This week’s paper reflection

Hi everyone,


Today, let's do it differently. Let's take a break on adult learning and talk about another topic that emerged in this class.

This week in class, we are exploring some influential papers. The one that I would like to talk about today is the “Personal Learning Environments, Social Media, and Self-Regulated Learning: A Natural Formula for Connecting Formal and Informal Learning” by Nada Dabbagh and Anastasia Kitsantas.

The paper introduces the concept of Personal Learning Environments (PLEs) as a promising pedagogical approach that bridges formal and informal learning through the use of social media. PLEs empower students to take ownership of their learning by curating resources, creating content, and connecting with peers across diverse networks.

Dabbagh and Kitsantas argue that while universities still largely rely on traditional Learning Management Systems (LMS), which tend to emphasize faculty control and content delivery, social media offers unique affordances for self-directed, collaborative, and personalized learning. Platforms like blogs, wikis, and social networking sites allow students not just to consume content, but also to co-create knowledge and share their learning achievements.

A key takeaway from the paper is the three-level pedagogical framework the authors propose for integrating PLEs into higher education:

  1. Personal Information Management – teaching students how to organize and aggregate content.
  2. Social Interaction and Collaboration – encouraging participation in online communities and knowledge-sharing.
  3. Self-Regulation and Reflection – fostering metacognitive skills essential for setting goals, monitoring progress, and reflecting on learning.

The authors emphasize that social media is not just a tool but a catalyst for a pedagogical shift, enabling student-centered and self-regulated learning. They also highlight that PLEs can help students integrate their formal coursework with informal, interest-driven learning, preparing them for lifelong learning in a digital society.

This paper is a valuable contribution to ongoing discussions about how higher education can better support personalized, connected, and self-directed learning in an era increasingly shaped by social technologies.

Looking forward to discussing how we might apply these ideas to our own learning and teaching practices!

See you soon!

The Great Gatsby

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