Rich clubs and engagement in online discussions: Implications for participatory learning design

Abstract In this study, we examine rich clubs—tightly connected groups of highly active participants—in online discussion boards. Using a combination of social network and discourse analysis, we analyzed social and cognitive engagement patterns in five undergraduate courses. Based on the analysis of approximately 3000 posts, we found that rich clubs form even in small-scale networks, with rich club members exhibiting high levels of interaction. However, discourse analyses revealed only marginal differences in the quality of discourse between rich club and non-rich club members. Based on our findings, we suggest that rich clubs may indicate bottlenecks to information flow, and we suggest ways to foster participatory discussion boards by integrating designed prompts that encourage early posting and scaffolded participation. We also suggest further exploration of rich club discourse using a connected, interactive stance.