Socialization in Academic Online Spaces (Poster 37)

• In Event: AERA Virtual Poster Session 4
  In Poster Session: Technology and Social Spaces

Abstract

This paper explores the design and use of an online academic social space at a large metropolitan university in Canada. The space was designed in response to Covid-19 campus closures to provide new students with the academic support and social opportunities typically provided on campus. A total of 190 new students were invited to participate. We examined the use of space using Weidman et al.’s (2001) model for graduate student socialization. We found that socialization in an online social space was limited to anticipatory and formal phases. Students reported that (i) knowledge acquisition is most solicited in those phases; (ii) social investment is facilitated by inclusive, thoughtful design and (iii) involvement in a community is an individual preference.

Authors

• Dina Soliman, University of Toronto

• Preeti Raman, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

• Nidhi Sachdeva, University of Toronto

• Jim Hewitt, OISE/University of Toronto