Comparing the Social Interaction Pattern of Online One-on-One Peer and Small Group Collaboration Activities

This paper investigates how students' experience in an online learning environment varies across small group and one-on-one peer activities. Particular attention is paid to measures of sense of community and social ability. A multiple data analyses, including statistical analysis and social network analysis (SNA), are used to triangulate findings. The statistical findings show differences in perceived sense of community and social ability between different group compositions. The findings are confirmed by interaction patterns found in SNA.