5  Section 4 Social Network Analyses (Relational Data)

Abstract: Social network analysis (SNA) is the process of investigating social structures through the use of networks and graph theory. It is a technique used to map and measure relationships and flows between people, groups, organizations, computers, or other information/knowledge processing entities. SNA can be a useful tool for understanding the team structures, for example, in an online classroom. It can be an additional layer of understanding the outcomes (or predictors) of certain instructional interventions. Used this way SNA can be used to identify patterns and trends in social networks, as well as to understand how these networks operate. Additionally, SNA can be used to predict future behavior in social networks, and to design interventions that aim to improve the functioning of these networks.