UV9117 – Introduction to Social Network Analysis for Educational Researchers
Course content
Summary
This 6-hour course introduces educational researchers to the theory, measures, and applications of social network analysis (SNA). SNA takes as its starting point the principle that social phenomena are created primarily and most importantly by relations and the patterns they form. This principle is especially salient for educational researchers interested in moving beyond individualistic or attribute-based explanations and towards those that bridge theory and empirical reality. Through a combination of lecture and hands-on experience, participants will learn how SNA offers a unique perspective on educational phenomena and the methodological decisions that one must consider when employing its methods and measures. Though intended for beginners, a basic familiarity with applied statistics may be helpful, but is not necessary. Participants are encouraged to bring their laptop.
The course will begin with a general introduction to the theory underlying SNA, followed by an overview of network methods including the collection, cleaning and preparing, analysis, ethical issues, and visualization of social network data. Basic structural properties of networks such as density, centrality, reciprocity, and cohesive subgroups will be covered. This interactive course will focus on the use of UCINET software, and will give participants experience of analyzing social network data both included in the UCINET software as well as provided by the instructors.
Organiser: The research group Studies of Instruction across Subjects and Competences (SISCO) in cooperation with The Department of Teacher Education and School Research, University of Oslo.
Location: University of Oslo, Helga Engs hus, room 231.
Responsible: Esther T.Canrinus, University of Oslo
Guest professor: Alan J. Daly, Chair and Professor, Department of Education Studies, University of California, San Diego USA
Learning outcome
Objectives
The course will:
1. Review key concepts of Social Network Theory and Analysis
2. Explain how to collect, describe, analyze, and visualize social network data
3. Discuss examples and common pitfalls in the study of social networks in education
4. Offer an overview of available software to analyze social network data
5. Provide hands-on training to use software (UCINET) to investigate social network structure
Admission
The course will be available to 30 pre-registered participants.
PhD candidates at the Faculty of Educational Sciences will be given priority, but it is also possible for others to apply for the course. All applicants must hold at least a Master's degree.
New deadline for registration: October 13th 2016.
Candidates admitted to a PhD-program at the Faculty of Educational Sciences (UV): Apply by Studentweb.
Other applicants: apply through registration form
Teaching
October 21st 2016,
Helga Engs hus, room 231.
at 9 AM
by
Alan J. Daly
Chair and Professor, Department of Education Studies
University of California, San Diego USA
Email: ajdaly@ucsd.edu
Esther T.Canrinus
Postdoctoral researcher, Department of Teacher Education and School Research
University of Oslo, Oslo
Email: e.t.canrinus@ils.uio.no
Program
Software
Prior to the workshop you should download and install UCINET on a Windows-based laptop (it can be downloaded for free for 60 days).
As there is no native Macintosh version of UCINET, Macintosh users can download UCINET and run the program using either Bootcamp, VMware Fusion, Parallels, or Wine--See FAQs on the UCINET website for more details.
In addition, if time allows, attendees may want to refer to the online UCINET tutorial for a general overview and reference.
Please be sure to have the software and any other related files (especially the two excel data files which will be provided after enrollment) saved on a portable drive or on your laptop.
Background Reading
Please read/skim the following articles/book. The articles and book introduce many of the concepts we will discuss and apply and will also be useful for your course assignment.
Carolan, B. V. (2013). Social network analysis and educational research: Theory, methods, and applications (Chapter 1). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.
Daly, A. J. (2012). Data, dyads, and dynamics: Exploring data use and social networks in educational improvement. Teachers College Record, 114, 1-38.
Daly, A. J. (Editor) (2010). Social Network Theory and Educational Change. Cambridge MA, Harvard Education Press (Selected Chapters -information will follow).
Moolenaar, N. M., Daly, A. J., & Sleegers, P. J. C. (2010). Occupying the principal position: Examining relationships between transformational leadership, social network position, and schools' innovative climate. Educational Administration Quarterly, 46(5) 623–670. doi:10.1177/0013161X10378689
In addition, should you want more in depth review you may want consult one of the following four introductory texts (others will be briefly mentioned during the workshop):
Borgatti, S. P., Everett, M. G., & Johnson, J. C. (2013). Analyzing Social Networks. Sage Publications, UK
Scott, J. (2000). Social network analysis: A handbook (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.
Scott, J. (2012). What is Social Network Analysis. New York, NY: Bloomsbury Academic. (e.g., Chapter 2.).
Informative website for large scale network studies:
Examination
Assignment
Produce a 5-7 page “mini-research proposal” in which you outline a key educational problem, background theory, and how social network methods may be used to address the identified issue.
To be able to obtain 2 study credits, one has to be present at both the lecture and the hands-on training, as well as have submitted a “mini-research proposal”. The proposal should be sent to Esther Canrinus (e.t.canrinus@ils.uio.no). Deadline for submitting the proposal is: midnight CET, November 13th 2016.
Evaluation
Visiting Scholar and Lecturer
Alan J. Daly, Ph.D. is Chair and Professor of the Department of Education Studies at the University of California, San Diego. He is also the founding Executive Editor of the new Sage Journal Educational Neuroscience. Alan’s research and teaching are influenced by his 16 years of public school experience in a variety of instructional and leadership roles. His research primarily focuses on the role of leadership, educational policy, and organization structures and the relationship between those elements on the educational attainment of traditionally marginalized student populations. Alan draws on his theoretical and methodological expertise in social network theory and analysis in his work and has multiple publications and a book on the topic published by Harvard Press entitled, Social Network Theory and Educational Change. He has a second co-authored book with Springer entitled, Using Research Evidence in Schools, and an upcoming American Educational Research Association book titled, Thinking and Acting Systemically: Improving School Districts Under Pressure, which will be published in the Spring of 2016. You can learn more about Professor Daly’s work here.
Esther T. Canrinus is a postdoctoral researcher at the faculty of Educational Sciences at the University of Oslo. She works on the project 'Coherence and Assignment Study in Teacher Education' (CATE) in which the pedagogical practices in teacher education programs from Finland, Norway, California (US), Chile and Cuba are explored. Previously she worked as a teacher educator and researcher at the faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences at the University of Groningen, where she studied teacher motivation, teachers' professional identity and their social network, relating these aspects to their professional development. In 2013 she visited the University of California San Diego. There she learned more about social network research and collaborated with the research team led by Professor Alan Daly. Her research interests furthermore include teaching behavior and occupational psychology. For an overview of her peer-reviewed articles see.