Authors:
Stefanie Martin | University of Bamberg
Christoph Helm | Johannes Kepler University Linz | Austria
In our talk we ask to which extent SNA represents an appropriate approach to analyse students’ scholastic learning. More specifically, we are aiming at identifying theoretical and empirical potentials of SNA that help to explain learning and instruction more clearly. It is a highly unsatisfying fact that so far instructional research traditionally focuses on analysing students' attributes (e.g. intelligence) whereas relational aspects of scholastic learning (e.g. reciprocity of learning relationships) have been ignored (Carolan 2013). This desideratum is most likely due to the missing foundation of the social network analysis (SNA) approach in educational theory (Zander et al. 2014). Hence embedding SNA into educational theory constitutes the major goal of our study.
Particularly because scholastic instruction and learning is highly characterized by social relations as well as interactions and is embedded in social contexts (Wölfer & Cortina 2014) traditional research captures only an incomplete picture of how scholastic learning works. Thus, in accordance with others (Carolan 2013; Wölfer & Cortina 2014) we expect SNA to represent a fruitful approach for future educational research. For instance, SNA allows examining the assumption that cooperation leads to student learning only if cognitive conflicts are provoked and solved again. This assumption is central to social-cognitive learning theories (Piaget 1985; Vygotskij 1986). Hence this example shows that the use of SNA can be embedded in educational theory.
To identify SNA potentials for research on instruction and learning that are supported by learning theories we carried out a systematic literature review (SLR; Cooper 1984). Therefore, a total of six educational, psychological and sociological databases (PsycINFO, ERIC, SocINDEX, PSYNDEX, FIS-Bildung, psycARTICLES) were searched using a combination of terms such as “social network analysis” AND learn*. First, we extracted studies that use SNA to analyse teaching and learning processes. The only exclusion criterion was the language of the publication (no others than German and English papers were included). Based on these studies, we ask which educational theories are used to justify SNA. Second, we extracted studies that provide information on how specific SNA-metrics such as density, transitivity and centrality are applied in classroom-based educational research. Again, we ask which educational theories are justifying the use of SNA-metrics. Until the date of submission we identified about 80 relevant studies in total. After this data gathering process the results are analysed, categorized and synthetized with regard to our research question concerning the SNA potentials for educational research.
Early results indicate that the majority of publications identified are related to topics like sex, drugs, social media, bullying, and crime or to organisational learning. If publications focus on schools they analyse teacher and school networks only. According to our findings, SNA of scholastic learning processes are niche products. However, some exceptions exist which mainly draw upon social learning theories from Lave and Wenger (1991), Vygotskij (1986), and Bandura (1976, 1979). With regard to SNA-metrics, centrality and transitivity are analysed mostly.
The findings of our SRL are discussed against the background of the limitations and the implications for further educational research.