Personal Learning Environments (PLEs) are an approach to Technology- Enhanced Learning based on the principles of learner autonomy and empowerment. PLEs include methods, tools, communities, and services constituting individual learning infrastructures or ecosystems which learners use to direct their own learning and pursue their educational goals. This represents a shift away from the traditional model of learning based on knowledge transfer towards a model of learning based on knowledge construction where learners draw connections from a growing pool of online and offline resources to plan, organise, engage in, reflect on and evaluate their learning and development. By focusing on the enhancing learning of individual, yet interconnected learners, the PLE approach encompasses a diversity of learners, tools, perspectives and knowledge.

The theme for the conference is learning and diversity in cities of the future. In view of the “Smart City” concept and the key priorities for research and innovation expressed in the EU Horizon 2020 framework, innovative, sustainable and inclusive solutions become crucial not only in terms of future and emerging technologies but first and foremost in terms of (i) human knowledge and skills, (ii) diverse and inclusive communities, as well as (iii) learning and knowledge networks. Hence, new forms of connected, interdisciplinary learning and cross-boundary cooperation are seen to play a critical role in the development of creative solutions and in the intelligent exploitation of networked urban infrastructures. In smart urban spaces, people, organisations and objects become interconnected by means of new technologies and media, forging new patterns of cooperation, production, research and innovation.

Submission and review process

The deadline for extended abstracts for full and short papers and for short abstracts for non-traditional formats is 4 March 2013. Please submit your contributions (both in standard and non-standard formats) via the EasyChair submission system: https://www.easychair.org/account/signin.cgi?conf=ple13

All submissions should include two keywords:

KEYWORD 1: The location for presentation (Berlin or Melbourne);
KEYWORD 2: The format of your submission (e.g. “full paper”, “pecha kucha”).

Authors of accepted abstracts will be invited to submit their final papers of no more than 3,000 words (short papers) or 8,000 words (full papers) by 14th June 2012. The word limits include everything (title, abstract, keywords, bibliography). Figures and tables account for 250 words each.

Conference topics include (but are not limited to):

+ Concepts, scenarios and technologies for fostering diversity with PLEs
+ Concepts, scenarios, technologies for learning in smart urban spaces
+ General theories and frameworks for PLE
+ Technologies and software for developing PLE
+ Pedagogical and didactic approaches to Personal Learning Environments
+ Personal Learning Environments and Personal Learning Networks (PLN)
+ PLE and Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC)
+ Personal Learning Environments, Open Badges and Gamification
+ PLEs in practice: case studies, good practice and approaches to PLEs
+ PLEs in education: new approaches and managing change in education
+ PLEs in organisations: new approaches and change in enterprises
+ PLEs at work: PLEs work-based learning and vocational training
+ PLEs in context: PLEs for contextual learning such as mobile learning
+ PLE vision: emerging technologies and innovative approaches to PLEs

The submission formats are (but are not limited to):

+ Full papers (extended abstract max. 1,200 words; final max. 8,000 words)
+ Short papers (extended abstract max. 700 words; final max. 3,000 words)
+ Pre-conference workshop (max. 400 words)
+ Pecha kucha session (max. 400 words)
+ Poster session (max. 400 words)
+ Demonstrations (max. 400 words)
+ Installations (max. 400 words)
+ Debates (max. 400 words)
+ World cafe sessions (max. 400 words)
+ Idea generation session (max. 400 words)
+ Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)(max. 400 words)
+ Hackathons (max. 400 words)