Investigating Synchronous Interaction Behaviours Among Open University Students: A Latent Profile Analysis and Epistemic Network Analysis

ABSTRACT Background Online education plays a pivotal role in contemporary higher education systems, particularly for distance learners at open universities, who often face challenges such as low learner engagement and perceived social isolation. However, the heterogeneity of interaction behaviours among open university students—a population whose learning ecology is shaped by work‐study conflicts and constrained synchronous availability—remains critically underexplored. Objectives This study aimed to investigate synchronous and asynchronous interaction behaviours among open university students, identify distinct interaction profiles, and provide evidence‐based, profile‐specific insights for differentiated instructional design. Methods A mixed‐methods approach was employed, combining latent profile analysis (LPA) and epistemic network analysis (ENA). Unlike prior studies, this study uses LPA to identify interaction profiles grounded in theoretically derived dimensions of teacher‐student and student–student interactions across synchronous and asynchronous modalities, and ENA to uncover the cognitive discourse structures underlying those profiles, thereby bridging self‐reported behavioural frequencies with actual epistemic engagement. Data were collected from 372 students at a Chinese open university over 12 weeks. Results Three distinct interaction profiles emerged: (1) Teacher‐student interaction enthusiasts (TIE): preferred real‐time interactions with instructors; (2) selective asynchronous collaborators (SAC): Balanced synchronous and asynchronous peer collaboration; and (3) high interaction achievers (HIA): Actively engaged in all interaction types. ENA revealed varying cognitive and social engagement patterns across profiles. One‐way ANOVA confirmed significant performance differences among the three groups ( F (2, 369) = 107.14, p < 0.001, η 2 = 0.367), with HIA > SAC > TIE. Conclusions The findings underscore the importance of learner‐centric instructional design and provide actionable profile‐specific strategies: scaffolded real‐time responses for TIE, flexible blended designs for SAC, and leadership roles for HIA. These evidence‐based profiles advocate for inclusive digital education models that accommodate cognitive diversity in open university settings.