’Lurkers’ in the Fashion Business School: A study of learning participation in online classrooms

Abstract

The study ’Lurkers in the Fashion Business School: A study of learning participation in online classrooms’ investigates how and whether students who do not actively contribute in online learning environments (known as ‘lurkers’) learn effectively. The research addresses a key problem that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic: the widespread assumption that online participation must be visible to be valuable. While earlier studies often labelled lurkers as disengaged or those who participated minimally, this project questions that view and explores whether passive engagement may still support meaningful learning. To examine this, the study focused on online learning at the Fashion Business School at the London College of Fashion (LCF). Using an interpretivist, qualitative approach, the researcher conducted a focus group and six follow-up interviews with students on a hybrid Graduate Diploma course who self-identified as either active ‘posters’ or quieter ‘lurkers’. To reduce bias, participants were re-labelled as ‘dolphins’ (posters) and ‘deer’ (lurkers). Thematic analysis of the data revealed three dominant themes as access or barriers to learning: communication, participation and personality. Findings showed that communication was central to learning in both face-to-face and online settings, but many students found online environments limited opportunities for spontaneous discussion. ‘Lurkers’ often preferred to observe, listen and reflect, describing this as an intentional and effective learning strategy rather than disengagement. Participation levels were influenced by personality, confidence, language ability and mode of delivery. Many ‘deer’ gained understanding through observation. Personality emerged as a major factor: introverts tended to participate less visibly but still demonstrated engagement and learning. The study concludes that lurking can represent legitimate participation and that learning can occur through observation as well as contribution. It recommends that higher education institutions adopt inclusive, hybrid pedagogies that recognise different participation styles, support reflective learners, and design online environments that value both active and silent engagement. This article is also included in The Business & Management Collection which can be accessed at https://hstalks.com/business/.