An Exploration of a Blended Learning Cohort Through Social Network Analysis

The following technical report is a social network analysis of online threaded discussions from three blending learning cohorts. The purpose of this social network analysis was to explore graduate level blended learning cohorts by investigating how the relationships and interactions among individuals shape and affect the overall cohort,to explore the evolution of each cohort overtime,and to investigate facilitator interactions within the blended learning program and how their contributions shaped and affected the network. The threaded discussions were coded and analyzed based on literature about social network analysis, constructive-developmental theory, holding environments, and transformational learning theory. Eight selected weeks of discussions were coded for each of the three cohorts. All three cohorts remained mostly consistent with the same individuals and the same facilitators throughout the year-long program. The stability of the participants and the facilitatorsgeneratedsocialnetworkoutcomesfromallfourquartersofeachcohort. In order to confirm the results of the hypothesis of this researcher about constructive-developmentalism and transformational learning within these cohorts, the researcher then cross-referenced with the analysis of another researcher using the same data who conducted a content analysis in ways of knowing. Discussion of the analysis and further recommendations for research has been included in this report