Towards learner-constructed e-learning environments for effective personal learning experiences

Whilst a lot of research has been carried out on designing learning environments to meet the needs of learners, much of such research has focused on producing less flexible ready-made environments for learners to interact with. However, e-learning design and development could benefit from the lessons of the interaction of users with mobile devices, where users interact by selecting applications (Apps) they are interested in and hence engage with the device in an addictive way. By transposing the same interaction idea to the e-learning environment, if given the opportunity, learners will construct an environment that meets their needs with the tools that are available and hence will be motivated to engage more with such environment, possibly leading to improved performance. This article proposes FAUCLE (Flexible and Accessible User Constructed Learning Environment), a learner-centred model for a learner-constructed learning environment. It is hoped that this paper will encourage research interest on innovative ways of designing learner-centred learning environments that encourage active and inclusive learning.