Characterisation of a Personal Learning Environment as a Lifelong Learning Tool

Sabrina Leone, PhD in e-Learning at the Faculty of Engineering of the Universita Politecnica delle Marche (UNIVPM), Ancona, Italy is a researcher and a teacher. Her current research focuses on Personal Learning Environments and lifelong learning, and she has a strong interest in adaptive learning environments and the Social Semantic Web.

• Introduction.- From Formal to Informal Learning: Scenario, Conditioning Elements and Evolutionary Steps.- The SSW4LL Format.- Case Study: SSW4LL 2011.- Concluding Remarks.

From the reviews: "Leone not only describes different (social) learning capabilities, but also includes suggestions regarding personal learning environments, case studies, and best practices. ... The book presents the conclusions of this study, along with limitations and future development steps. It would be a useful tool for teachers and instructors, as the author supports the presentation with additional information, case studies, and best practice examples." (M. Caramihai, Computing Reviews, December, 2013) "Sabrina Leone's offer in the series 'SpringerBriefs in education' provides the context for a focus on personal learning environments ... as a likely next generation of online learning system. She contends that PLES have the capacity to support lifelong learners in more effective and engaging ways than most current learning environments. ... If you are interested in the pursuit of technological innovations in support of online teaching, learning and pedagogy ... it could be worth spending the hours digesting the detailed discussion." (Robyn Smyth, British Journal of Educational Technology, Vol. 44 (6), November, 2013)