A PLE or Personal Learning Environment is a freely assembled ecosystem consisting of any set of communication and collaboration channels, cloud resources, Web apps and social media that enables learner agency in creating educational pathways to achieve learning, work, and life goals and allows access to a much broader learning ecosystem that includes non-traditional classes, learning resources, and education providers such as MOOCs, bootcamps, and Open Educational Resources (OER) as well as on-the-job training and informal learning. By empowering learners to freely and strategically design their own learning episodes or journeys through PLEs and supporting seamless transitions between a learner’s PLE and the broader learning ecosystem, we will generate a more open and distributed learning environment that benefits all education stakeholders, helps to address 21st century skills gaps, and creates opportunities for lifelong learning and recognition of skills developed in different learning episodes in diverse contexts.
Our facilitator for the evening is Dr. Nada Dabbagh, Professor and Director of the Division of Learning Technologies in the College of Education and Human Development at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia.
Nada Dabbagh, Ph.D., is Professor and Director of the Division of Learning Technologies in the College of Education and Human Development at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. Dr. Dabbagh teaches graduate courses in instructional design, eLearning pedagogy, cognition and technology, and innovations in learning technologies in the Instructional Design and Technology (IDT) Master’s program and the Learning Technologies Design Research (LTDR) PhD program of the Division of Learning Technologies, and the Chief Learning Officer (CLO) executive education program. Her research explores the pedagogical ecology of technology mediated learning environments with the goal of understanding the social and cognitive consequences of learning systems design. Specific research areas include personal learning environments (PLEs), problem-based learning (PBL), affordance based design, and supporting student self-regulation in online and blended learning. Dr. Dabbagh has an extensive publication record including five authored books and over 100 research papers and book chapters. She has also facilitated numerous learning technology design projects which led to award winning technology supported instructional materials.
For more information about Dr. Dabbagh, please visit http://cehd.gmu.edu/people/faculty/ndabbagh/
Please note: Programs begin at 6:00 with informal networking and refreshments until around 6:20 when the evening's formal program begins. Programs end at 8:00. We provide light snacks and bottled water. Attendees are encouraged to bring light meals with them, such as sandwiches, wraps or salads. There are several limited service eating establishments within a few blocks of Founders Hall that offer such fare. There is also a limited service restaurant in the lobby of Founders Hall.
If you register and are no longer able to attend, please send an email to cop_instructional_design@dcatd.org.
Venue: George Mason University Arlington Campus, Founders Hall, 3351 Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA. (Room 207)
Directions to Founders Hall:
From Washington, DC:
Cross over the Roosevelt Bridge; follow signs to the George Washington Parkway. Once on the parkway, exit at Spout Run (left exit). Cross over Route 29 (Lee Highway). Spout Run is now Kirkwood Road. Cross over Washington Boulevard. Founders Hall is on the right, at North Fairfax Drive.
From I-66 heading east:
Exit I-66 at Glebe Road/Fairfax Drive (exit 71). The exit ramp turns into Fairfax Drive. After traveling one mile on North Fairfax Drive, you will see the FDIC building on the left. Founders Hall is past the FDIC building.
*Note: All eastbound lanes of I-66 inside the Beltway are restricted to HOV-2 from 6:30 am to 9:00 am and all westbound lanes of I-66 inside the Beltway are restricted to HOV-2 from 4:00 pm to 6:30 pm.
From I-66 heading west:
Exit I-66 at Glebe Road (exit 71). Turn left onto Washington Boulevard. Stay on Washington Boulevard until you pass the Giant Supermarket; then turn right onto Kirkwood Road. Founders Hall is on the right, at North Fairfax Drive.
*Note: All eastbound lanes of I-66 inside the Beltway are restricted to HOV-2 from 6:30 am to 9:00 am and all westbound lanes of I-66 inside the Beltway are restricted to HOV-2 from 4:00 pm to 6:30 pm.
From I-395:
Exit I-395 at Glebe Road North. Continue on Glebe Road, passing Ballston Common Mall on the right. Cross over Wilson Boulevard, then turn right onto Fairfax Drive. After one mile you will see the FDIC building on the left. Founders Hall is past the FDIC building.
From Fairfax and Points West, via Route 50:
Go east on Route 50 (Arlington Blvd.). Exit at Glebe Road, and turn left on Glebe. Turn right on Fairfax Drive. The Arlington Campus is one mile down on North Fairfax Drive, past the FDIC building, on the left.
Please note: Paid visitor garage parking is available onsite at Founders Hall as is limited street parking outside the building. We do not provide validation for attendees who park in the visitor garage.
By Metro:
Take the Orange Line to the Virginia Square/GMU station. The Arlington Campus is approximately 2 blocks Take the escalator to the street level, and turn to face Fairfax Drive. Across the street and to the right, you will see the FDIC building. Cross the street and continue past the FDIC building. Founders Hall is on the left.