research-article

Investigating social and semantic user roles in MOOC discussion forums

Authors:

Tobias Hecking,

Irene-Angelica Chounta,

H. Ulrich HoppeAuthors Info & Claims

LAK '16: Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on Learning Analytics & Knowledge

Pages 198 - 207

https://doi.org/10.1145/2883851.2883924

Published: 25 April 2016 Publication History

Abstract

This paper describes the analysis of the social and semantic structure of discussion forums in massive open online courses (MOOCs) in terms of information exchange and user roles. To that end, we analyse a network of forum users based on information-giving relations extracted from the forum data. Connection patterns that appear in the information exchange network of forum users are used to define specific user roles in a social context. Semantic roles are derived by identifying thematic areas in which an actor seeks for information (problem areas) and the areas of interest in which an actor provides information to others (expertise). The interplay of social and semantic roles is analysed using a socio-semantic blockmodelling approach. The results show that social and semantic roles are not strongly interdependent. This indicates that communication patterns and interests of users develop simultaneously only to a moderate extent. In addition to the case study, the methodological contribution is in combining traditional blockmodelling with semantic information to characterise participant roles.

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Investigating social and semantic user roles in MOOC discussion forums

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cover image ACM Other conferences

LAK '16: Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on Learning Analytics & Knowledge

April 2016

567 pages

ISBN:9781450341905

DOI:10.1145/2883851

General Chairs:
Dragan Gašević
University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom
,
Grace Lynch
Society for Learning Analytics Research
,
Program Chairs:
Shane Dawson
University of South Australia
,
Hendrik Drachsler
University of the Netherlands
,
Carolyn Penstein Rosé
Carnegie Mellon University

Copyright © 2016 ACM.

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Published: 25 April 2016

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LAK '16: 6th International Conference on Learning Analytics and Knowledge

April 25 - 29, 2016

Edinburgh, United Kingdom

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LAK '16 Paper Acceptance Rate 36 of 116 submissions, 31%;

Overall Acceptance Rate 236 of 782 submissions, 30%

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