ERIC Number: EJ1171488
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2018
Pages: 16
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0892-3647
EISSN: N/A
Analyzing the Social Networks of High- and Low-Performing Students in Online Discussion Forums
Ghadirian, Hajar; Salehi, Keyvan; Ayub, Ahmad Fauzi Mohd
American Journal of Distance Education, v32 n1 p27-42 2018
An ego network is an individual's social network relationships with core members. In this study, the ego network parameters in online discussion spaces of high- and low-performing students were compared. The extent to which students' ego networks changed over the course were also analyzed. Participation in 7 weeks of online discussions were analyzed for 12 high-performing students and 9 low-performing students. Results suggested that ego networks' compositions of high- and low-performing students were significantly different. Particularly, high-performing students had denser ego networks and tended to exhibit a higher level of centralities than low-performing students. Results of network visualization indicated that high-performing students increased and kept their networks stable over the course in comparison to low-performing students, who had fragmented networks. Several networks' change mechanisms for high- and low-performing groups are also identified and discussed.
Descriptors: Computer Mediated Communication, Group Discussion, High Achievement, Low Achievement, Social Networks, Distance Education, Online Courses, Comparative Analysis, Undergraduate Students, Foreign Countries, Integrated Learning Systems, Network Analysis, Statistical Analysis
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Malaysia
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A