This document discusses lurkers in online learning communities. It defines lurkers as those who participate by observing but do not post or post seldom. Research suggests most community participants fall into this category, with estimates that 90% lurk, 9% occasionally post, and 1% post frequently. The document examines factors that influence lurking behavior and discusses strategies to encourage more active participation, such as fostering inclusion, providing feedback, and using interactive activities and methods like brainstorming and group discussions. The goal is to increase learning and improve the experience for all community members.

1. Lurkers a problem or an opportunity?
The “Silent learners” project,
background and results,?
Hróbjartur Árnason
University of Iceland
Torshavn 3. May 2018
hrobjartur@hi.is
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2. What smartphones reveal…

3. What IS lurking?
Participating in learning BUT
#1 Never Posting
#2 Posting seldom
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4. 90-9-1 Rule
• many have observed
• Rule of thumb
• Not acurate
• But telling
Community Roundtable
• Community Managers
• "More like 55–25–20."
The 70-20-10 Rule
of Community
Participation
Paul Schneider 2011

5. What is the problem?
• Are they learning (enough)?
• What do they gain from their
form of participation?
• Are drop-outs failures / did we fail them?
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6. Influencing factors
1. Online community
2. Individual characteristics
3. Online behaviour
4. Commitment
5. Quality
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7. CC BY Some rights reserved by fortherock
Why Lurk?
• Learning environment
• Personal attributes
• Situational reasons

8. Other aspects
• What you see is at most
the tip of the iceberg
• Lurking as a strategy:
different roles in
different settings
• „Legitimate peripheral
participation “

9. Why encourage
participation?
• Active learning IS better
• Learners are always co-creators in
a learning event
• Increase learning
• Increase the quality of the event
for all participants

10. How can we elicit active
participation?
• Wlodkowski
• Inclusion fosters Involvement
• How Attitudes Influence Behaviour
• How Meaning Sustains Involvement
• How Competence Builds Confidence
• Seligman
• Agency
• Learned Helplessness
• Positive Psychology

11. • Plan for various needs / types of participants
• Induction
• Make sure technology works
• Help participants learn to use the technlology
• Get „everybody in the same Boat“
• Create inclusion in group
• Give useful feedback
• Encourage particpation
• Expect participation
Strategies

12. • eTivities
• Groups
• Brainstorming
• MindMapping
• Structured discussions (6 hats,
positive/negative, positive / interesting /
negative SWOT etc.)
• Support groups
• Regular short videos
• Expect learners to comment (points…)
Methods

13. PSST!
More info:
Silentlearnersblog.wordpress.com
hrobjartur@hi.is
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