Mapping the Intellectual Structure of Social Informatics in Online Collaborative Learning in Higher Education

Key Points

• To map the intellectual structure and empirical patterns of social informatics in online collaborative learning.
• Utilized social network analysis and learning analytics to assess the evolution of research methods.
• Examined the conceptual foundations of social informatics in higher education.
• Identified gaps for future research agendas in the field.
• Mapped the empirical patterns and methodological evolution of social informatics research in online learning.
• Identified significant gaps in the current research landscape for further exploration.
• Established a framework for future social informatics-oriented research in education.