Preferences and Motivating Factors for Knowledge Sharing by Students

The main objective of this study was to explore students' perceptions of knowledge sharing, their preference for participation in face-to-face and online discussion boards, motivating factors, and barriers to knowledge sharing. A questionnaire was used for data collection and 154 graduate students from two public universities in Singapore participated in this study. It was found that over one-half of the students preferred face-to-face knowledge sharing, 26% preferred participation in study-related online discussion boards (ODBs) and the rest expressed an equal preference for both communication channels. The major motivator for face-to-face knowledge sharing received immediate feedback from peers while the major motivator for online discussion boards was the availability of enough time to conceptualise and express ideas. The major barriers to face-to-face knowledge sharing were shyness and poor language skills, whereas lack of time to read multiple threads was a barrier to participation over study-related online discussion boards.