Exploring the influence of interactive network and collective knowledge construction mode on students’ perceived collective agency

Abstract

Collective agency has been investigated in many empirical studies on collaborative learning. However, there is limited research investigating how participants develop collective agency via online collaborative learning, and the correlation between group interaction mode and collective agency. This mixed methods study investigates a class of 40 third-year college students' online learning underlying a multiple-agent interaction design where collective cognition and collective agency are prominent design features. Process and perception data were collected from multiple sources, including surveys, log records, content analysis of postings, and semi-structured interviews. The results of the study indicated the effectiveness of the multiple-agent interaction design, by analyzing students' collective agency and the collective knowledge construction via social network analysis and content analysis. The findings drawn from linear regression analysis further suggested that interactive network patterns within a group were generally not associated with students' perception of collective agency, but the network clustering coefficient was negatively associated with students' perception of collective agency. Moreover, inter-group interaction and collective knowledge construction process were generally not associated with students’ perception of collective agency. The study extends the literature on collective agency as it explores overt indicators, such as social network parameters, which may help to reflect the level of collective agency. Results also provide implications for online collaborative learning design and further research on collective agency.