Ray Sims has compiled a good list of resources on Personal Learning Environments (PLE). A quick view of PLEs as a learning method is presented by Graham Attwell.
There are many dimensions to PLE and this thought has yet a long way to evolve. It provides us another way to look at how we can learn best with the abundance of Web 2.0 technology and Social Networking.
It has always been my belief that learners want to control their learning and this is even more pronounced as a behavior when they have technology to work with. My concern for now is the focus of PLEs on learning with and through the technologies. I shall continue my search. I know these have been asked and answered by many others.
Ray Jimenez, PhD
Vignettes Learning
“Helping Learners Learn Their Way”