Conclusion
Although many theories advocate the importance of social interaction in influencing learning and performance, empirical evidence is relatively few. In this study, we presented the development of a theoretical model for understanding the impact of social networks in learning and performance. The novelty of this research is driven by the construction of content-based measure called “content richness” which provides a new approach for measuring the level of engagement of learners in a social learning environment by exchanging meaningful information. We analyzed the communicational patterns of students and groups located in different cities, countries, and time zones. They were part of an online course that relied heavily on using the discussion forums as an important communicationtool. The results show that rather than performance, social learning is highly influenced by the learners’ network of contacts.