On lurking: Multiple perspectives on lurking within an educational community

Bozkurt, A., Koutropoulos, A., Singh, L. and Honeychurch, S. (2020) On lurking: Multiple perspectives on lurking within an educational community. Internet and Higher Education, 44, 100709. (doi: 10.1016/j.iheduc.2019.100709)

Abstract

Lurkers, or as defined in this research, Legitimate Peripheral Participants (LPPs), have been a fundamental aspect of online communities and more research is needed to better understand them. This paper, therefore, examines lurkers in a mixed-method study through the lenses of Transactional Distance, Interaction Types, and Self-Determination Theory and aims to identify their defining features. The findings show that the degree of engagement of any particular LPP is influenced by different aspects of distance and interaction. Time, as an external factor, and lack of interest, as an internal factor, emerge to be the most influential considerations; but a combination of these factors can also lead learners to be an LPP. Characteristic words to define LPPs seem to be ones that have positive connotations and indicate that LPPs learn through less active and visible methods than other learners.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: The research is supported by Anadolu University Scientific Research Projects Commission under the grant no: 1805E123 and 1905E079.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Honeychurch, Dr Sarah
• Authors: Bozkurt, A., Koutropoulos, A., Singh, L., and Honeychurch, S.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > Adam Smith Business School
• Journal Name: Internet and Higher Education
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 1096-7516
• ISSN (Online): 1873-5525
• Published Online: 14 November 2019
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2019 Elsevier
• First Published: First published in Internet and Higher Education 44:100709
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher

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