The Impact of Cognitive Style on Social Networks in On-Line Discussions

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Terk

The study examines how cognitive style shapes student communication and collaboration within social networks in on-line engineering education. Using the Kirton Adaption-Innovation Inventory (KAI), the research analyzes interaction patterns in student social networks across asynchronous discussion forums in two graduate systems engineering courses. Results indicate that heterogeneous clique composition may conceal cognitive differences that could otherwise generate conflict in face-to-face settings.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages29

Reading Time1 h 13 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Individual differences and cognitive styles

Social networks and on-line interaction

Theoretical and Practical Foundations

Cognitive Diversity: The Level-Style Distinction

| | Ad | vances in Engineering Edu | cation | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | WINTER 2011 The Impact of Cognitive Style on Social Networks in On-Line Discussions KATHRYN JABLOKOWand PAMELA VERCELLONE-SMITH Engineering Division, School of Graduate Professional Studies Penn State University—Great Valley Malvern, PA ABSTRACT With the rise of e-Learning in engineering education, understanding the impact of individual differences on the ways students communicate and collaborate on-line has become increasingly important. The research described here investigates the influence of cognitive style on the interactions within student social networks in an on-line learning environment, with a particular focus on student engagement, patterns of communication, and the self-directed creation of sub-groups (i.e., cliques) . The Kirton Adaption-Innovation Inventory (KAI) was used to assess cognitive style, and UCINET software was used to analyze the interactions of two cohorts of Systems Engineering students throughout a series of asynchronous on-line discussion forums across two graduate-level courses. Among the findings, the highly heterogeneous style composition of the cliques formed by the students suggests that e-Learning environments may mask cognitive differences that have been shown to create conflict in face-to-face student interactions. Links between cognitive style, expansiveness, influence, leadership, and students’ choices between resident and on-line programs are also discussed. Keywords: cognitive diversity, Kirton Adaption-Innovation Inventory (KAI), on-line education, social network analysis (SNA), leadership INTRODUCTION The work described here lies at the juncture of two rising themes in engineering education research: (1) the impact of individual differences on student performance, and (2) the role of social networks in on-line environments. The study of individual differences among engineering students has expanded over the past two decades, with key contributions made in several areas, including WINTER 2011 1 ADVANCES IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION The Impact of Cognitive Style on Social Networks in On-Line Discussions students’ learning styles (characteristic ways of taking in and processing information), approaches to learning (surface, deep, and strategic), and intellectual development levels (attitudes about the nature of knowledge and how it should be acquired and evaluated) [7] . In recent years, the investigation of engineers’ cognitive styles (characteristic ways of solving problems) has also gained attention, with studies conducted in both academic and corporate settings [12,13,18,19] . The study of social networks also has a rich history that continues to develop across multiple domains [10, 24, 30] . Set in the context of collaboration, advice giving, problem solving, and other forms of human interaction, this research is providing insight into how social networks form and function, as well as the patterns of communication and power structures that emerge as a result of these interactions. The study of interaction behavior and network formation in on-line social networks is becoming ever more relevant as virtual business operations and global teams become increasingly common, resulting in growing interest in these topics [5,11,23,25,31] . Within this domain, the social networks of engineering students engaged in e-Learning are of special interest to engineering educators. The aim of this research is to integrate these two themes by exploring the impact of cognitive style on the structure and operation of students’ on-line social networks through an investigation of their behavior in on-line discussion forums (i.e. , who interacts with whom, how often, in what ways, etc. ) . On-line discussions are often an integral part of e-Learning experiences and serve as graded activities within many on-line courses. If cognitive style has a predicta

FAQs

What is the main purpose of the research on on-line discussions?

The research explores how cognitive style affects the structure and functioning of students’ on-line social networks through behavior in on-line discussion forums.

Which instruments and methods are used in the study?

The Kirton Adaption-Innovation Inventory (KAI) assesses cognitive style, and UCINET analyzes interactions across asynchronous discussion forums in two graduate courses.

What key finding relates cognitive style to clique formation?

The highly heterogeneous cognitive style composition of student cliques suggests on-line learning environments may mask cognitive differences that can create conflict in face-to-face interactions.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Terk