collaboration within a community of people: diverse perspectives, active engagement
Similar ideas here: Stephen Downes (2015). Design Elements in a Personal Learning Environment. Invited talk, Guadalajara, Mexico. https://www.slideshare.net/Downes/design-elements-in-a-personal-learning-environment-52303224
What makes an 'online course' different to an 'online learning community'?
a system that lets people compose structure
We all think in different ways, so a good system for learning should enable every learner to structure their learning environment uniquely.
A PLE can be entirely controlled or adapted by a student according to his or her formal and informal learning needs, however not all students possess the knowledge management and the self-regulatory skills to effectively use social media in order to customize a PLE to provide the learning experience they desire.
Teaching students to become self-regulated learners