Social network analysis of online learning communities: A case of teachers? forum

The overall aim of this study was to analyze an open, informal and widely used online information technology teacher forum by utilizing social network analysis to define online communication patterns for teachers? professional development, to reveal relations among social networks, and to determine the structural features of this network. Within the framework of the study, the most popular topic for information technology teachers in the bilgisayarbilisim.net online forum was subjected to examine during the Fall semester of the 2008?2009 academic year (between September and February). In this context, a total of 32 information technology teachers, who posted on that specific topic, were involved in the study.Regarding the scope of the social network analysis, the level of intensity and proximity of the relational ties among teachers (e.g. degree centrality, betweenness centrality, closeness centrality) were scrutinized. Considering the overall findings of the study, social network analyses provided both actor level and community level measures. It made possible to analyze online communities using quantitative data as well as to conduct in-depth investigations of the social network by visually scanning network maps. Furthermore, it enabled to evaluate the effectiveness of the group with empirical data and to determine communication patterns, network structures, and the roles of actors based on the network theory.