PERC 2015 Abstract Detail Page
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| Abstract Title: | Understanding Centrality: Investigating Student Outcomes within a Classroom Social Network |
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| Abstract: | Collaborative learning environments in undergraduate introductory physics courses, such as those promoted by Modeling Instruction (MI), influence both student performance and student social interactions. Because collaborative learning is inherently a social activity, we apply Network Analysis methods to examine student social interactions within the classroom using a survey administered periodically in class. We then calculate centrality, a family of measures that quantify how connected or "central" a particular student is within the classroom social network. In order to understand what centrality means in this context, we investigate the relationship among centrality, student demographics, and student outcomes in a large-scale MI classroom with 70 students and 6 instructors. We address two research questions: "Does centrality depend on sex, ethnicity, incoming GPA, or FMCE pre-score?" and "Does centrality predict final grade in course or FMCE post-score?" |
| Abstract Type: | Contributed Poster Presentation |
Author/Organizer Information | |
| Primary Contact: |
Eric Williams Florida International University 11200 SW 8th St CP 204 Miami, FL 33199 |
| Co-Author(s) and Co-Presenter(s) |
Eric Brewe, Justyna Zwolak, Remy Dou |
Contributed Poster | |
| Contributed Poster: | Download the Contributed Poster |
