The document analyzes discussion patterns in MOOCs on the FutureLearn platform to identify characteristics of conversations and different groups of social learners. Through cluster analysis, the researchers identified 7 groups of social learners with distinct commenting behaviors, including loners, repliers, initiators who do not reply to others, active social learners, and reluctant active social learners. The study aims to better understand how learners engage in discussions and the role of social learning in MOOCs.

1. Discussion Analytics:
Identifying Conversations and Social Learners
in FutureLearn MOOCs
Shi Min Chua, Caroline Tagg, Mike Sharples, Bart Rienties
Faculty of Wellbeing, Education and Language Studies
FutureLearn Workshop
13 March 2017

2. What are the
characteristics of
conversations in the
FutureLearn
discussions?
Research Question 1
It is not threaded!
it is a mess!

3. Are there different groups
of social learners with
distinctive commenting
behaviours?
Research Question 2
Learners just like to post, and
do not reply!
I never received a reply!!!

4. Conversations
●How learners achieve their conversation goals in the discussion,
while being constrained by the technological affordances of
computer-mediated communication (Herring, 2007)
●Turn-takings in conversations
●Interactional coherence
●Agreement/disagreement
●Use of Engagement Language:
●Monologic vs Dialogic
FutureLearn “Water Cooler”
And
“Discussion in Context”
Learning as Conversations
with oneself and others
(Laurillard, 2012)

5. The data…

6. Some Observations…

7. Some Observations…

8. 5 Types of Comments
PostsInitiating Post
Lone Post

9. 5 Types of Comments
Initiating Post
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Further Reply
Further Reply

10. 5 Types of Comments
●Reply
●Further Reply
●Initiator’s Reply
Initiating Post
Reply
Initiator’s Reply
Reply
Initiator’s Reply
Replies
Initiating Post
Reply
Reply
Reply

11. 5 Types of Comments
● RQ1: What are the characteristics
of conversations occurring in the
FutureLearn discussions?
• Initiating posts
• Lone posts
• Replies
• Initiator’s replies
• Further replies
Conversations
Social Learners
● RQ2: Are there different groups of
social learners with distinctive
commenting behaviours?
Course Steps

12. MOOC in this study
● Week 1: Inequality Explained
● Week 2: Pension
● Week 3: Housing
● Week 4: Individual and Collective Action
This free online course will explore the
growing concerns surrounding rising
inequalities in income and wealth in
developed countries.

13. Social Learners and Comments
Course
Week
Social Learners Comments
Week 1 516 2723
Week 2 370 2872
Week 3 294 2213
Week 4 270 2225
• 636 (33%) Social
Learners out of 1951
learners
• 171 contributed every
week
10033

14. 5 types of
Comments
Types Number of
Comments
%
Initiating Posts 1845 18%
Lone Posts 2612 26%
Replies 3871 39%
Initiator’s Replies 708 7%
Further Replies 997 10%
Total 10033 100%

15. From this…
1. Course Steps
2. Conversations
3. Social Learners
5 types of
Comments

16. 1. Course Steps

17. Histogram of 5 types
of comments based
on course steps

18. 2. Conversations

19. Conversations
Nature of the conversations Frequency %
Conversations with only 1 reply 705 38%
Conversations with more than 5 turns 247 13%
Conversations with at least 10 turns 72 4%
Conversations with at least 20 turns 15 1%
Conversations with initiator's replies, i.e., repeated
occurrence of the initiator
466 25%
Conversations with further replies, i.e., repeated
occurrence of replying learners
413 22%
Conversations with both initiator's replies and
further replies from others
207 11%
Conversations involving at least 5 unique
learners/educators
170 9%
Conversations involving at least 10 unique
learners/educators
12 1%
● RQ1: What are the characteristics
of conversations occurring in the
FutureLearn discussions?

20. 3. Social Learners

21. 3. Social Learners
● Cluster Analysis
● Count of their contribution of 5 types of comments
● Weekly count
● Likes and replies received
● Proportion between Post/Replies
● Contribution of 5 types of comments (Yes/No)
● Permutation and combination: 25 =32
● 14 combination is not possible, and 1 combination for non-social learners
● 17 possible combinations

22. 17  7 Groups of Social Learners
Initiating
post
Lone post Reply Further
reply
Initiator's
reply
Received
Replies?
Count Count 7 Groups of Social Learners
0 1 0 0 0 0 131
164 Loner0 1 1 0 0 0 14
0 0 1 0 0 0 19
0 0 1 0 0 1 40 40 Replier
1 0 0 0 0 1 41
114 Initiator without replying
1 1 0 0 0 1 73
1 0 0 0 1 1 11
37 Initiator who respond
1 1 0 0 1 1 26
1 1 1 1 1 1 91
178 Active Social Learner
1 0 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 0 1 27
1 1 1 0 1 1 51
1 0 1 1 0 1 7
1 0 1 0 1 1 1
1 1 1 0 0 1 75
98 Active social learners without turn-taking
1 0 1 0 0 1 23
0 1 1 1 0 1 5 5 Reluctant active social learners

23. 17  7 Groups of Social Learners
Initiating
post
Lone post Reply Further
reply
Initiator's
reply
Received
Replies?
Count Count 7 Groups of Social Learners
0 1 0 0 0 0 131
164 Loner0 1 1 0 0 0 14
0 0 1 0 0 0 19
0 0 1 0 0 1 40 40 Replier
1 0 0 0 0 1 41
114 Initiator without replying
1 1 0 0 0 1 73
1 0 0 0 1 1 11
37 Initiator who respond
1 1 0 0 1 1 26
1 1 1 1 1 1 91
178 Active Social Learner
1 0 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 0 1 27
1 1 1 0 1 1 51
1 0 1 1 0 1 7
1 0 1 0 1 1 1
1 1 1 0 0 1 75
98 Active social learners without turn-taking
1 0 1 0 0 1 23
0 1 1 1 0 1 5 5 Reluctant active social learners

24. 17  7 Groups of Social Learners
Initiating
post
Lone post Reply Further
reply
Initiator's
reply
Received
Replies?
Count Count 7 Groups of Social Learners
0 1 0 0 0 0 131
164 Loner0 1 1 0 0 0 14
0 0 1 0 0 0 19
0 0 1 0 0 1 40 40 Replier
1 0 0 0 0 1 41
114 Initiator without replying
1 1 0 0 0 1 73
1 0 0 0 1 1 11
37 Initiator who respond
1 1 0 0 1 1 26
1 1 1 1 1 1 91
178 Active Social Learner
1 0 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 0 1 27
1 1 1 0 1 1 51
1 0 1 1 0 1 7
1 0 1 0 1 1 1
1 1 1 0 0 1 75
98 Active social learners without turn-taking
1 0 1 0 0 1 23
0 1 1 1 0 1 5 5 Reluctant active social learners

25. 17  7 Groups of Social Learners
Initiating
post
Lone post Reply Further
reply
Initiator's
reply
Received
Replies?
Count Count 7 Groups of Social Learners
0 1 0 0 0 0 131
164 Loner0 1 1 0 0 0 14
0 0 1 0 0 0 19
0 0 1 0 0 1 40 40 Replier
1 0 0 0 0 1 41
114 Initiator without replying
1 1 0 0 0 1 73
1 0 0 0 1 1 11
37 Initiator who respond
1 1 0 0 1 1 26
1 1 1 1 1 1 91
178 Active Social Learner
1 0 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 0 1 27
1 1 1 0 1 1 51
1 0 1 1 0 1 7
1 0 1 0 1 1 1
1 1 1 0 0 1 75
98 Active social learners without turn-taking
1 0 1 0 0 1 23
0 1 1 1 0 1 5 5 Reluctant active social learners

26. 17  7 Groups of Social Learners
Initiating
post
Lone post Reply Further
reply
Initiator's
reply
Received
Replies?
Count Count 7 Groups of Social Learners
0 1 0 0 0 0 131
164 Loner0 1 1 0 0 0 14
0 0 1 0 0 0 19
0 0 1 0 0 1 40 40 Replier
1 0 0 0 0 1 41
114 Initiator without replying
1 1 0 0 0 1 73
1 0 0 0 1 1 11
37 Initiator who respond
1 1 0 0 1 1 26
1 1 1 1 1 1 91
178 Active Social Learner
1 0 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 0 1 27
1 1 1 0 1 1 51
1 0 1 1 0 1 7
1 0 1 0 1 1 1
1 1 1 0 0 1 75
98 Active social learners without turn-taking
1 0 1 0 0 1 23
0 1 1 1 0 1 5 5 Reluctant active social learners

27. 17  7 Groups of Social Learners
Initiating
post
Lone post Reply Further
reply
Initiator's
reply
Received
Replies?
Count Count 7 Groups of Social Learners
0 1 0 0 0 0 131
164 Loner0 1 1 0 0 0 14
0 0 1 0 0 0 19
0 0 1 0 0 1 40 40 Replier
1 0 0 0 0 1 41
114 Initiator without replying
1 1 0 0 0 1 73
1 0 0 0 1 1 11
37 Initiator who respond
1 1 0 0 1 1 26
1 1 1 1 1 1 91
178 Active Social Learner
1 0 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 0 1 27
1 1 1 0 1 1 51
1 0 1 1 0 1 7
1 0 1 0 1 1 1
1 1 1 0 0 1 75
98 Active social learners without turn-taking
1 0 1 0 0 1 23
0 1 1 1 0 1 5 5 Reluctant active social learners

28. 17  7 Groups of Social Learners
Initiating
post
Lone post Reply Further
reply
Initiator's
reply
Received
Replies?
Count Count 7 Groups of Social Learners
0 1 0 0 0 0 131
164 Loner0 1 1 0 0 0 14
0 0 1 0 0 0 19
0 0 1 0 0 1 40 40 Replier
1 0 0 0 0 1 41
114 Initiator without replying
1 1 0 0 0 1 73
1 0 0 0 1 1 11
37 Initiator who respond
1 1 0 0 1 1 26
1 1 1 1 1 1 91
178 Active Social Learner
1 0 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 0 1 27
1 1 1 0 1 1 51
1 0 1 1 0 1 7
1 0 1 0 1 1 1
1 1 1 0 0 1 75
98 Active social learners without turn-taking
1 0 1 0 0 1 23
0 1 1 1 0 1 5 5 Reluctant active social learners

29. 17  7 Groups of Social Learners
Initiating
post
Lone post Reply Further
reply
Initiator's
reply
Received
Replies?
Count Count 7 Groups of Social Learners
0 1 0 0 0 0 131
164 Loner0 1 1 0 0 0 14
0 0 1 0 0 0 19
0 0 1 0 0 1 40 40 Replier
1 0 0 0 0 1 41
114 Initiator without replying
1 1 0 0 0 1 73
1 0 0 0 1 1 11
37 Initiator who respond
1 1 0 0 1 1 26
1 1 1 1 1 1 91
178 Active Social Learner
1 0 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 0 1 27
1 1 1 0 1 1 51
1 0 1 1 0 1 7
1 0 1 0 1 1 1
1 1 1 0 0 1 75
98 Active social learners without turn-taking
1 0 1 0 0 1 23
0 1 1 1 0 1 5 5 Reluctant active social learners

30. 7 Groups of Social Learners
Loner
26%
Replier
6%
Initiator without replying
18%
Initiator who respond
6%
Active Social Learner
28%
Active social learners without
turn-taking
15%
Reluctant active social
learners
1%

31. Loner
i think , inequalities in personal finance always the problem for decades
i have agreed with Dr Wilkinson , nice research
good to refresh cycle of income
i am interested to know what is ongoing finance problems and how to deal with them
i paid , tax , unemployment insurance and pension from my salaries, how it would effect me if i will no longer live before i would able to use them .
The map is good guide to know wealth and good to know that GDP is flow not wealth
in my country Finland everyone has right of minimum level income whatever he/she work or not
i agreed x3
i am single and not thinking to buy a house as far as i am single but for my family kinds and wife i prefer to buy a own house to provide them better environment and
security .i myself grow up in my parents home and they owned that house since i were born. as compare to rent or mortgage i myself prefer to mortgage a house it is kind a
saving and also inflation adjusted itself in fact usually , we can profit in the end mortgage a house in term of money.
according to my observation after seen the chat above in the country there is no social security or housing allowance support available people prefer to buy own house and
other countries where housing allowance support available people prefer to rent a house.
I have agreed with your opinion
● Contributed 13 lone posts, 1 reply
● Received 1 like
● Completed the courses, commented every week

32. Discussion Analytics
●5 Types of Comments
●7 Groups of Social Learners
- Counts, Weekly participation were not taken into account
●Conversations?
- Which nature to target?
- Educator’s involvement?
●Underlying principle is conversations and applied
linguistics, so well-established methodology, i.e.,
content analysis and social network analysis were not
yet considered.

33. Discussion Analytics at Macro Level
Learners' Comments Type CWII1 CWII4 Moon1 Moon4 LTC1 LTC3 Film1 Film3
initiating post 18% 16% 17% 17% 17% 16% 13% 10%
lone post 25% 29% 46% 30% 43% 38% 60% 70%
Reply 37% 32% 26% 30% 22% 22% 21% 15%
Further reply 10% 10% 2% 6% 3% 7% 2% 2%
initiator's reply 7% 8% 4% 6% 6% 9% 3% 3%
7 Groups of Social learners
Active Social Learner 28% 26% 13% 24% 14% 13% 11% 9%
Active Social Learner without Responses and
Further Replies 15% 15% 20% 14% 11% 10% 12% 14%
Initiator 18% 15% 21% 18% 13% 12% 15% 13%
Initiator who Responds 6% 5% 2% 5% 7% 7% 5% 4%
Loner 26% 29% 40% 36% 49% 53% 53% 57%
Reluctant Social Learners 1% 3% 0% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1%
Replying Learner 6% 7% 3% 3% 5% 4% 3% 1%