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).

Proximity – friendship – information exchange

Proximity Socially motivated exchange

Friendship

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