Following the example of Martin Weller, I compiled a mind map showing my own personal learning environment:

It actually got a lot more extensive than I had expected. It’s surprising how many devices one quickly gathers around oneself, even if – as I am – one is very strict and only uses absolutely necessary services and tools.

When I was reading this week’s OU texts by Weller and Sclater, I always felt there was too much internet, too much Web 2.0 in the different discussions about personal learning environments. Despite being online practically all the time, I didn’t want to neglect tools installed on my computer such as Microsoft Word or Hot Potatoes who heavily contribute to my PLE / personal working environment. But as I compiled the mindmap above, I learned that most services I am using are actually really based on the internet. To show the amount of online and offline tools, I coloured their frames red (for online services) or blue (for offline tools).

Not all of the applications listed in the mindmap can be used well to do work collaboratively; some are just there to backup my own important information (such as Evernote). Some tools allow collaborative work but I haven’t used them in that way – like del.icio.us, Mahara or Mindmeister. You really have to have a critical mass of colleagues also using these tools to have the chance to do things together. If everyone favours their own portfolio or mindmapping suite, there’ll be little chance for collaboration. The various Google applications, despite being controversial in terms of data collection, might have the most potential due to the number of people using Google to organise their lives.

I have constantly tried to go mobile wherever possible. Since I got my mobile internet connection as a free goodie with my mobile plan, I have participated much more in Twitter or Facebook, for example, now being able to make most of these services since I can update my status in real-time when I’m doing something more or less important. :) (for my friends and me, at least!)