Are You Listening?: Social Roles and Perceived Value of Statements in Online Learning Communities

Abstract

An important part of learning is interactions with peers, mentors, teaching assistants and the instructor. Discussions and group work allow for interactive learning and deeper understanding of class concepts. Online learning environments struggle to replicate this process. This is especially true when the scale of an online class is increased. In order to address this issue a few MOOCs solicit teaching assistants to answer questions, and through their social position, help set academic standards in discussion forums. However, little is know about how different social roles influence the attribution of value to statements in these environments. This study demonstrates that the attitudes expressed by individuals in facilitating roles influence the acceptance of information shared in a discussion board setting.