Re: Does is make sense for a ‘network’ to be ‘personal’. What does it mean for a network to be personal? do you somehow have special control over it? Sounds like a group to me and not a network

The first question as to whether it makes sense is at the core of the debate on PLE’s vs VLEs that those who are criticising the Government’s money being plowed into VLEs in education, are using with a fair degree of validity. I suppose the question comes down to two things imo:
1 – Can the technology on which a network sits i.e. the VLE keep up with the demands of its users both now and the future demands?
2 – Do users want to be ring-fenced in such a way?

If either or both of the these questions can not be answered yes then PLEs are the way forward are they not or an alternative could be to let everyone have PLEs while education remains in a VLE. Another altenative could be to have a VLE that is flexible enough to accomodate other apps i.e. somewhere between the 2. And no, SCORM is not that flexible really is it?!?!?

Re a network being personal to my mind means you have control over the tools you use, the way you use those tools and combine various resources to your own end. So, in that respect a PLE can be a controlled personal network. To say it is just a group suggests that a user only control of who/what is involved yet a PLE is surely much more than that. It is also how these elements are involved and how they are brought together, used to one’s own personal gain.

Hmmm…….