Strengthening networks: A social network intervention among higher education teachers. (February 2018)
- Record Type:
- Journal Article
- Title:
- Strengthening networks: A social network intervention among higher education teachers. (February 2018)
- Main Title:
- Strengthening networks: A social network intervention among higher education teachers
- Authors:
- Van Waes, Sara
De Maeyer, Sven
Moolenaar, Nienke M.
Van Petegem, Peter
Van den Bossche, Piet - Abstract:
- Abstract: Teachers' opportunities to learn at the workplace are shaped by the relationships in which they discuss their instructional practice, what we call teaching networks . This study examined the extent to which such teaching networks could be strengthened during a professional development (PD) program. An intervention was designed to evaluate whether the development of teaching networks was affected in terms of network composition and access to teaching content. Longitudinal ego-network data of Belgian university teachers (N = 38, 1670 ties) were collected over a two-year time period. Multilevel analyses showed that the intervention group developed larger networks and increased network dynamics, compared to the control group. The intervention group also developed more diverse networks, and showed increased access to teaching content, suggesting that the intervention changed teachers' networks over time. This study shows the potential of network interventions to support teachers' professional development, and of network analysis as a tool to analyze professional relations. Highlights: An intervention was designed to strengthen teaching networks during a PD program. Ego-network data were collected over two-years from university teachers. The intervention group showed enlarged networks and increased network dynamics. The intervention group developed more diversely composed teaching networks. The intervention group consulted a wider teaching network for information andAbstract: Teachers' opportunities to learn at the workplace are shaped by the relationships in which they discuss their instructional practice, what we call teaching networks . This study examined the extent to which such teaching networks could be strengthened during a professional development (PD) program. An intervention was designed to evaluate whether the development of teaching networks was affected in terms of network composition and access to teaching content. Longitudinal ego-network data of Belgian university teachers (N = 38, 1670 ties) were collected over a two-year time period. Multilevel analyses showed that the intervention group developed larger networks and increased network dynamics, compared to the control group. The intervention group also developed more diverse networks, and showed increased access to teaching content, suggesting that the intervention changed teachers' networks over time. This study shows the potential of network interventions to support teachers' professional development, and of network analysis as a tool to analyze professional relations. Highlights: An intervention was designed to strengthen teaching networks during a PD program. Ego-network data were collected over two-years from university teachers. The intervention group showed enlarged networks and increased network dynamics. The intervention group developed more diversely composed teaching networks. The intervention group consulted a wider teaching network for information and advice. … (more)
- Is Part Of:
- Learning and instruction. Volume 53(2018)
- Journal:
- Learning and instruction
- Issue:
- Volume 53(2018)
- Issue Display:
- Volume 53, Issue 2018 (2018)
- Year:
- 2018
- Volume:
- 53
- Issue:
- 2018
- Issue Sort Value:
- 2018-0053-2018-0000
- Page Start:
- 34
- Page End:
- 49
- Publication Date:
- 2018-02
- Subjects:
- Social network -- Professional development -- Network intervention -- Higher education -- Academic development
Learning -- Periodicals
Teaching -- Periodicals
Apprentissage -- Périodiques
Enseignement -- Périodiques
Learning
Teaching
Periodicals
Electronic journals
370.1 - Journal URLs:
- http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/09594752 ↗
http://www.elsevier.com/journals ↗ - DOI:
- 10.1016/j.learninstruc.2017.07.005 ↗
- Languages:
- English
- ISSNs:
- 0959-4752
- Deposit Type:
- Legaldeposit
- View Content:
- Available online (eLD content is only available in our Reading Rooms) ↗
- Physical Locations:
- British Library DSC - 5179.325890
British Library DSC - BLDSS-3PM
British Library HMNTS - ELD Digital store - Ingest File:
- 5542.xml