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- Title
Personal Learning Network Clusters: A Comparison Between Mathematics and Computer Science Students.
- Authors
Harding, Ansie; Engelbrecht, Johann
- 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.
- Subjects
SOUTH Africa; PERSONAL learning networks; HIGHER education; MATHEMATICS education (Higher); COMPUTER science education; INTERNET in higher education; MASHUPS (Internet)
- Publication
Educational Technology & Society, 2015, Vol 18, Issue 3, p173
- ISSN
1176-3647
- Publication type
Article