What Makes a Leader: Online Activity, Language Quality, or Social Background?

• In Event: 44.062 - Learners' Engagement and Interactions in Online Learning

Abstract

What makes a leader in an online learning environment? This question is approached from three angles in this study: online activity, language quality, and social background. This study examines the simulation data of the 2015 GlobalEd 2 Project, which consists of 337 7th and 8th grade students representing 18 countries. The three dimensions were analyzed under a multilevel model in order to interpret their relationships with the development of online leadership while capturing the nesting nature of the data. The results indicate that participants who speak more speak volumes. The ability to use persuasive language and social background, indicated by the real world influence of the assigned countries, are also found to be significantly associated with leadership development.

Authors

• Simon Wang, University of Connecticut

• Addison Zhao, University of Connecticut

• Sarah D. Newton, University of Connecticut

• Shiyu Song, University of Connecticut

• Marissa Lyn Morassini, University of Connecticut - Storrs

• Scott W. Brown, University of Connecticut

• Kimberly A. Lawless, University of Illinois at Chicago