AUTHOR=Bick Nathalie , Froehlich Laura , Voltmer Jan-Bennet , Raimann Jennifer , Reich-Stiebert Natalia , Seidel Niels , Burchart Marc , Martiny Sarah E. , Nikitin Jana , Stürmer Stefan , Martin Andreas TITLE=Virtually isolated: social identity threat predicts social approach motivation via sense of belonging in computer-supported collaborative learning JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychology VOLUME=15 YEAR=2024 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1346503 DOI=10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1346503 ISSN=1664-1078 ABSTRACT=
Collaboration improves multiple academic and social outcomes. Accordingly, computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) can be beneficial in distance education contexts to overcome the issues specific to online learning (e.g., underperformance, low identification with university). Distance universities often attract a substantial number of non-traditional students (e.g., students with disability, students with migration background). Despite their representation, non-traditional students face negative stereotypes and associated social consequences, including social identity threat, diminished sense of belonging, and less motivation for social interactions. In the context of online learning, where there is little individuating information, social categories like socio-demographic group memberships become salient, activating stereotypes. Consequently, socio-demographic group memberships can have detrimental consequences for the integration of non-traditional students. The purpose of the present study was to (a) determine the extent of social identity threat for students in higher distance education, (b) explore the social consequences of this threat in the same context, (c) validate these findings through longitudinal analyses embedded in a CSCL task, and (d) use learning analytics to test behavioral outcomes. In a longitudinal study with three measurement occasions over 8 weeks (