Visualizations of Online Course Interactions for Social Network Learning Analytics

Authors

  • Ángel Hernández-García Universidad Politécnica de Madrid https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6549-9549
  • Inés González-González Universidad de Navarra
  • Ana Isabel Jiménez-Zarco Universitat Oberta de Catalunya
  • Julián Chaparro-Peláez Universidad Politécnica de Madrid

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v11i07.5889

Keywords:

Gephi, learning analytics, learning data visualization, online learning, social network analysis

Abstract


Social network learning analytics aims to extract useful information to improve the learning process, but the variety of learning management systems makes this task burdensome and difficult to manage. This study shows how Gephi, a general-purpose, open-source social network analysis application, can be used by instructors and institutions to extract and visualize relevant information that is commonly hidden or difficult to observe for course coordinators and teachers. The empirical case study uses data from one cross-curricular course with 656 students at the Open University of Catalonia (UOC) and showcases the use of Gephi as a social network learning analytics tool. The study further discusses the potential of social network learning analytics to improve online instruction by visualization of educational data.

Author Biographies

Ángel Hernández-García, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid

Assistant Professor at Departamento de Ingeniería de Organización, Administración de Empresas y Estadística

Julián Chaparro-Peláez, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid

Professor at Departamento de Ingeniería de Organización, Administración de Empresas y Estadística

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Published

2016-07-21

How to Cite

Hernández-García, Ángel, González-González, I., Jiménez-Zarco, A. I., & Chaparro-Peláez, J. (2016). Visualizations of Online Course Interactions for Social Network Learning Analytics. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (iJET), 11(07), pp. 6–15. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v11i07.5889

Issue

Section

Special Focus Papers