Learners on the periphery: lurkers as invisible learners

Lurkers, who are also known as silent learners, observers, browsers, read-only participants, vicarious learners, free-riders, witness learners, or legitimate peripheral participants (our preferred term), tend to be hard to track in a course because of their near invisibility. We decided to address this issue and to examine the perceptions that lurkers have of their behaviour by looking at one specific online learning course: CLMOOC. In order to do this, we used a mixed methods approach and collected our data via social network analysis, online questionnaires, and observations, including definitions from the lurkers of what they thought lurking was. We then analysed the data by using social network and content analyses and interpreted the research findings using the concept Community of Practice, with the Pareto Principle used to delimit types of learner. Our research findings revealed that lurking is a complex behaviour, or set of behaviours, and there isn’t one sole reason why lurkers act the ways that they do in their respective communities. We concluded that for a more participatory community the more active, experienced or visible community members could develop strategies to encourage lurkers to become more active and to make the journey from the periphery to the core of the community

Getting on the E List: E-Mail Use in a Community of Service Provider

This case examines how a community of organizations providing service to people experiencing homelessness made use of an electronic mail list. Current economic conditions have encouraged organizations in various sectors—including nonprofits—that might normally compete for scarce resources to collaborate with one another to increase their chances of survival. One set of tools likely to be of value in such relationships includes various online discussion technologies. An examination of this community’s email list use over a three-year period suggests a somewhat complex picture regarding technology use. More specifically, some issues both constrain and enable use. Additionally, seemingly basic and minimal uses of the list provided not only the greatest functionality for the users, but also led to several unanticipated consequences for those involved

Rethinking lurking

No abstract available

The Decision to Share Information and Rumors: Examining the Role of Motivation in an Online Discussion Forum

The focus of this study is to examine the motivations of online community members to share information and rumors. We investigated an online community of interest, the members of which voluntarily associate and communicate with people with similar interests. Community members, posters and lurkers alike, were surveyed on the influence of extrinsic and intrinsic motivations, as well as normative influences, on their willingness to share information and rumors with others. The results indicated that posters and lurkers are differently motivated by intrinsic factors to share, and that extrinsic rewards like improved reputation and status-building within the community are motivating factors for rumor mongering. The results are discussed and future directions for this area of research are offered

EFFECTS OF VIRTUAL COMMUNITIES ON PURCHASING DECISION-MAKING: THE MODERATING ROLE OF INFORMATION ACTIVITIES

Marketing professionals gradually utilize virtual communities as a new media for affecting sales by spreading information about brand, quality, price, experience, effectiveness, etc. Studies related to this subject usually focus on influence of electronic word of mouth and posters’ opinions on product choice. Lack of considering passive participants and natures of virtual community induces our interest. For comprehensively understanding every participant’s attitude toward information in virtual communities, we classified members based on their activities of posting, viewing and accepting information. According to the classification, we further explore comparative importance of antecedents regarding to members’ intention to adopt information for purchasing decision-making in variant groups. Data was collected by questionnaires and actual number of posting behaviors. Results show that the importance of economic, relational and social factors varies from different groups. Information shoppers, who browse most information and rarely post messages, view relational and social factors as main contributors toward intention to adopting information as a decision aid. Advice seekers, who expect to get effective recommendations and rarely post messages, think relational factors is a major determinant. Advice providers, who are primary posters and seldom accepting others’ opinions, think economic and social factors are important to intention of adopting information

Rethinking lurking

No abstract available

Motivations for Using Information for Decision making in Virtual Communities The Moderating Effects of Usage Behavior

Virtual communities are increasingly being viewed as important shopping reference groups and are being used as a new medium for affecting sales. In virtual communities, individuals generally exchange product information with others. This information guides members on the best products and where to buy them. We investigated the motivation behind virtual community members’ decision to use information when they inspire more individuals to join shopping reference groups and influence product sales. Most previous research on this subject has emphasized the influence of electronic word of mouth and the posters’ opinions regarding product choice. We further developed this idea by examining the various perspectives that are part of virtual communities’ nature vis-à-vis members’ activities of posting, viewing, and accepting information.We also explored the comparative importance of motivating factors behind members’intentions to use information for purchase-related decision making in different groups from three perspectives: the social exchange theory, gratifications theory, and the information adoption model. We collected data through an online survey and by examining respondents’ actual posting behaviors. We showed that the importance of economic, relational, and social factors differs among groups. “Information browsers” mostly browse through information, rarely post messages, and consider relational and social factors as the main contributors to using information for decision making. “Information consumers” expect effective information, rarely post messages,and consider relational factors as a major determinant. “Information providers,” the primary posters, seldom accept others’ opinions and consider economic and social factors important for the intention of using information for decision making. Available at: https://aisel.aisnet.org/pajais/vol4/iss1/2

Are They All The Same? Lurkers and Posters on The Net

Contemporary trends aim to shift the majority of services offered online. While expectations are very high that people will engage, learn and communicate via the Internet not everyone does and not all technologically designed services are successful. Little is known about online behaviour. This paper adds to the knowledge about two online behavioural groups, Lurkers and Posters by identifying two categories within each of these groups. The two types of Lurkers identified were categorised as Passive and Active Lurkers while the two types of Posters identified have been categorised as either Initial or Responding Posters. This information is valuable as educators and other service providers need to understand who is using their online services and how they might need to modify their service to achieve the best outcomes for their organisation and the clients