ERIC Number: EJ835190
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2009
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0047-2395
EISSN: N/A
Building Social Capital through Online Class Discussions: A Little Freedom Goes a Long Way
Schoenacher, Sheryl R.
Journal of Educational Technology Systems, v37 n3 p291-304 2008-2009
Online class discussions have been studied from many perspectives; however, the literature is lacking that shows instructors how to help online students build social capital. Social capital is an information asset that stems from the interaction between agents. This study examines how social capital can be fostered through online class discussions. When students have a little freedom to lead their own discussions, the results are that they gain much more than a passing grade. Students learn that interactions with their classmates can be a source of valuable information. They use these online discussion experiences to broaden their own knowledge base and use this opportunity to find solutions to problems in their personal work environment. Using conceptual analysis, online discussion postings covering three semesters of an online Management Information Systems course were analyzed and the results categorized using a 6-dimensional model of social capital in order to ascertain whether social capital was being formed. (Contains 4 tables.)
Descriptors: Instructional Effectiveness, Social Capital, Content Analysis, College Students, Web Sites, Electronic Learning, Computer Science Education, Educational Technology, Internet, Computer Mediated Communication, Asynchronous Communication, Management Information Systems
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: New York
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A