Volume Two - Academic Conferences

Teachers’ Skills set for Personal Learning Environments
Zaffar Ahmed Shaikh and Shakeel Ahmed Khoja
Institute of Business Administration Karachi, Pakistan
zashaikh@iba.edu.pk
skhoja@iba.edu.pk
Abstract: This study provides an in-depth investigation of the issues that may impact the critical role anticipated
from today’s teachers to perform while using their personalized learning approaches and hence, in guiding students
develop their personal learning environments (PLEs). Using modified Delphi method (Kenis, 1995; Webler,
1991), the researchers worked with 34 experienced PLE stakeholders taken from the areas of research, teaching
and practice from different geographic regions of the world to discover teachers’ skills and competencies for
PLEs. A questionnaire instrument was developed through analysis of the existing literature with the goal of providing
a recognized foundation to the participants based on the previous work. An exhaustive list containing
teachers’ 60 personalized learning skills was developed. In the three-round process of this study, participants
consented on teachers’ five core PLE competencies, found earlier by Shaikh and Khoja (2011a), and formulated
a skills set for each competency. Based on the findings, the researchers argue that teachers need to become
involved with the relevant skill sets; they will then develop and become entrenched in these new fields of learning.
Keywords: personalized learning, personal learning environments, teachers’ PLE skills, e-learning, Delphi study
1. Introduction
Personalization, as discussed by Burgos, Tattersall, and Koper (2006), is the adaptation of the learning
process and the environment with three key stakeholders: the learner, the teacher, and the set of
rules. Personalized learning considers each student as an individual learner, recognizing the fact that
every student has his or her own learning style and face different challenges in executing this process
(The Personalized Learning Foundation, 2011). This type of learning can be supported by enhancing
students’ learning processes through PLEs, a learner-centric approach to instruction that translates
the principles of personalized learning into actual practice (Shaikh and Khoja, 2011(a); Attwell, 2009).
According to Lubensky (2006), a PLE is a “facility for an individual to access, aggregate, configure
and manipulate digital artifacts of [his] ongoing learning experience”. PLE provides learners a platform
to make good use of knowledge gained by their interactions with peers, mentors and teachers (Downes,
2010; Peña-López, 2010; Wilson, 2008). Drexler (2010) and Väljataga & Laanpere (2010) argue
that an effective PLE requires teachers to be open to new pedagogical possibilities and ideas, help
learners construct their personalized learning plans, and allow learners to pace their learning according
to their needs and challenges to achieve desired goals.
The latest findings in educational research confirm teachers’ critical role of guiding learners to create
and manage their PLEs by using their personalized learning skills (Shaikh and Khoja, 2011(b);
WikiEducator, 2010; Global Teacher, 2010). Powell, Tindal, and Millwood (2008) argue that teachers
can create a powerful motivational and creative force in learners by emancipating learners and permitting
personalization in their pedagogies. However, till today the literature has not qualitatively and
empirically examined teachers’ personalized learning skills, competencies, and knowledge (Minocha,
et al, 2011; McLoughlin and Lee, 2010; Powell, Tindal, and Millwood, 2008). It can also be argued
that most of the characteristics and competencies of teachers are not documented. Hence it could be
ascertained that such work will have a huge impact and potential in the research fraternity.
This study provides an in-depth investigation of the issues that may impact the critical role anticipated
from today’s teachers to perform while using their personalized learning approaches and hence, in
guiding students to develop their personal learning environments (PLEs). The study worked on two
objectives. The first objective was to identify teachers’ skills and knowledge necessary for providing
proper guidance for personalized learning. The second was to find the changes in teachers’ traditional
competencies required by the increased availability and use of PLEs and changes in pedagogy which
favour a more constructivist and less teacher-centric approach. For the purpose of this study, competency
or skill has been defined as “an area of knowledge or skill which is critical to the production of
key outputs” (McLagan and McCullough, 1983, p.7).
Using modified Delphi method (Kenis, 1995; Webler, 1991), the researchers worked with 34 experienced
PLE stakeholders taken from the areas of research, teaching and practice from different geo-
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