Increasing Research Students' Engagement through Virtual Communities

2015 ◽  
pp. 50-75
Author(s):  
Maria Limniou ◽  
Clare Holdcroft ◽  
Paul S. Holmes
Keyword(s):  
Learning Environment ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Virtual Community ◽  
Virtual Learning Environment ◽  
Discussion Forums ◽  
Technical Issues ◽  
Research Students ◽  
Geographical Space

This chapter describes important issues regarding research students' participation in a virtual community. Within a virtual community, university staff can communicate with research students without geographical/space constraints, and research students can exchange views, materials, and experience with their peers and/or academics in a flexible learning environment. Students' participation in virtual communities is mainly based on socio-emotional and informational motivations. Initially, this chapter describes the conditions of research in a traditional environment and the role of students and academics in it, along with the role of pedagogical and psychological aspects in virtual communities. Examples from a university virtual community developed in a Virtual Learning Environment and a Facebook™ closed group are presented. Apart from discussion forums, blended learning activities also increase students' engagement in virtual communities. Technical issues and difficulties based on different learning environments and university members' experience and familiarity with technology are highlighted and discussed.

Increasing Research Students' Engagement through Virtual Communities

2016 ◽  
pp. 1173-1198
Author(s):  
Maria Limniou ◽  
Clare Holdcroft ◽  
Paul S. Holmes
Keyword(s):  
Learning Environment ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Virtual Community ◽  
Virtual Learning Environment ◽  
Discussion Forums ◽  
Technical Issues ◽  
Research Students ◽  
Geographical Space

This chapter describes important issues regarding research students' participation in a virtual community. Within a virtual community, university staff can communicate with research students without geographical/space constraints, and research students can exchange views, materials, and experience with their peers and/or academics in a flexible learning environment. Students' participation in virtual communities is mainly based on socio-emotional and informational motivations. Initially, this chapter describes the conditions of research in a traditional environment and the role of students and academics in it, along with the role of pedagogical and psychological aspects in virtual communities. Examples from a university virtual community developed in a Virtual Learning Environment and a Facebook™ closed group are presented. Apart from discussion forums, blended learning activities also increase students' engagement in virtual communities. Technical issues and difficulties based on different learning environments and university members' experience and familiarity with technology are highlighted and discussed.

Increasing Research Students' Engagement through Virtual Communities

2015 ◽  
pp. 407-431
Author(s):  
Maria Limniou ◽  
Clare Holdcroft ◽  
Paul S. Holmes
Keyword(s):  
Learning Environment ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Virtual Community ◽  
Virtual Learning Environment ◽  
Discussion Forums ◽  
Technical Issues ◽  
Research Students ◽  
Geographical Space

This chapter describes important issues regarding research students' participation in a virtual community. Within a virtual community, university staff can communicate with research students without geographical/space constraints, and research students can exchange views, materials, and experience with their peers and/or academics in a flexible learning environment. Students' participation in virtual communities is mainly based on socio-emotional and informational motivations. Initially, this chapter describes the conditions of research in a traditional environment and the role of students and academics in it, along with the role of pedagogical and psychological aspects in virtual communities. Examples from a university virtual community developed in a Virtual Learning Environment and a Facebook™ closed group are presented. Apart from discussion forums, blended learning activities also increase students' engagement in virtual communities. Technical issues and difficulties based on different learning environments and university members' experience and familiarity with technology are highlighted and discussed.

Building Virtual Communities Through a De-Marginalized View of Knowledge Networking

2006 ◽  
pp. 278-299
Author(s):  
Kam H. Vat
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Information Technologies ◽  
World Wide ◽  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Virtual Community ◽  
Survival And Reproduction ◽  
Technical Issues ◽  
Computer Based ◽  
Learning And Change

The chapter investigates an actionable context of knowledge networking, from the perspective of sustainable development which should accommodate the building of communities in cyberspace so much exemplified in today’s Internet and World Wide Web. The premise of this exploration is that members, or participants, in any community are engaged in learning that is critical to the survival and reproduction of that community. Through community participation, learners find and acquire models and have the opportunity themselves to become models and apprentices of others. This investigation provides a basis for thinking about the possibilities of a virtual community and the dynamics of its construction across a variety of computer-based contexts. The design and refinement of technology as the conduit for extending and enhancing the possibilities of virtual community building is an essential issue, but the role of the individuals as participants in such a community is as important. The idea of sustainable knowledge networking is to bring about continual learning and change for the community in need. The emergent challenge of such a mission is to de-marginalize many of the non-technical issues of building virtual communities for knowledge transfer and learning. The chapter concludes by reiterating the challenge of expositing what it means to create an appropriate context of knowledge networking through which purposeful actions can be supported with the elaboration of suitable information technologies.

The Role of Virtual Communities in the Customization of e-Services

2011 ◽  
pp. 655-670
Author(s):  
Bill Karakostas ◽  
Dimitris Kardaras ◽  
Adéla Zichová
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Public Opinion ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Virtual Community ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Perceived Usefulness ◽  
Service Customization

Virtual communities are groups of people with similar interests who meet online and together act as a learning environment, place for social support, or as bodies for influencing public opinion. In this paper, the authors identify characteristics of a virtual community that influence its members to customize e- services provided to or received by the virtual community. The authors propose a theoretical framework of factors influencing service customization in a virtual community that has been validated with two case studies conducted in health-focused virtual communities. The findings confirm that the quality of the learning environment, social support, and the virtual community’s ability to influence public opinion, positively contribute to the perceived usefulness and active participation in the community by its members. In turn, these factors were found to have a positive influence on customization of e-services by the members, based on the community’s suggestion. The research also suggests several areas of focus to enhance e-service customization through virtual communities.

Building Virtual Communities Through a De-Marginalized View of Knowledge Networking

2008 ◽  
pp. 488-502
Author(s):  
Kam Hou Vat
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Information Technologies ◽  
World Wide ◽  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Virtual Community ◽  
Survival And Reproduction ◽  
Technical Issues ◽  
Computer Based ◽  
Learning And Change

The chapter investigates an actionable context of knowledge networking, from the perspective of sustainable development which should accommodate the building of communities in cyberspace so much exemplified in today’s Internet and World Wide Web. The premise of this exploration is that members, or participants, in any community are engaged in learning that is critical to the survival and reproduction of that community. Through community participation, learners find and acquire models and have the opportunity themselves to become models and apprentices of others. This investigation provides a basis for thinking about the possibilities of a virtual community and the dynamics of its construction across a variety of computer-based contexts. The design and refinement of technology as the conduit for extending and enhancing the possibilities of virtual community building is an essential issue, but the role of the individuals as participants in such a community is as important. The idea of sustainable knowledge networking is to bring about continual learning and change for the community in need. The emergent challenge of such a mission is to de-marginalize many of the non-technical issues of building virtual communities for knowledge transfer and learning. The chapter concludes by reiterating the challenge of expositing what it means to create an appropriate context of knowledge networking through which purposeful actions can be supported with the elaboration of suitable information technologies.

Making Content Available to Law Students Through a Virtual Learning Environment: Fountains of Knowledge or a Drop in the Ocean?

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 98-103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lizz Edwards-Waller
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Virtual Learning ◽  
Virtual Learning Environment ◽  
Law Students ◽  
Virtual Learning Environments ◽  
Decision Making Process

AbstractVirtual learning environments (VLEs) are successfully used by many institutions to provide content which supports and enhances taught courses. In this article, Lizz Edwards-Waller explores the role of the library in uploading articles, case notes and book excerpts to a VLE for law students, and discusses the need for librarians to collaborate with course leaders and administrators. The article also considers the decision-making process involved in determining which resources to make available and highlights some key copyright issues to be aware of.

scholarly journals Exploring Relationship among Factors of Virtual Communities, Trust and Buying in Pakistan

2015 ◽  
Vol 49 ◽  
pp. 115-122
Author(s):  
Muhammad Nouman Shafique ◽  
Naveed Ahmad ◽  
Iqbal Kiani ◽  
Muhammad Ibrar
Keyword(s):  
Social Networking ◽  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Virtual Community ◽  
Common Interest ◽  
Common Mechanism ◽  
Impulse Buying ◽  
Discussion Forums ◽  
Buying In

Currently the world is experiencing a tremendous growth in the use of social networking sites (SNS). Virtual communities is Increasing day by day, there is still a lack of studies analyze on role of virtual community in impulse buying on the base of trust. Dramatic change in the technology it play role for the virtual communities. Virtual community is a group of people who share common interest and practices, who tend to communicate to each other on the regular base over internet via a common mechanism or location (e.g. social networking websites). Generally, virtual communities serve discussion forums where people communicate with each other and sharing common interest via an electronic media. Virtual communities play role both the retailer and consumer to communicate and discuss information regarding various product of interest.

The Role of Virtual Communities in the Customization of e-Services

2013 ◽  
pp. 116-132
Author(s):  
Bill Karakostas ◽  
Dimitris K. Kardaras ◽  
Adéla Zichová
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Public Opinion ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Virtual Community ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Perceived Usefulness ◽  
Service Customization

Virtual communities are groups of people with similar interests who meet online and together act as a learning environment, place for social support, or as bodies for influencing public opinion. In this paper, the authors identify characteristics of a virtual community that influence its members to customize e- services provided to or received by the virtual community. The authors propose a theoretical framework of factors influencing service customization in a virtual community that has been validated with two case studies conducted in health-focused virtual communities. The findings confirm that the quality of the learning environment, social support, and the virtual community’s ability to influence public opinion, positively contribute to the perceived usefulness and active participation in the community by its members. In turn, these factors were found to have a positive influence on customization of e-services by the members, based on the community’s suggestion. The research also suggests several areas of focus to enhance e-service customization through virtual communities.

Building Virtual Communities through a De-Marginalized View of Knowledge Networking

2010 ◽  
pp. 233-248
Author(s):  
Kam Hou Vat
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Information Technologies ◽  
World Wide ◽  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Virtual Community ◽  
Survival And Reproduction ◽  
Technical Issues ◽  
Computer Based ◽  
Learning And Change

The chapter investigates an actionable context of knowledge networking, from the perspective of sustainable development which should accommodate the building of communities in cyberspace so much exemplified in today’s Internet and World Wide Web. The premise of this exploration is that members, or participants, in any community are engaged in learning that is critical to the survival and reproduction of that community. Through community participation, learners find and acquire models and have the opportunity themselves to become models and apprentices of others. This investigation provides a basis for thinking about the possibilities of a virtual community and the dynamics of its construction across a variety of computer-based contexts. The design and refinement of technology as the conduit for extending and enhancing the possibilities of virtual community building is an essential issue, but the role of the individuals as participants in such a community is as important. The idea of sustainable knowledge networking is to bring about continual learning and change for the community in need. The emergent challenge of such a mission is to demarginalize many of the non-technical issues of building virtual communities for knowledge transfer and learning. The chapter concludes by reiterating the challenge of expositing what it means to create an appropriate context of knowledge networking through which purposeful actions can be supported with the elaboration of suitable information technologies.

The Role of Virtual Communities in the Customization of e-Services

2010 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bill Karakostas ◽  
Dimitris Kardaras ◽  
Adéla Zichová
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Public Opinion ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Virtual Community ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Perceived Usefulness ◽  
Service Customization

Virtual communities are groups of people with similar interests who meet online and together act as a learning environment, place for social support, or as bodies for influencing public opinion. In this paper, the authors identify characteristics of a virtual community that influence its members to customize e- services provided to or received by the virtual community. The authors propose a theoretical framework of factors influencing service customization in a virtual community that has been validated with two case studies conducted in health-focused virtual communities. The findings confirm that the quality of the learning environment, social support, and the virtual community’s ability to influence public opinion, positively contribute to the perceived usefulness and active participation in the community by its members. In turn, these factors were found to have a positive influence on customization of e-services by the members, based on the community’s suggestion. The research also suggests several areas of focus to enhance e-service customization through virtual communities.

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