title: The significance of personal learning environments (PLEs) in nursing education: Extending current conceptualizations.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Personal learning environments (PLEs) have been shown to be a critical part of how students negotiate and manage their own learning. Understandings of PLEs appear to be constrained by narrow definitions that focus primarily on technological engagement with a range of web tools and associated applications. This paper addresses a gap in the literature around PLEs for students currently enrolled in undergraduate nursing degrees.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To provide in-depth insights into how undergraduate students of nursing manage and experience their learning.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was an international multi-site qualitative study, utilizing focus groups. A schedule of 10 questions and nominal group techniques were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Whilst the focus groups took place in very different geographical locations, there were strong similarities in student understandings of effective PLEs. These went well beyond current technological definitions. Findings were organized into three major themes; technologies, learning modalities and influencing factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We propose a broader understanding of PLEs that acknowledges individual personal and cultural contexts which we call the personally significant learning environment (PSLE). There is a need for greater investigation of how students understand and systematize their PSLE.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This paper and our findings will be of interest to educators, researchers and institutions for developing appropriate frameworks that may maximize learning outcomes, encourage cultural sensitivities and facilitate greater understandings of how to support students to create appropriate PSLEs.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, NSW 2500, Australia. Electronic address: Cpatters@uow.edu.au.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Patterson
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, NSW 2500, Australia. Electronic address: moiras@uow.edu.au.
authors.forename: Moira
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stephens
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong. Electronic address: vico.chiang@polyu.edu.hk.
authors.forename: Vico
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Chiang
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Faculty of Health and Wellbeing, Canterbury Christ Church University, North Holmes Road, Canterbury, Kent CT1 1QU, United Kingdom. Electronic address: ann.price@canterbury.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Ann M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Price
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Health and Social Care, Robert Gordon University, Garthdee Road, Aberdeen AB10 7QG, United Kingdom. Electronic address: f.work@rgu.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Work
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Professions, Dalhousie University, PO Box 15000 5869 University Avenue, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada. Electronic address: erna.snelgrove-clarke@dal.ca.
authors.forename: Erna
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Snelgrove-Clarke
mesh_terms: D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction; D003210:Concept Formation; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013338:Students, Nursing
keywords: Learning and teaching; Nursing education; Personal learning environment; Personally significant learning environment; Undergraduate nursing