Lurking: A New Learning Style?

Jennifer Freeman , UT System TeleCampus

Michael Anderson , UT System TeleCampus

• Interactivity is the heart of my course• But some students aren’t posting• Yet they’re mastering the concepts!• Can students learn without interacting?

My Course Is Interactive

What is Lurking?

• A “lurker” receives online communications without contributing

• An estimated 90% of internet users are lurkers• 50% in an educational setting

lurk - a : to lie in wait in a place of concealment especially for an evil purpose b: to move furtively or inconspicuously c : to persist in staying- Merriam-Webster

• Negative connotations…new term needed?

Is Lurking a Bad Thing?• Are lurkers just being lazy?• Lurking seems “anti-interactive”• Lurking makes it difficult to measure or grade

students’ participation• Are lurkers “robbing” their peers of student-

student interaction?• Do lurkers feel isolated?

Lurkers Speak Out“I lurk because I hate to type … It feels like

a lot of meaning and immediacy gets lost in the process.”

“Sometimes I don't post because so many others find their voices before I can get my own responses together & coherent.”

“…if I posted more, I'd miss some great stuff due to time constraints…”

Lurkers Speak Out“…as a new user it seems all too easy to

make 'dumb mistakes' so it seems safer just to be quiet until the interface is more familiar.”

‘I often find it difficult to enter the fray when the conversation seems to be dominated so much by a few individuals…”

“I definitely remember the disappointment at not getting any response at all to my first few posts.”

Why Are They Lurking? Problems We Can Address

Provide detailed instructions; provide technical support

Provide social areas; encourage the newly de-lurked; provide “greeters”, mentoring and prompt feedback

At least one easy, non-threatening topic to get started; provide surveys or rating activities; periodically create low-stress opportunities for posting

Management of threads; disable all but the current topic of conversation

Be sure that everyone adheres to basic netiquette; quickly censure aggressive or inappropriate posts

• Tools difficult to use and/or internet issues

• New to online communication

• Don’t feel welcome• Time constraints• Pace of conversation• Information overload

Why Are They Lurking? Because They Prefer It

• Shyness• Need to process and reflect• Fear of commitment• Linear thinking• Language issues• Writing issues• Pace of conversation

Traditional Learning Styles

• VARK – Fleming & Mills (visual, auditory, read/write, kinesthetic)

• Myers-Briggs (introvert/extrovert)

• Multiple Intelligences - Gardner (visual, verbal, logical, kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal)

• ILS – Felder & Soloman (active/reflective, sensing/intuitive, visual/verbal, sequential/global)

Attributes of LurkersFound in Established Learning Styles

• Reflection and listening (ILS)

• Introversion vs. extroversion (Myers-Briggs)

• Sequential vs. global learning (ILS)

• Intrapersonal traits (Gardner)

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Informal Study

Lurking as a Learning StyleRespecting the Lurker

• Differing levels and methods of interaction and

participation are valid and to be expected

• Forcing students into an uncomfortable situation may

decrease achievement, satisfaction and motivation

• Lurking as cognitive apprenticeship

• Giving back to the learning community doesn’t have to

be in the original forum

Benefits of Accepting Lurkers

• Lurkers haven’t “invested in” an opinion, and can present

a new point of view and raise new questions

• Lurkers are at the edges of the community and can

make connections, build bridges

• Student achievement, satisfaction and motivation are

increased

New Labels for Lurkers

• Read-only participants (Williams)

• Peripheral participants (McDonald)

• Peeps

• Observers

• Vicarious participants

• Listeners

Listener Activities?

Activities for Listeners

Topic summaries

Use the course statistics

Require thread summaries (you’ll know they’re reading!)

Anonymous posting; avatars

Activities for Listeners

Surveys; rating systems

Case studies

Learning Logs

Portfolios

Literature review

Group project (researcher role)

Determine strengths and assign alternate tasks

http://www.engr.ncsu.edu/learningstyles/ilsweb.html

http://www.oswego.edu/plsi/taketest.htm

http://www.learning-styles-online.com/

Suggestions for Learning Styles

References“Are You a Lurker?” Online discussion. [http://www.well.com/conf/vc/16.html]

Felder, R. M. and B.A. Soloman. Learning Styles and Strategies.

[http://www.ncsu.edu/felder-public/ILSdir/styles.htm]

Fleming, N.D. and C. Mills. VARK: A Guide to Learning Styles. 1992.

“Involving Lurkers in Online Discussions.” Teaching OntheNet. LERN.

[http://www.teachingonthenet.org/articles/involvingLurkers.htm]

“Learning Styles.” Teaching and Learning With Technology. Penn State.

[http://tlt.its.psu.edu/suggestions/research/learning_styles.shtml]

McDonald, Jacquie. “Let’s Get More Positive About the Term ‘Lurker’.” CPSquare Class Project. July 2003.

[http://www.groups-that-work.com/GTWedit/GTW/lurkerprojectcopworkshopspring03rev.pdf]

Nonnecke, B. and J. Preece and D. Andrews. “The Top Five Reasons for Lurking: Improving Community

Experiences for Everyone.” Computers in Human Behavior. 2,1.

Soroka, Vladimir and Sheizaf Rafaeli. “Invisible Participants: How Cultural Capital Relates to Lurking

Behavior.” IBM Haifa Research Lab. [http://www2006.org/programme/files/xhtml/1018/p1018-soroka-

xhtml.html]

Vinson, Jack. “Lurking Builds Commonality.” Blog entry.

[http://blog.jackvinson.com/archives/2004/02/06/lurking_builds_commonality.html]

Williams, Bill. “Participation in Online Courses: How Essential is It?” Setubal Polytechnic, Portugal.

Jennifer FreemanMichael Anderson