Topic 10 Exercise 10.1

Social Networks Case Study

Social network analysis of our weekly meetings and blogs




Since we have a fine collection of artefacts from our own learning community in this subject, use the references to guide your directions AND figure 1 on mapping the social network as a set of nodes, follow these steps (HINT - don't pick too small or too big an extract)


What to do:


Who is following who? Examine the blogs in your POD and work out the map of followers/following relationship.


Assign each person a letter in the same order as they appear in the dialogue as a, b, c, etc.

1. For your chosen extract, draw the social network diagram and build the same matrix of 0 and 1's as per figure 1.


2. Describe any patterns of people's interactions that you discover. (I am forcing you to think here)


3. If you were to repeat this analysis on another set of blogs from another POD, would you find the same patterns?


4. Why or Why not (HINT - changes in context and process may be just some variables to consider)


5. Support your opinion with any of the reference provided or with others you find.

A= Mel

B= Liz

C = Lesley

D= Ben

E – Shin

The data that was used for the purpose of this question was taken from a Redpod group meeting. As is the case with all Redpod meetings the conversation flowed steadily – but it is not always on topic. Despite this, the group are very forthcoming with discussing their successes as well as challenges. Everyone seems to be happy to support others to overcome these challenges.

While I know that our meetings with the Redpod members are relatively fruitful and full of discussion I do not feel this is reflected in either of the above diagrams. While I guess it shows we all interacted with each other it does not indicate much about the tone of the conversation, nor does it detail the depth of the conversation. I think upon reflecting on the discussions I have had as part of this online journey I have discovered that I am pretty much a follower and a peacemaker.

I do not think that the results would be the same in another set of blogs from another POD because my the roles may differ in a different situation. As pointed out by Valdis Krebs “organization charts prescribes that work and information flow in a hierarchy, but network mapping reveals (they) actually flow through a vast web of informal channels.

Reference http://semanticstudios.com/publications/semantics/000006.php