Title: Mapping Communities of Practice in Online Forums Using Social Network Analysis
Stream: Instructional Design and Learning Sciences
Presentation Type: Oral Presentation
Authors:
Bryce Kayanuma, Virginia Tech, United States
Rebecca Clark-Stallkamp, Virginia Tech, United States
Abstract:
The Canvas Learning Management System (LMS) is used in higher education institutions across the United States and internationally. Instructors and instructional designers spend countless hours designing courses in Canvas for online learning. While instructors and designers are often supported in the design and operation of Canvas by their own institutions, they also pursue informal learning avenues by conducting targeted searches online or accessing community forums. In approximately 2015, Instructure, the creator of Canvas LMS, launched an online community forum to assist instructors, designers, and students in using Canvas for learning. Commonly, participants solicit design and implementation advice, validate design practices and system performance, and participate in collaborative idea generation to develop existing Canvas LMS design skills. Lave and Wenger (1991) argue communities of practice (CoP) are all around us and we participate in them, or several of them, every day. CoPs are situated learning communities that provide informal apprenticeship learning in online networks. Predicated on joint enterprise, mutual engagement, and shared repertoires, Instructure seemingly qualifies as a supportive CoP. Using Instructure, this study analyzes online community forums to determine the degree to which the forum resembles a CoP. Using Social Network Analysis (SNA), the study aims to develop a proof of concept to use SNA methods to identify the development of role identity (i.e, peripheral, insider, outsider), the relationships (i.e., interactions between members), sentiments (i.e., supportive or unsupportive), and the longitudinal changes (i.e., evolving roles over time) within the CoP.
Conference Comments & Feedback
Place a comment using your LinkedIn profileShare this Presentation
Comments
Powered by WP LinkPress