Bildungsertrag; Case study; Fallstudie; Case Study; Fragebogen; Südafrika; Süd-Afrika; Republik Südafrika; Südafrikanische Republik
Abstract	"Personal learning environments" (PLEs) and "personal learning networks" (PLNs) are well-known concepts. A personal learning network "cluster" is a small group of people who regularly interact academically and whose PLNs have a non-empty intersection that includes all the other members. At university level PLN clusters form spontaneously among students and are known to last over an extended period of time. Little is known regarding the workings of these PLN clusters of students. The claim is that these PLN clusters are at the heart of student learning and are aligned with the current trend of a knowledge-pull community of learning. In this paper we investigate the activities and characteristics of PLN clusters in two different fields of study at a South African university, namely mathematics and computer science. We discuss the benefits that these clusters offer, investigate the mashup of activities and tools and we contrast experiences in the two fields of study. It is the commonalities rather than differences that are striking between the two groups of students. Although computer science students lean more towards digital communication, both groups impress with the pride they take in their PLN clusters and are vocal in describing the benefits that these clusters offer. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	International Forum of Educational Technology & Society. Athabasca University, School of Computing & Information Systems, 1 University Drive, Athabasca, AB T9S 3A3, Canada. Tel: 780-675-6812; Fax: 780-675-6973; Web site: http://www.ifets.info
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01