1) The document describes a study examining knowledge transfer between student teams in a blended learning university course. 57 students were divided into 11 teams that collaborated both face-to-face and virtually on business assignments over 14 weeks. 2) The researchers measured how much students learned from their own team (internal) and other teams (external) at weeks 4, 7, and 14. Initially most learning was internal but over time students learned more externally, indicating knowledge spillovers between teams. 3) The impact of prior friendships on knowledge transfer declined over time, suggesting learning relationships formed regardless of pre-existing social ties. The evolving networks demonstrated how learners developed different internal and external learning relationships over the course.

1. Knowledge spillovers in active
team learning: transfer of
learning between teams
Dra. Nuria Hernandez-Nanclares
University of Oviedo
EARLI 2013, München, 28 August
2013
Dr. Bart Rienties
University of Surrey

3. Setting and
instructional
design
• 3rd year course of Business Administration in the
Economics Faculty at University of Oviedo
• 57 Spanish and Erasmus students
• Blended learning approach with collaborative learning
methodology
• Four –seven members working teams
• Five authentic tasks related with international economics
Active group learning
but limited friendship

4. Face-to-face environment
Active group learning

5. Face-to-face environment
Active group learning

6. Virtual environment
Active group learning

7. Virtual environment
Active group learning

8. Limited friendship
Face-to-face environment Virtual Learning Environment
Intra-team
interaction
Class time devoted to
team working: teams work
on their own elaborating
materials, reading and
summarizing, discussing…
Private team forum
Wikis to develop specific written
assignments
Feedback and corrections through
the forum
Inter-team
interaction
Class time devoted to
whole class work:
presentations, discussions,
analysis and assessment of
other teams’ products…
Task-specific forum to discuss about
tasks and analyse and assess other
teams’ products.
Feedback and corrections through
the forum

10. Initial learning network at week 4...
...how knowledge
spillovers occur?

11. Initial learning network at week 4...
...who learns from
whom?

12. ... position of students
and teams
Initial learning network at week 4...

13. Dynamics of change: week 7

14. Dynamics of change: week 14

16. Quantifying knowledge spillovers
Measurement after four
weeks
Team
(members)
Internal External E-I
Team 1(7) 30 7 -0.62
Team 2(5) 20 1 -0.91
Team 3(4) 6 15 0.43
Team 4(6) 8 3 -0.46
Team 5(6) 24 1 -0.92
Team 6(5) 16 7 -0.39
Team 7(5) 20 8 -0.43
Team 8(5) 18 5 -0.57
Team 9(6) 24 7 -0.55
Team 10(5) 16 8 -0.33
Team11(5) 14 10 -0.17
Average 17.82 6.55 -0.53

17. Quantifying knowledge spillovers
Measurement after four
weeks
Measurement after seven
weeks
Team
(members)
Internal External E-I Internal External E-I
Team 1(7) 30 7 -0.62 28 13 -0.37
Team 2(5) 20 1 -0.91 20 8 -0.43
Team 3(4) 6 15 0.43 6 20 0.54
Team 4(6) 8 3 -0.46 20 14 -0.18
Team 5(6) 24 1 -0.92 30 40 0.14
Team 6(5) 16 7 -0.39 14 29 0.35
Team 7(5) 20 8 -0.43 18 13 -0.16
Team 8(5) 18 5 -0.57 20 24 0.09
Team 9(6) 24 7 -0.55 24 27 0.06
Team 10(5) 16 8 -0.33 16 13 -0.10
Team11(5) 14 10 -0.17 18 19 0.03
Average 17.82 6.55 -0.53 19.45 20.00 -0.12

18. Quantifying knowledge spillovers
Measurement after four
weeks
Measurement after seven
weeks
Measurement after 14
weeks
Team
(members)
Internal External E-I Internal External E-I Internal External E-I
Team 1(7) 30 7 -0.62 28 13 -0.37 24 16 -0.20
Team 2(5) 20 1 -0.91 20 8 -0.43 20 7 -0.48
Team 3(4) 6 15 0.43 6 20 0.54 12 20 0.25
Team 4(6) 8 3 -0.46 20 14 -0.18 20 8 -0.43
Team 5(6) 24 1 -0.92 30 40 0.14 30 17 -0.28
Team 6(5) 16 7 -0.39 14 29 0.35 18 26 0.18
Team 7(5) 20 8 -0.43 18 13 -0.16 14 12 -0.08
Team 8(5) 18 5 -0.57 20 24 0.09 20 25 0.11
Team 9(6) 24 7 -0.55 24 27 0.06 28 30 0.03
Team 10(5) 16 8 -0.33 16 13 -0.10 18 16 -0.06
Team11(5) 14 10 -0.17 18 19 0.03 20 25 0.11
Average 17.82 6.55 -0.53 19.45 20.00 -0.12 20.36 18.36 -0.17

19. Prior friendship and knowledge
spillovers
M SD Density (in %) 1 2 3
Friendship ties
(M1)
11.00 3.89 3.83
Learning ties after
four weeks
4.70 1.68 5.98 .250**
Learning ties after
seven weeks
7.47 3.00 9.21 .259** .532**
Learning ties after
14 weeks
19.00 7.47 9.06 .235** .514** .534**

20. Learning network at week 14
Model1 Model 2 Model 3
Friendship ties
(M1)
.23*** .11*** .07***
Learning ties
after four weeks
_ .49*** .31***
Learning ties
after seven weeks
_ _ .35***
R-square adj. 0.055 0.276 0.362
Multiple regression quadratic

21. Discussion
Knowledge spillovers evolution
At the beginning, students learned mainly from the
members of its own team.
As time passed, most students learned beyond the
borders of their own team and developed knowledge
spillovers because teams had a lot of possibilities to
exchange knowledge and expertise with the other teams
in the classroom learning space.

22. Discussion
Impact of prior friendship
Declined over time, indicating that some of
the knowledge spillovers are unrelated to
pre-existing friendship relations

23. Discussion
Networks are continuously constructed and broken
down indicating that learners developed different types
of internal and external learning relationships with
different students and teams.
Learning networks evolve over time

24. Thank you very
much for your
attention!!
Dra. Nuria Hernandez-Nanclares
University of Oviedo
Dr. Bart Rienties
University of Surrey