Poquet, Oleksandra, et al. "Grade-based similarity prevails in online course forums at scale." Computers & Education 178 (2022): 104401.

This study explores student interactions in online course forums across three universities in North America, South-East Asia, and the Pacific, analyzing data from 14,643 students over several years. The research investigates how grade similarity influences student participation in discussions using exponential random graph modeling and regression analysis. Findings indicate that while students with similar grades tend to interact more frequently, this similarity is primarily attributed to factors like course and forum design rather than peer influence or selection processes. The study raises important questions about the impact of learning design on student connections based on grade similarity.