VLEs vs. PLEs for Higher Education Institutions
Abstract: Virtual Learning Environments constitute the cornerstone of the elearning program for most of the Higher Education Institutions worldwide and are now considered to be the main structural unit of every modern University. However, the appearance of the web 2.0 technologies and the changes it has introduced to the users’ everyday behavior, create new demands from the elearning environments the students use. In this direction, the creation of Personal Learning Environments, which can substitute the institutional VLEs, are an internationally recorded and rising trend. Nevertheless, the transition from the absolutely controlled and structured VLEs to the freely managed PLEs, raises questions that demand answers in both administrative and educative levels. The present paper examines the pros and cons of both solutions and suggests ways, in which this transition could be accomplished. Furthermore, it proposes a PLE that integrates the Institutional VLE, ensuring the productive coexistence of both systems.