Factors that impact social networking in online self-regulated learning activities
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Factors that impact social networking in online self‑regulated learning activities Xiaohua Yu1 · Charles Xiaoxue Wang2 · J. Michael Spector3 Accepted: 3 October 2020 © Association for Educational Communications and Technology 2020
Abstract Among the literature on self-regulated learning and social networking, the studies, which explore the impact of social networks on learning regarding connection sizes and relationship-establishing factors, are rarely seen in the context of social networking among strangers. This descriptive study addresses the gap by exploring data from 468 Chinese junior high school graduates in an online learning resource platform with an integrated social network. The data is digitally generated when the graduates engaged in online self-regulated learning activities for an average of 36 days without any facilitations. The data analysis explores the connection sizes and types of follow links, types of self-regulated learners, and their relationship with lesson completion. The study reveals that social networks trigger different levels of learning engagement. Specifically, the graduates with bidirectional follow links and the optimal connection size of five complete more lessons than other graduates. The study also finds that academic factors (similar learning goals and achievement gaps) are more important than social factors (common identity) in establishing social connections to support self-regulated learning activities. These findings have direct implications for the design of social networking that facilitates self-regulated learning, and enhances students’ self-regulated learning efficacy in online learning environments. Keywords Follow links · Learning analytics · Learning engagement · Online learning · Resource platform · Self-regulated learning · Social networking
* Xiaohua Yu [email protected] Charles Xiaoxue Wang [email protected] J. Michael Spector [email protected] 1
Faculty of Education, Department of Education Information Technology, East China Normal University, 3663 North Zhongshan Road, Shanghai, China
2
College of Education, Florida Gulf Coast University, 10501 FGCU Boulevard South, Fort Myers, Florida 33965‑6565, USA
3
Department of Learning Technologies, College of Information, University of North Texas, 3940 N. Elm St., Suite G 150, Denton, TX 76207, USA
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X. Yu et al.
Introduction In this digital age, the explosion of information and advancement of technology require people to learn continuously and perform effectively as active learners. Self-regulated learning is regarded as a good method to stay informed and current with an ever-changing world. Self-regulated learning refers to personal control and self-regulation over one’s own learning activities, such as planning for a learning task, monitoring actions to achieve objectives. However, feeling isolated because of a lack of social interactions has always been a formidable barrier for online learning (Muilenburg and Berge 2005). To address this barrier and facilitate online lear
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