Alternately, you would also use an egocentric approach if your research question is about different patterns of interaction within defined groups
Comparing different groups with the same or similar structure? Or differing patterns of interaction within the groups? Or both?
There is no assumption that groups are the building blocks of society: the approach is open to studyingless-bounded social systems, from nonlocal communities to links among websites.Rather than treating individuals (persons, organizations, states) as discrete units of analysis, it focuses on howthe structure of ties affects individuals and their relationships.In contrast to analyses that assume that socialization into norms determines behavior, network analysis looksto see the extent to which the structure and composition of ties affect norms.
This is important for my own understanding of the "Why" of SNA. It made sense to disengage the social portion of the practice and focus on the composition of the ties. An ah-ha.
Density is intricately linked to network size
...and then: here is the connection to the previous note.
the pattern of relations among the network's actors.
(Mental Note) The concept that I have to focus on...
It is possible to use data collected from Twitter to discern the identities of tweet authors, which can then be used to find and collect additional information from additional sources.
This brings up the question of generational use and regard for privacy: the 13-19 age group, the 20-26 age group and those in the older age sets all have a different regard for what is or should be private. What could be an effective approach to a solution to this research and ethical challenge?
These kinds of situations give rise to an array of important, basic questions that confront educational researchers. On the dyadic level, why does one student help another? What are the consequences of this interaction? If all of your classmates have the same answer, should you try and reach out to others not in your class who may give you a better alternative answer? What are the costs associated with getting help on that exam? Suppose you kept asking for help on subsequent exams; is your relationship established enough to do so?
Simply put, "What's in it for me?"
To their social and educational detriment, however, Mexican American students appear to be less engaged in unorganized academic endeavors and formally sponsored extracurricular activities than are white students. Consequently, these students do not reap the benefits of social capital's upside.
As a third culture adult, with bi-cultural kids, I have to notice and react to the statement that Mexican American students appear to be less engaged in unorganized academic endeavors ... than white students." Is social capital less important, not noticed or simply not addressed within Mexican American culture?
Dawson, S., Tan, J. P. L., & McWilliam, E. (2011). Measuring creative potential: Using social network analysis to monitor a learners’ creative capacity. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 27(6), 924–942.
I will take this article. Thanks!
For example, social network analysis and its underpinnings in relational realism have helped reframe teaching and learning by focusing attention on the role of trust (Bryk & Schneider, 2002), relations among teachers (Coburn & Russell, 2008), and the relationship between social capital and student outcomes
Interesting analysis: The triangulation of trust, relations among teachers and the relationship between social capital and student outcomes.
Finally, how will your study exhibit an integration of theory and method?
Important question that I have been struggling with.
structural holes hypothesis
Both generate "social capital" , albeit differently. "Social closure hypothesis" and "Structural holes hypothesis refer to social networks that often operate within social castes to protect the members. It would be great if someone could come up with an authentic/real life example of their own.
analysis has evolved in a way that marries both theory and method, what Marin and Wellman (2011) refer to as the “social network perspective.”
"Social network perspective" is social network analysis that layers or intertwines theory and method and contains qualitative and quantitative characteristics. The observable: the people demonstrate social relationships that become interesting when their social links are examined.
sociometry, the graphical mapping of individuals’ feelings about one another
This is a term that is new to me. I find it interesting in the abstract as well as the specific.
From a social scientist's point of view, network research in the physical sciences can seem alarmingly simplistic and coarse-grained. And, no doubt, from a physical scientist's point of view, network research in the social sciences must appear oddly mired in the minute and the particular, using tiny data sets and treating every context as different
What about the speed at which networks can now develop and morph? Is there a tool developed that we can use to analyze speed of network development, its efficacy in achieving its purpose (whatever that may be) and triangulating it with findings in network research done from a physical science point of view and the social science analysis? ...this is clumsily stated, actually.
The common conviction at the time was that urbanization destroyed community, and that cities played a central role in this drama.
So, here is a thought: The historical theory about urbanization destroying community, has proven to be false...what theories that we hold today, about social networking and online communities, will be proven false in the future?
“Understanding these social factors will uncover pedagogical and technological constraints that have negative impacts to student persistence,”
Probably critical to understand social factors from a cultural viewpoint, also. As online classes cross political boundaries, Cultures may have differing expectation that 21st century users may or may not understand about each other and that may or may not impact student persistence...Is this a fair observation?