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Motivating learner engagement in online environments: the relevance of social exchange theory
Hazel HallSchool of Computing
Aptitude and willingness to share information
Crucial to learning
In all environments levels of sharing impact, for example Knowledge transfer Knowledge (or information in may cases) storage Further sharing New knowledge creation
In educational environment - learningIn business environment - product/services development
Social exchange theory as a suitable theoretical framework?
Corporate environment 2001 – discussed elsewhere Large, distributed, information-intensive multinational organisation More evidence of exchange per se than social exchange
Non-corporate environment 2007 – discussed here University Stronger evidence of applicability of social exchange
Exchange theory
Economic resources are bought and sold
Deals are subject to contractual obligations
Resources exchanged for currency
Purchaser choices made from a range of options normally according to which offers the best value for the lowest cost
Exchange structures
Direct/restricted Expectation of reciprocation between 2 parties
Generalised Trading across group members Paths of reciprocation difficult to define
Productive Individuals engage in exchange for the purposes of achieving a joint
output
Social exchange theory
Shares characteristics with exchange theory Trading of goods by individuals and groups of people in range of
exchange structures (direct/restricted, generalised, productive)
PLUS Actors share social bonds Actors maintain high levels of trust Actors known to one another through long-term, dependent
relationships Resources exchanged may be more highly valued than market
cost Mutual obligation of trading partners is often ill-defined
Social exchange theory & social sciences
Anthropology Practices of gift-giving
Behavioural psychology Learning process
Sociology Power relationships
SET and information systems research
Studies that demonstrate relevance of concepts of social exchange, but without direct acknowledgement
Collaborative software development Decision-support systems in healthcare environments
Studies that use SET with limited discussion of information and knowledge sharing
Knowledge/information exchange and innovation processes Knowledge/information exchange and success of outsourcing projects
Studies that make explicit reference to SET Open source communities Success/failure of strategic alliances between firms
SET and information science research
Scholarly communication Social process depending on relationships built through research
communities and invisible colleges
Processes of scholarship Productive exchange
Citation analysis Social connectivity of researchers and the importance of levels of
trust
Acknowledgements Form of gift-giving
Non-corporate environment 2007
49 student members of a third year undergraduate module
Blogging environment as a focus for information/knowledge sharing activity through comments on main blog entries
Minimal intervention on part of tutors
Requirement to contribute 2 comments per week, i.e. dependent relationship for marks (plus peer support)
Expectation that social exchange theory may be applicable in this environment?
Primary data sets
Main blog entries (all students) Reflections on information sharing in this environment Stated motivations for participation
Comments on main blog entries (all students) Actual exchanges Reciprocation where evident Patterns of direct exchange
(Limited) interview data (3)
Survey of student ties (35 respondents) Friends, acquaintances, strangers (problems of designation)
Student “proximity” data (all students) Programme, tutorial group, course work team (only official data)
Influences on information exchange
Existing relationships (35 students 595 pairs)
Desire to reciprocate
Rewards: soft and hard
Habit of exchange engendered in the developing online environment
Influences on information exchange
Existing relationships (35 students 595 pairs)
Desire to reciprocate
Rewards: soft and hard
Habit of exchange engendered in the developing online environment
Which dominate?Could social exchange theory explain information sharing in this case?
Which dominate?Could social exchange theory explain information sharing in this case?
Relationships and reciprocation
Friends Acquaintances Strangers
None 48 94 96
Little - no pattern 27 6 4
Some - pattern 2 0 0
Much - strong pattern 23 0 0
Total 100 100 100
Figures represent the percentage of student pairs in samples of “agreed” levels of friendship: F=44 (all), A=17 (all), S=45 (sample).
Reciprocation = A comments on B’s blog and B comments on A’s blog at any point during the delivery of the module.
Relationships and comment contributions
The only comments I have received are from people that I know and I think it is the same for other students. I do the same as well. I only send comments to people I know.
The only comments I have received are from people that I know and I think it is the same for other students. I do the same as well. I only send comments to people I know.
I have tried to comment on as many blogs as possible. However, it is so much easier to comment on my friends’ blogs since I understand their thinking better.
I have tried to comment on as many blogs as possible. However, it is so much easier to comment on my friends’ blogs since I understand their thinking better.
In the first week I posted comments only to on French students’ blogs (my friends) to get comments from them on my own blog.
In the first week I posted comments only to on French students’ blogs (my friends) to get comments from them on my own blog.
Relationships and reciprocation
Friends Acquaintances Strangers
None 48 94 96
Little - no pattern 27 6 4
Some - pattern 2 0 0
Much - strong pattern 23 0 0
Total 100 100 100
Students established as friends were more likely to reciprocate than those who were not. Analysis of “proximity” data showed that the friendships that exhibited the highest level of reciprocation activity were between students on the same degree and in the same tutorial group (and, in some cases, the same course work team).
Other motivations: reciprocation per se
[I am] a bit disappointed with the turn-out of comments on my blog site as I tried to harass people to post comments but I guess it didn’t work... If I posted more on other people’s blogs, perhaps I would have gotten a few more comments.
[I am] a bit disappointed with the turn-out of comments on my blog site as I tried to harass people to post comments but I guess it didn’t work... If I posted more on other people’s blogs, perhaps I would have gotten a few more comments.
One thing I do feel is that when someone comments on my blog I feel obliged… to comment [on theirs].
One thing I do feel is that when someone comments on my blog I feel obliged… to comment [on theirs].
A gift economy?A gift economy?
Other motivations: reputation, fame, status
I was more likely to comment on blogs which I found particularly interesting, reflective and thought-provoking… which were a little lengthier, and it was clear that the person had put some time into thinking about their responses.
I was more likely to comment on blogs which I found particularly interesting, reflective and thought-provoking… which were a little lengthier, and it was clear that the person had put some time into thinking about their responses.
We were all aware that everyone was meant to comment on another two blog entries. Therefore you didn’t want to be seen as the one who had been left out, or less popular… receiving a comment almost acted as a stamp of approval. It was rewarding to know that the blog had actually been read by someone [and] the time and effort to write the blog entries had been worthwhile.
We were all aware that everyone was meant to comment on another two blog entries. Therefore you didn’t want to be seen as the one who had been left out, or less popular… receiving a comment almost acted as a stamp of approval. It was rewarding to know that the blog had actually been read by someone [and] the time and effort to write the blog entries had been worthwhile.
Other motivations: hard reward
I definitely don’t think I would have created blogs and posted comments had it not been part of the course work specification.
I definitely don’t think I would have created blogs and posted comments had it not been part of the course work specification.
I did try to get a good mark with my blog, but I also tried to make a blog which was different.
I did try to get a good mark with my blog, but I also tried to make a blog which was different.
3 levels of participation1. Conscious of mark, yet still making an effort: information exchange worth
more than the mark alone.2. Reluctant participation, with eye on mark3. Minimal effort
Local inhibitors of information sharing
Technical infrastructure Late arrival student difficulties Individual system set-up
Deadlines for uploading of main blog entries Definition of “end of the week”
Local inhibitors of information sharing
Technical infrastructure Late arrival student difficulties Individual system set-up
Deadlines for uploading of main blog entries Definition of “end of the week”
Both practical problems with the module and issues that impact the research outcomes.
Both practical problems with the module and issues that impact the research outcomes.
Hard reward versus social incentives
Proximity Socially motivated exchange
Friendship
Reciprocation
Hard rewards
Soft rewards
Conclusions and implications
Reward appears to be important Importance of local context in explaining information sharing in
online environments Care required in setting up such environments, e.g. promotion of
inclusion in educational settings, handling markers of “fame”
Organisational complexities make it difficult to isolate factors of influence in this kind of study
Incomplete data a particular problem, e.g. strength of pre-existing social ties, “proximity” data in student study
Scope for further research