Nagel, L., A.S. Blignautb and J.C. Cronje.

Nagel, L., A.S. Blignautb and J.C. Cronje. (2009). Read-only participants: a case for student communication in online classes. Interactive Learning Environments, 17 (1): 37 -- 51.

According to Nagel (2009), student participation in online classes can take many forms, some of which is highly interactive, some of which is more passive. Some students may actively strive to create a vibrant community, while other students may simply 'lurk' in the background. There is a much higher rate (20-40% more) of students dropping out of online courses, and participation and a sense of community investment is often thought to be a significant factor in students' rates of success. Precisely what type of engagement is necessary to ensure success is debatable. Some researchers indicate that active forms of engagement are essential, stating that "passive online learning through 'listening' without participation produces no measurable increase in knowledge;" others tale a more lenient approach and suggest that students can still learn by reading the posts of fellow students, even if the students do not participate (Nagel et al. 2009: 40).

Advocates of the need for participation state that only active engagement really sharpens students' critical thinking skills. Immediate feedback is enabled through online communities, and creates a greater sense of investment in the class that facilitates completion. The ability to interact is one of the great strengths of learning online, perhaps even greater than the benefits of learning in a large lecture classroom. However, contrarians who question the essential nature of participation note that all students are different, and students who are less comfortable with the subject matter and fluid in their prose may feel more comfortable listening and lurking at first: "then, as students increase their expertise, they move from the periphery to the centre" (Nagel et al. 2009: 40). They contend that "student online visibility and participation can take many forms, like read-only participants who skim over or deliberately harvest others' discussions. Other students can be highly visible without contributing" (Nagel et al. 2009: 37).

The reasons for students' noninvolvement may also play a role in the extent to which they may benefit or not benefit from the online discussions. Students with a low level of comfort in English, for example, may be shy about participating rather than lazy. 'Lurking' instructors that do not actively participate may make student learning less interactive, regardless of how much the students post, since instructors' challenges and probing questions may elicit more creative thinking on the part of students.