Preservice teachers’ attitudes toward Web 2.0 personal learning environments (PLEs): Considering the impact of self-regulation and digital literacy

Web 2.0 Personal Learning Environments (PLEs) have been proposed as a new method to promote the use of Web 2.0 tools for learner-centered personal learning. However, few studies have examined students’ attitudes toward Web 2.0 PLEs or, more specifically, the factors influencing students’ positive attitudes or willingness toward Web 2.0 PLEs. This study investigates the effects of self-regulating capabilities (e.g., metacognition and time management), tool literacy, and information literacy on preservice teachers’ attitudes toward using Web 2.0 for constructing their PLEs. Participants included 137 undergraduate students in education at a large Midwestern university in the United States, who completed a survey focused on: (1) attitudes toward building a Web 2.0 PLE; (2) metacognitive self-regulation; (3) time and study environment; (4) tool literacy; and (5) information literacy. Results indicated that tool literacy and metacognitive self-regulating capabilities had predictive effects on preservice teachers’ attitudes regarding building PLEs with Web 2.0 tools. The findings of this research offer meaningful implications for researchers and educators about which essential competencies need to be fostered before students are asked to build their own Web 2.0 PLE.

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