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Contextualising influential thought leaders and online learning communities in social media: A case of the gamification and serious games community
Markham, Steven E.
Markham, Steven E.
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2024-10
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Abstract
This thesis aims to address the need for studies examining gamification as a community, particularly in the context of online learning communities. The growing influence of online learning communities in shaping nascent academic subjects calls for an understanding of the role of online influencers in their development. However, existing research lacks objectivity in identifying and assessing thought leaders and influencers within these communities. This research seeks to fill this gap by investigating an effective model for identifying and assessing influential thought leaders on social media platforms. The study utilizes a two-stage process that focuses on the social connections between accounts on Twitter. A Python program was developed to engage with Twitter's Application Programming Interface (API) for data collection. Social Network Analysis (SNA) is employed to query the network and measure levels of influence.
The results indicate that the influence of Influential Thought Leaders within the community outweighs the social influence held by Social Media Influencers and celebrity accounts. Furthermore, the two-stage process developed in this thesis yielded a set of knowledgeable and subject-relevant accounts generated from a small initial sample and produced objectively. PageRank measurements further reveal that academic accounts exert more influence within this community compared to business or generic accounts.
This thesis presents a new conceptual model called the Community of Development to address a theoretical shortfall. This model allows for an active online learning community with social and cognitive presence without the authoritative teaching presence observed in other frameworks such as the Community of Inquiry. The integration of gamification within the Community of Development framework contributes to the ongoing development of this subject area within academia. Furthermore, developing the Influential Thought Leader (ITL) concept addresses the gap in understanding online influencers. By recognizing the unique characteristics of influential thought leaders within the niche community, the research challenges the commercial and marketing-focused lens through which most influencer research has been conducted. This conceptualization expands our understanding of online influence and the dynamics of niche interest communities.
The practical application of the research findings allows for the creation of a reliable and balanced "who to follow" listing for newcomers to the gamification community, as well as other online interest groups that function as Communities of Development. These results have implications for Social Network research, particularly for analyzing entire social networks or using small samples to explore the entire network.
Understanding the dynamics of online influence is vital in marketing, especially in influencer marketing on social media. By identifying influential thought leaders within interest-based communities, marketers can find better fits for their brands and products, potentially yielding greater impact and influence within specific interest areas. This perspective offers a cost-effective and risk-mitigating strategy compared to seeking influencers with a larger general following.
Overall, this thesis provides theoretical and practical contributions to the study of online learning communities, influencer marketing, and brand marketing on social media. The conceptual framework, combined with the objective approach for identifying influential thought leaders, can enhance our understanding of the dynamics of online influence and improve networking strategies within interest-based communities.
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Markham, S. E. (2024). Contextualising influential thought leaders and online learning communities in social media: A case of the gamification and serious games community [Unpublished doctoral thesis]. University of Chester.
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University of Chester
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Thesis or dissertation
Language
en