Post #3- C&I 438: PLE’s

 As I am in week 4 of my online Medical Terminology course that I am teaching, I am beginning to feel disconnected to my students. It is like I have the class on a routine, can go on autopilot, but yet, I wonder…..is anyone getting anything from this course? I can’t see their faces when they have questions or are concerned or just don’t get it. I feel I am not developing the rapport with student before and after class (as in face-to-faceclasses).  

As I think more about ‘whether my students are getting it or not’, I think of Personal Learning Environemnts. As I searched more about PLE’s I learned that this includes providing support for my students to set their own goals, managing their own learning, and communicating with the students during the semester. As I follow these steps, I can continue to help my students learn successfully and pass the class.  

Lee Kraus had a unique definition of PLE on his blog. He suggests that learning envionments are developed and facilitated by many tools and opportunties that work together to facilitate learning. There are many educational resources I can take advantage of to help strengthen the learning environments for my students. 

Tony Karrer also discusses PLE’s in his blog and how we can work effectively and efficiently not just individually, but also in teams through the tools of Web 2.0. I agree with this and feel taking advantage of these web 2.0 tools is important for me as an online learner, so I can most effectively reach the varied PLE’s of my students. Within the next two week, I am having the students have a Medical Terminology Pronunciation Quiz online through Skype. I will have updates on the outcome of this adventure soon!  

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