Personal e-learning environment of a mathematics teacher

Abstract

This paper is aimed at creating a model of a Personal e-Learning Environment (PLE) of a University Mathematics teacher. A special emphasis is put on the analysis of the approaches to understanding the notion Personal e-Learning Environment (PLE) and studies into creating a PLE model. The Deductive Content Analysis of the research papers and other academic sources in this article allowed defining the structure of the PLE model of University Mathematics teachers. The authors of the present paper see the bottom line of the modelling process as giving content to the PLE according to the types of teaching activities, which Mathematics teachers do to perform the Instructive, Cognitive, Designing, Planning, Social, Managerial roles. With the help of The Inductive Content Analysis Method the researchers in this paper analysed the data on ranking web-services. The data were taken from the web-resources and helped to select web 2.0 tools, which can be used to give content to the PLE. The conducted research made it possible to conclude that the idea to develop a PLE model of a teacher is based on such factors as the ranking of web-tools, IK competency of a teacher and his/her willingness to develop professionally. The authors of the present article assessed the answers of the academic staff at Ukrainian Universities concerning their level of awareness about using web-tools in teaching. The analysis of the results proved the insufficient level of such awareness and justified the relevance of designing an on-line course in order to support a Mathematics teacher in creating and using Personal e-Learning Environment.