Using a literacy framework, this case study explores parents' assessment literacy in South Florida (United States). Data were collected using focus-group interviews of public-school parents (N = 32) and a document artifact. Findings illustrate how parents drew upon verbal and virtual information and social interactions to learn about the…

This thesis consists of two projects I worked on simultaneously throughout my PhD. Although neither project builds on the other, both investigate social systems as networks, and draw on a common set of statistical tools and methods.In the first project, I analyse the academic employment and doctoral education of tenure- track faculty at all…

Asynchronous online discussions (AODs) are a central component of online courses and have been widely implemented in case-based instruction (CBI). In online CBI, AODs offer learners a medium for making sense of complex problems, as they consider case topics collaboratively with peers and facilitators. Therefore, learners' interactions with others…

This paper explores the nature of integrated networks of practice, and in particular, the important role of "hubs" within networks. Hubs are individuals or groups that energize cross-connections, improve knowledge flow, enhance learning across small clusters of expertise, and play critical roles in building and sustaining robust…

Built environment research has long been interested in understanding the complexities of transitional spaces by investigating their hosted interactions. One approach used in efforts of this kind is actor-network theory (ANT), which conceptualizes built spaces as networks of relations that allow for certain interactions but not others. Previous…

Modern conceptions of land grant institutions have shifted focus from community outreach to community engagement, with focus on more egalitarian partnerships that place community members in active response to university engagement efforts. Historical studies that explore these interactions often fail to capture the nuance and reciprocity of these…

Many studies concerning social capital in academia have used social network theory and social network analysis as an approach. Social network analysis focuses on a boundary set of actors in a network and what it reveals as an outcome of social capital. However, social capital is also a precursor or catalyst for cooperative work. Here, we…

Arousing and sustaining young students' curiosity within school environments is an important concern in contemporary education. Our study investigated the triggers of curiosity in elementary classrooms centered around social constructivist discourse, specifically knowledge-building. To this end, we performed longitudinal network analysis on 4166…

In this paper, a key node mining algorithm of entropy-CRITIC combined weighted GRA-TOPSIS method is proposed, which is based on the network structure features. First, the method obtained multi-dimensional data of students' identities, seating relationships, social relationships, and so on to build a database. Then, the seating similarity among…

Adapting to the expectations of educational institutions can be difficult for any students, but it is particularly difficult for disadvantaged, first-generation college students with a minority ethnic background. Our case study, employing a social network perspective, examines the role of small peer-communities in the academic adjustment of…

We use a co-authorship network analysis to describe and examine the social network of researchers studying physical education content knowledge worldwide. Co-authorship network analysis is a method for determining the scope, trend, and focus of research around a topic. It provides a way to evaluate both the growth of a field and to examine the…

Reference to teachers as agents of change has become commonplace in the education literature, including change toward more inclusive practice in response to the changing demographic of schooling. Yet, little is known about how teacher agency relates to (1) their understanding of, and commitment to any given change agenda and (2) the institutional…

Innovation in higher education teaching is essential to respond to global challenges and actively improve teaching (e.g. through new technologies), necessitating the implementation of educational reform programmes that fund educational innovations. Although currently deployed strategies frequently promote networks between innovators to diffuse…

The main purpose of this study is to determine the level of institutional isomorphism of Guidance Research Centers (GRS), which are public education organizations. The concept of institutional isomorphism means that organizations that are similar according to the type, level and characteristics of environmental conditions can survive. In the…

The main goal of this article is to analyse the Non-Partisan School movement (EsP, or Escola sem Partido) which articulates social and political actors around a conservative agenda for education in Brazil. Based on Ball's studies, this article analyses political governance networks using a free software, GEPHI, using a qualitative network…