Abstract:

Nowadays it is still a pressing matter to analyze the educational changes related to technological innovations. One current issue is the impact of the popularization and diversification of personal and professional digital platforms and networks. A critical point is the transition from an individual and dispersed usage of these tools into a truly integrated and sustainable collaborative process of continuous learning and professional development.

Focusing on the personal management of the online learning process, we propose a (re)visitation and application of psychological principles, particularly in the field of self-directed learning. For this analysis we selected the concept of personal learning environment together with the emerging notions of personal learning network and professional learning network. In fact, the construction and management of personal learning environments can be the first step in both the development of effective personal learning networks and professional learning networks.

If the analysis of these dynamics is important to support individuals and groups in managing learning and lifelong development, it can also clarify and potentiate the institutional and systemic integration of the involved strategies and processes. This includes focusing on the evaluation and the validation of outcomes, crucial in our current competitive society.

This is a path to clarify important aspects of online learning. We hope to contribute to the discussion on its enormous challenges and opportunities.

Keywords:

Personal Learning Environments, self-directed learning, digital platforms.