ENGAGED LURKING – THE LESS VISIBLE FORM OF PARTICIPATION IN ONLINE SMALL GROUP LEARNING

Abstract

Many approaches to lurking rely largely upon individual and quantitative contributions to forums and are commonly associated with large learning communities. Drawing upon recent developments in the theory of communities of practice that have resulted in the emergence of the idea that “the negotiation of meaning involves the interaction of participation and reification”, this study proposes a collaborative-collective perspective on lurking. It argues that the phenomenon of lurking can be reconceptualized to provide the basis for a more inclusive understanding of contribution within groups. By investigating online participation, the results reveal specifically the nuances and subtle
negotiation of engaged lurkers and their team members in small group forums. Further classification of these lurkers’ utterances provides an opportunity to highlight the neglected contribution of the types of lurkers who may only sporadically contribute to the conversation, but quite often make significant contributions when they do. Instead of focusing on the level of involvement at theindividual-posting level, the collaborative sense-making capability of lurking members was also perceived and recognized. Upon employing a more collectively-oriented theoretical framework for such a mode of learning, engaged lurking is revealed to be a reflexive, proactive, and co-constructive
activity rather than a lazy, passive and independent activity.