Social Network Analysis of Knowledge Construction in Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning
Abstract:
Studying learners’ knowledge construction process is the key to understand how learning occurs in computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL) settings. In this study, we selected the discussion interaction on topic of “scaffolding and CSCL” from the online course platform. Then we visually analyzed students’ behavior of collaborative knowledge construction by social network analysis, and explored social characteristics of different types of members in the network. The findings indicate that:1) The students who didn’t participate in the discussion of knowledge construction, are isolated points in the network, and are introverts in their lives; 2) The students with higher influence in the network are usually active individuals in the class. They actively speak in class and express their personal views. Most of them are class or school student cadres, and they are closely related in real life; 3) Some personal characters, such as environment and social relationships, may have a certain impact on the process of collaborative knowledge construction. These findings will be helpful in designing activities of collaborative knowledge construction, and improving the effect of students’ computer-supported collaborative learning.
Keywords:
knowledge construction, computer-supported collaborative learning, social network analysis
pages:
399-402
Year:
2019
Published in:
2nd Eurasian Conference on Educational Innovation 2019
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