Talk in virtual contexts: reflecting on participation and online learning models

A case study of an online discussion forum for school leadership development was the subject of research into contexts, communities and networks. The case was analysed using discourse analysis and social network analysis. The school-based communities of practice of participants played a strong role in the content and narratives of contributors. However there was no evidence of the development of an online community within the time frame of the case study. Both forms of analysis provided complementary insights into the value of a networked form of interaction that could not be characterized as a community of practice. They suggest that we should not see networks as merely embryonic versions of a community of practice but as a form of interaction that have benefits that communities do not necessarily or typically deliver