Evaluating Factors Influencing Knowledge-Sharing Behavior of Students in Online Problem-Based Learning

Area of Science:

• Education
• Social Sciences
• Information Science

Background:

• Online problem-based learning (OPBL) is increasingly adopted in internships to foster self-directed learning and knowledge sharing.
• The OPBL environment differs from traditional learning, necessitating research into student collaborative experiences.
• Social media tools are integrated into OPBL, promoting interaction and collective intelligence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a research model explaining student knowledge-sharing behavior (KSB) in OPBL using social media.
• To investigate the influence of social identification and relationship quality on KSB within internship programs.
• To integrate social identity theory and commitment-trust theory to understand OPBL dynamics.

Main Methods:

• A formative research model was developed integrating social identity and commitment-trust theories.
• Data were collected from 425 nursing students across seven Taiwanese institutions.
• Partial least squares (PLS) technique was employed for data analysis.

Main Results:

• Social identification was identified as a critical antecedent of knowledge-sharing behavior (KSB).
• Relationship quality significantly moderated the impact of interpersonal trust and relationship commitment (RC) on KSB.
• The study highlights the importance of social and relational factors in OPBL effectiveness.

Conclusions:

• Social identification is a primary driver of KSB in OPBL settings.
• Building strong relationships and trust is crucial for enhancing KSB during internships.
• Findings offer theoretical contributions to internship education and knowledge management literature.