Sibren Fetter

Lurking: a challenge or a fruitful strategy? A comparison between lurkers and active participants in an online corporate community of practice

For todays organisations to obtain competitive advantages, online corporate communities of practice (CoPs) are indispensable. However, often the majority of its participants does not post content; they lurk. We explore four different perspectives on why people lurk; that is free-riding, legitimate peripheral participation, microlearning, and knowledge sharing barriers, and analyses whether and why they are detrimental or fruitful for the knowledge management process. To gain insight in the reasons for people to lurk, we conducted a study comparing lurkers and active participants of an online corporate CoP in the light of the perspectives as presented above. First, the results of this study indicate that lurkers use the obtained knowledge on the job and therefore cannot simply be considered free-riders. Second, study results suggest that lurkers use lurking as a learning strategy, which confirms the microlearning hypothesis. Last, the results of this study indicate that knowledge sharing barriers can enhance lurking and might be detrimental for the knowledge management process.

Personal profiles: enhancing social interaction in learning networks

A film information communication apparatus comprising a picture reading mechanism for reading information recorded in a photosensitive emulsion layer, in a photographic film including a photosensitive emulsion layer and a magnetic recording layer, a magnetic recording and reading mechanism for reading information recorded in the magnetic recording layer, a film information reading mechanism for reading information recorded in other portion of the film than the photosensitive emulsion layer and magnetic recording layer, and a cornmuniction control mechanism for outputting the information for printing read out by each reading mechanism. According to the communication apparatus of the present invention, the case of the existing printing apparatus incapable of reading the magnetic information on the film, photographic printing can be executed by communication of the printing information output from the communication apparatus, only by modifying the control beard of the memory control device in the printing apparatus.

A survey on social network sites to determine requirements for learning networks for professional development of university staff

Learning networks – online social networks where the learner is put central – are well suited for the non-formal professional development of academic staff. Our assumption is that learning networks can build on social network sites. Social network sites are becoming very popular and are very effective in connecting people, allowing exchange and sharing of all kinds of information and resources. Therefore, we designed a survey to explore the use and perception of social network sites among academic staff and to relate this to the functionalities required for learning networks for professional development. The survey results indicate that a learning network should cater for the desired social aspects along with facilities to organise and maintain resources and contacts.

Fostering online social capital through peer-support

Fostering social capital in online learning networks is essential for networked learning. Peer-support through so-called ad hoc transient groups AHTGs can help to socialise the network. A user-centric qualitative experiment was carried out to gauge the effect of AHTGs on social capital. Participants, who had access to AHTGs and a forum, were asked to fill in questionnaires and to participate in email interviews. The results confirm the hypothesis that participants believe the use of AHTGs will positively affect all aspects of social capital, except strengthening existing relationships. The participants viewed the AHTGs and the forum that was provided as sufficiently distinct from each other that these interaction environments could coexist and be mutually beneficial.

How to Trigger Emergence and Self-Organisation in Learning Networks

The original publication is available at www.springerlink.com. Brouns, F., Fetter, S., & Van Rosmalen, P. (2009). How to trigger emergence and self-organisation in Learning Networks. In R. Koper (Ed.), Learning Network Services for Professional Development (pp. 57-72). Berlin, Germany: Springer Verlag.