The Use of Facebook and Social Network Analysis (ETF 2014)

The use of Facebook (FB) and Social

Network Analysis (SNA) to Predict

Students “At Risk” in Further

Education (FE)

Elaine Garcia@ela1negarc1a

[email protected]

About me

• Elaine Garcia

• Head of Blended Learning & Digital Development (currently)

• Plymouth College of Art

• Associate Lecturer in information systems / PhD student

• University of Plymouth

• Research interests: Web 2.0, teaching & learning, knowledge

management, social learning, CoP, blogs

What links me and Kevin Bacon?

BACKGROUND

Background

Background

Web 2.0 is becoming

increasingly popular amongst

students

Young people are forming

‘…. complex, invisible and

organic social networks.’

‘understanding how and why

students use the electronic social

network is important for

understanding how to build and

maintain relationships with

students and to increase retention

and success.’ (Amador & Amador, 2014)

81% of students have experience of

discussing course-related

problems on FB

59% say it is a reason to use FB

(Jong et al, 2014)

Strong and Weak Ties

A

BC

Six Degrees of Separation

Objectives

• To determine if open data from social networks (Facebook)

maintained by students online provide indicators of those

students who may be less likely to succeed or complete a

course of study.

• To investigate the manner in which analysis of Facebook and

SNA may provide information which will assist in the

development of teaching strategies and approaches to

classroom management which will result in improved

teaching and learning and greater success on course.

THE COURSE & STUDENTS

METHODOLOGY

Social Network Analysis (SNA)

• SNA is ‘the mapping and measuring of relationships and flows

between people, groups, organisations, computers, URLs, and

other connected information/knowledge entities’ (Orgnet, 2013)

• Allows researchers to visually see the network and make “sense” of

the data

• For this project only degree of centrality was considered

– Each individual is a node

– Nodes are connected and some will be the “hubs” of the network

• Used Open source SNA software - Gephi

Survey

• Used Survey Monkey

• Informed by past research

• 90 students were asked to participate

• 23 completed the survey – 25% return

RESULTS

Degree of Centrality

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

0 - 10 11 - 20 21 - 30 31 - 40 41 - 50

Tota

l Nu

mb

er

of

No

de

s (S

tud

en

ts)

Degree of Centrality

Degree of Centrality amongst nodes

Degree of separation

Total FB Friends

Age

Early Leavers

Gender

Attendance

Specific Early Leavers

Connected Leavers

Specific Early Leavers

The “Loners”

-2.5

-2

-1.5

-1

-0.5

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

2 3 6 6 7 8 8 11 12 12 14 15 17 18 20 21 22 22 23 25 31 32 32Rat

ing

Degree Seperation within Network

I have achieved more in my studies because of Facebook

I have achieved more in my studies because of Facebook Linear (I have achieved more in my studies because of Facebook)

-1.5

-1

-0.5

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

2 3 6 6 7 8 8 11 12 12 14 15 17 18 20 21 22 22 23 25 31 32 32

Rat

ing

Degree Seperation within Network

I like to ask questions in class

I like to ask questions in class Linear (I like to ask questions in class)

-2.5

-2

-1.5

-1

-0.5

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

2 3 6 6 7 8 8 11 12 12 14 15 17 18 20 21 22 22 23 25 31 32 32Rat

ing

Degree Seperation within Network

I share the work I produced as part of my course on Facebook

I share the work I produced as part of my course on Facebook Linear (I share the work I produced as part of my course on Facebook)

-2.5

-2

-1.5

-1

-0.5

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

2 3 6 6 7 8 8 11 12 12 14 15 17 18 20 21 22 22 23 25 31 32 32Rat

ing

Degree Seperation within Network

I would like my lecturers to be contactable through Facebook

I would like my lecturers to be contactable through Facebook Linear (I would like my lecturers to be contactable through Facebook)

DISCUSSION

Discussion

• Some students are “hubs” within the social network

• Total number of FB friends r

• Age a• Gender a• Attendance a

• Early Leavers a

• Cause or Effect ?

Research Model

Attendance

GenderAge

Early Leavers

Position in

Network

CONCLUSION

Conclusion

• Possible to identify students “at risk”

• Highlights need to include socialisation activities in course

• Benefits of using Facebook should be highlighted

• Lecturers shouldn’t make “friends” with students

• Trial needs to take this to identification before leaving

• Facebook not necessarily formal part of course

• “Hubs” can play a part in connecting the network

• Maximise weak ties

• Continue to test model – weighted centrality, betweeness centrality, closeness

centrality

• Compare with offline behaviour

• Track during the year (how to changes occur)

• Additional factors should be considered: Pathway, grades, etc

• Generalizability, reliability and validity

LETS TALK ABOUT KEVIN…

Six degrees of Kevin Bacon

Me!

Work with

Alan Lemin

Alan Lemin

Works with me

Worked with Brian Blagdon

Brian Blagdon

Worked with Alan Lemin

Worked with Alex Mackenzie

Alex Mackenzie

Worked with Brian Blagdon

Taught Charles Dance

Charles Dance

Taught by Alex Mackenzie

Worked with James McAvoy

James McAvoy

Worked with Charles Dance

Worked with Kevin Bacon

Kevin Bacon!

Worked with James McAvoy

1

2

3 4

5

6

Contact Details

Elaine Garcia

[email protected]

@ela1negarc1a

References / Picture Attribution

• Amador, P. & Amador, J. (2014) Academic advising via Facebook: Examining student help

seeking. Internet and Higher Education, No. 21, pp. 9-16.

• Jong, B., Lai, C., Hsia, Y., Lin, T. & Liao, Y. (2014) An exploration of the potential educational

value of Facebook, Computers in Human Behaviour, No. 32, pp201-211

• Orgnet (2013) Social Network Analysis: A brief introduction, Accessed 1st May 2014. Available at:

http://www.orgnet.com/sna.html

• Students in field: Kyle Spradley https://flic.kr/p/nE5xbX

• Facebook: MoneyBlogNewz https://flic.kr/p/92CvQF

• Gephi Logo http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Gephi-logo.png

• Kevin Bacon http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:KevinBacon07TIFF.jpg#file

• Charles Dance http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Charles_Dance_%28July_2012%29.jpg

• James McAvoy http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:James_McAvoy.jpg