Personal learning environments and personal learning networks for language teachers’ professional development

The emergence of Web 2.0 has created diverse opportunities for continuing professional development in the area of language teaching. This article begins by presenting how the pedagogical model implemented in an online postgraduate programme integrates the Personal Learning Environment and Personal Learning Network (PLE and PLN) concept and practice to support students’ learning. Furthermore, it provides two case studies from the students of the programme on the integration of the PLE and PLN concept in their own settings as well as its effects on their professional development. The first case study describes how the PLE and PLN concept has become part of the instructional strategy of the teacher and discusses the outcomes of its implementation. The second case study deals with how the PLE and PLN concept facilitated the professional networking activities of the teacher and how this has affected teaching practices. The two case studies demonstrate diverse ways as to how teachers can use PLEs and PLNs for supporting their own as well as their students’ learning, and for creating professional development opportunities within their 1. University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom; cecilia.goria@nottingham.ac.uk 2. University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom, Open University of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain; angelos. konstantinidis@nottingham.ac.uk 3. University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom, Mahidol University, Salaya, Thailand; bryan.kilvinski@gmail.com 4. Abdullah Tokur Primary School, Ankara, Turkey; 1ergl1btl@gmail.com How to cite this chapter: Goria, C., Konstantinidis, A., Kilvinski, B., & Dogan. B. E. (2019). Personal learning environments and personal learning networks for language teachers’ professional development. In C. N. Giannikas, E. Kakoulli Constantinou & S. Papadima-Sophocleous (Eds), Professional development in CALL: a selection of papers (pp. 87-99). Research-publishing.net. https://doi.org/10.14705/rpnet.2019.28.872