Participation Inequality: Lurkers vs. Contributors in Internet Communities (Jakob Nielsen's Alertbox)
Jenny Ambrozek has been sharing with me some of her ideas about "valuing participation," particularly online. Jakob Nielsen recently posted an article on Participation Inequality: Lurkers vs. Contributors in Internet Communities (Jakob Nielsen's Alertbox) which surfaces an age old issue online, the small percentage of people who visible participate in online interactions.
I think it is important to always hold these questions in the context of offline patterns as well. I'm not sure how the percentages vary between online and offline, but the fact is in open spaces, only a few actively participate - online and offline.
The question to me is not that some do and don't participate. The question is, what is the value of participation in any context or setting and why might we want to pay more attention to designing and facilitating for fuller participation, and when that is not a priority.
I think there are more questions to ask here, rather than simply point to the fact that online a lot of people lurk.
What are your questions about online participation? When should we value participation?
Tags: participation
posted by Nancy White at 6:27 PM
5 Comments:
Hi ya Nancy,
One of my long-time curiosities has been "What is the contribution of those who are quiet?" Since I am usually one of them!
In classroom teaching, it's the same way--always there are those students who speak up frequently, and there are those who never say anything unless you specifically call on them (some of whom sit in the back and seem to think that you can't see them!), and then there's the majority who speak up once in a while but not often.
My perspective on that was influenced forever by this passage from "Trust the Process: An Artist's Guide to Letting Go" by Shaun McNiff:
"But keep in mind that people move and act 'freely' when they are allowed to do so according to their personal sense of timing. Some take longer to feel comfortable...Invite expression but don't judge people who may be warming-up or preparing themselves on the sidelines.
"Trust that something significant is always moving inside them."
So I don't think that "lurking" is the opposite of "contributing," exactly--I think that the "movement on the inside" is, in the bigger picture, a contribution though it might not be expressed in that particular venue. Reading, and paying attention, and being affected in the rest of your life by what you're learning from the online community, are all contributions in subtle ways.
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Someone once said (I think on comprac) that lurkers challenge you to examine your assumptions (especially as designer/facilitator).
It needs working on, but I've always thought there was something in that.
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As a "lurker" I would have to say that you are dead on with your last sentence, "Reading, and paying attention, and being affected in the rest of your life by what you're learning from the online community, are all contributions in subtle ways." I have just stumbled onto the usefulness of blogs thanks to the K12 conference and truly don't feel that comfortable leaving comments. I feel like the value of what I have to say isn't that great because of my lack of experience. But, I have learned more in the last three weeks towards professional development and improving my knowledge in my subject area -technology- than all of the district and school staff development from the last 10 years (with an average of 6 hours a month, that's a lot of time.)
I have started participating more and trying my own blog and things and continually look back for more help from 'lurking' around the blogging community. I'm the little kid who is at the ocean for the 1st time; I want to go in, I'm ready to go in, I'm testing the water, but that's a big ocean and I'm not sure what's there. Just like the little one I will overcome my fear and join in whole-heartedly, and I'm sure that step will be of even greater use and lots more fun. But don't knock us lurkers, we just need time to make sure we are ready for the plunge.
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