Abstract
Online learning has been getting popular in higher education. Key functionalities of online learning environment include the access to a wider perspective of learning resources and the provision of social interactions between instructor-learners and among learners-learners. Recent empirical findings in online learning have acknowledged the importance of online knowledge sharing as an integral part of online learning, through the various forms of learner interactions within online learning environment, such as discussion forums, collaborative learning and communities building. However, recent studies still find mixed results that instructors and students are not always fully engaged in online learning activities. Without frequent and persistent interactions, it is doubtful whether online knowledge sharing could really take place in online learning environment. Thus, the present study examines prior literature to explore the motivational factors to online knowledge sharing. It is found that perceived online attachment motivation and perceived online relationship commitment are two determinants to online knowledge sharing. As a result of the literature review, theoretical propositions are developed to explain online knowledge sharing. Discussion section explains the theoretical and practical implications.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Foster, L.: Technology: Transforming the landscape of higher education. The Review of Higher Education 25, 115–124 (2001)
Pollack, T.A.: Using a course management system to improve instruction. In: The Annual Conference of the Association of Small Computer Users in Education, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (2003)
Student Monitor: Computing and the Internet: Fall 2002. Author, Ridgewood, NJ (2003)
Wilson, B.G.: Constructivist learning environments: Case studies in instructional design. Educational Technology Publications, Englewood Cliffs (1996)
Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC): Effective practice with e-learning (2004)
Hiltz, S.R.: Teaching in a virtual classroom. A virtual classroom on EIES: final evaluation report, vol. 2. New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark (1998)
Marriott, N., Marriott, P., Selwyn, N.: Accounting undergraduates’ changing use of ICT and their views on using the internet in higher education. Accounting Education 13 (2004)
Carr, N., Chambers, D.P.: Teacher professional learning in an online community: The experiences of the National Quality Schooling Framework Pilot Project. Technology, Pedagogy and Education 15, 143–157 (2006)
Allan, J., Lawless, N.: Stress caused by on-line collaboration in e-learning: A developing model. Education + Training 45, 564–572 (2003)
Conrad, A., Munro, D.: Relationships Between Computer Self-Efficacy, Technology, Attitudes and Anxiety: Development of the Computer Technology Use Scale (CTUS). Journal of Educational Computing Research 39, 51–73 (2008)
Hara, N., Kling, R.: Students’ distress with a web-based distance education course: an ethnographic study of participants’ experiences. Information, Communication, and Society 3, 557–579 (2000)
Bargh, J.A., McKenna, K.Y.A.: The Internet and social life. Annual Review of Psychology 55, 573–590 (2004)
Selwyn, N.: The use of computer technology in university teaching and learning: A critical perspective. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning 23, 83–94 (2007)
Buckingham, D.: Beyond technology: Children’s learning in the age of digital culture. Polity, Cambridge (2007)
Vygotsky, L.S.: Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press, Cambridge (1978)
Roschelle, J.: Learning by collaborating: Convergent conceptual change. The Journal of the Learning Sciences 2, 235–276 (1992)
Slavin, R.E.: Cooperative learning: Theory, research, and practice. Allyn and Bacon, Needham Heights (1995)
Sharan, Y., Sharan, S.: Expanding cooperative learning through group investigation. Teachers College Press, New York (1992)
Moller, L.: Designing communities of learners for asynchronous distance education. Educational Technology, Research and Development 46, 115–122 (1998)
Ng, K.-C.: Using e-mail to foster collaboration in distance education. Open Learning 16, 191–200 (2001)
Hiltz, S.R., Coppola, N., Rotter, N., Turoff, M., Benbunan-Fich, R.: Measuring the importance of collaborative learning for the effectiveness of ALN: A multi-measure, multi-method approach. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks 4 (2000)
McMillan, D.W., Chavis, D.M.: Sense of community: A definition and theory. Journal of Community Psychology 14, 6–23 (1986)
Glasser, W.: Control theory in the classroom. Harper and Row, New York (1986)
Rovai, A.P.: Building and sustaining community in asynchronous learning networks. The Internet and Higher Education 3, 285–297 (2000)
Fisher, A.T., Sonn, C.C., Bishop, B.J. (eds.): Psychological sense of community: Research, applications, and implications. Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers, New York (2002)
Haines, V.A., Hurlbert, J.S., Beggs, J.J.: Exploring the determinants of support provision: Provider characteristics, personal networks, community contexts, and support following life events. Journal of Health and Social Behavior 37, 252 (1996)
Wellman, B., Gulia, M.: Virtual communities as communities: Net surfers don’t ride alone. In: Smith, M.A., Kollock, P. (eds.) Communities in Cyberspace. Routledge, London (1999)
Wegerif, R.: The social dimension of asynchronous learning networks. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks 2 (1998)
Ko, D.-G., Kirsch, L.J., King, W.R.: Antecedents of knowledge transfer from consultants to clients in enterprise system implementations. MIS Quarterly 29, 59 (2005)
Shaver, P., Buhrmester, D.: Loneliness, sex-role orientation, and group life: A social needs perspective. In: Paulus, P. (ed.) Basic Group Processes, pp. 259–288. Springer, New York (1983)
Weiss, R.S.: Loneliness: The experience of emotional and social isolation. MIT Press, Cambridge (1973)
Baumeister, R.F., Leary, M.R.: The need to belong: Desire for interpersonal attachments as a fundamental human motivation. Psychological Bulletin 117, 497–529 (1995)
Hazan, C., Shaver, P.R.: Romantic love conceptualized as an attachment process. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 52, 511–524 (1987)
Leary, M.R., Kowalski, R.M.: Social Anxiety. Guilford Press, New York (1995)
Bargh, J.A., McKenna, K.Y.A., Fitzsimons, G.M.: Can you see the real me? Activation and expression of the “True Self” on the Internet. Journal of Social Issues 58, 33–48 (2002)
Byrne, D., Clore, G.L., Smeaton, G.: The attraction hypothesis: Do similar attitudes affect anything? Journal of Personality & Social Psychology 51, 1167–1170 (1986)
McKenna, K.Y.A., Green, A.S., Gleason, M.E.J.: Relationship formation on the Internet: What’s the big attraction? Journal of Social Issues 58, 9–31 (2002)
Hill, C.A.: Affiliation motivation: People who need people... but in different ways. Journal of Personality & Social Psychology 52, 1008–1018 (1987)
Nikitin, J., Freund, A.M.: The Role of Social Approach and Avoidance Motives for Subjective Well-Being and the Successful Transition to Adulthood. Applied Psychology Special Issue on Health and Well-Being 57(Suppl.), 90–111 (2008)
Bartholomew, K., Horowitz, L.M.: Attachment styles among young adults: A test of a four-category model. Journal of Personality & Social Psychology 61, 226–244 (1991)
Reis, H.T., Patrick, B.C.: Attachment and intimacy: Component processes. In: Higgins, E.T., Kruglanski, A.W. (eds.) Social Psychology: Handbook of Basic Principles, pp. 523–563. Guilford Press, New York (1996)
Hill, C.A.: Relationship of Expressive and Affiliative Personality Dispositions to Perceptions of Social Support. Basic & Applied Social Psychology 19, 133–161 (1997)
Mowday, R.T., Porter, L.W., Steers, R.M.: Employee-organization linkage: The psychology of commitment, absenteeism, and turnover. Academic Press, New York (1982)
Meyer, J.P., Allen, N.J.: Commitment in the workplace: Theory, research & application. Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks (1997)
Kanter, R.M.: Commitment and community: Communes and utopias in sociological perspective. Harvard University Press, Cambridge (1972)
Rusbult, C.E.: Satisfaction and commitment in friendships. Representative Research in Social Psychology 11, 96–105 (1980)
Agnew, C.R., Van Lange, P.A.M., Rusbult, C.E., Langston, C.A.: Cognitive interdependence: Commitment and the mental representation of close relationships. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 74, 939 (1998)
Rusbult, C.E., Farrell, D.: A longitudinal test of the investment model: The impact on job satisfaction, job commitment, and turnover of variations in rewards, costs, alternatives, and investments. Journal of Applied Psychology 68, 429 (1983)
Fehr, B.: Laypeople’s conceptions of commitment. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 76, 90–103 (1999)
Rusbult, C.E., Martz, J.M., Agnew, C.R.: The investment model scale: Measuring commitment level, satisfaction level, quality of alternatives, and investment size. Personal Relationships 5, 357–391 (1998)
Cunningham, M.R., Barbee, A.P.: Social support. In: Hendrick, C., Hendrick, S.S. (eds.) Close relationships: A sourcebook, pp. 273–285. Sage, Thousand Oaks (2000)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2010 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this paper
Cite this paper
Kit Ma, W.W., Kau Yuen, A.H. (2010). Understanding Online Knowledge Sharing: An Exploratory Theoretical Framework. In: Tsang, P., Cheung, S.K.S., Lee, V.S.K., Huang, R. (eds) Hybrid Learning. ICHL 2010. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 6248. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-14657-2_22
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-14657-2_22
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-14656-5
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-14657-2
eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)