Y. Connie Yuan, Geri Gay, and Helene Hembrooke
This study examined the development of individual social capital in a distributed
learning community. Feld’s theory of focused choice predicts that the
formation of network ties is constrained by contextual factors that function
as foci of activities. In our research, we examined how group assignment and
location could function as such foci to influence the development of individual
social capital in a distributed learning community. Given that networks with
different content flows may possess different properties, we examined two different
types of networks – task-related instrumental networks and non-task-related
expressive networks. A longitudinal research design was used to evaluate the
evolution of networks over time. Hypotheses were tested using a sample of 32
students enrolled in a distributed learning class. The results show strong support
for Feld’s theory. While serving as foci of activities to organize social
interactions, both group assignment and geographic separation can also function
to fragment a learning community.