Applying Epistemic Network Analysis in TEL Research: An introduction

Applying Epistemic Network Analysis in TEL Research: An introduction

Tuesday 24/05 14:00-15:30h

Main Hall

Abstract

Epistemic Network Analysis (ENA) is a novel method for identifying and quantifying connections among elements present in coded data (e.g., datasets of chat communication among learners, in a digital environment) and representing (i.e. visualizing) them in dynamic network models. Such models illustrate the structure of connections, measure the strength of association among elements in a network, as well as quantify changes in the composition and strength of connections over time. ENA enables comparison of networks directly (i.e., through its visualizations), as well as via summary statistics. Thus, ENA can be used to explore a wide range of qualitative and quantitative research questions in situations where patterns of association in data are hypothesized to be meaningful. For instance, existing research has applied ENA to analyze and visualize a wide range of phenomena, including: cognitive connections that students make while solving complex problems; interactions among different regions of the brain in fMRI data; social gaze coordination; among others. The purpose of this workshop is to provide a tutorial on ENA, including an introduction on the theory behind it and hands-on exercises with real educational data.

Needs Analysis

This workshop should be considered for the following reasons.

1. It will enable PhD candidates to acquire practical analytical skills that they can apply on their own research.
2. Provides a hands-on training on a novel method that is gaining popularity in TEL.

Mastering different data analysis methods is essential to conduct research and,.as such, an important part of the professional development journey that every candidate goes through during the PhD studies. Epistemic Network Analysis (ENA) is a novel method that is gaining popularity in TEL and it is used when exploring, representing and comparing connections among elements found in educational datasets. The proposed workshop will allow PhD candidates to get acquainted with this novel method, the theory behind it, cases when it can be useful, as well as to master basic skills that will allow them to use ENA in their own research.

Learning Objectives

Participants will learn about:

1. The Epistemic Frame Theory behind ENA.
2. How to formulate research questions that can be answered applying ENA.
3. How to prepare datasets for ENA.
4. Applying ENA using the website tool, using real educational datasets.
5. (Optional, for participants with knowledge in R programing) Applying ENA with the rENA package, using real educational datasets.
6. (Optional, for participants who would like to analyze their own datasets) Using ENA to identify and explore connections in an individual dataset.

Pre-activities

Pre-activities will be optional.
Pre-activities for every participant:

• Reading Shaffer, D. W., Collier, W., & Ruis, A. R. (2016). A Tutorial on Epistemic Network Analysis: Analyzing the Structure of Connections in Cognitive, Social, and Interaction Data. Journal of Learning Analytics, 3(3), 9-45. https://doi.org/10.18608/jla.2016.33.3
• Exploring the ENA website tool (https://www.epistemicnetwork.org/), or the rENA package (https://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/rENA/index.html)
  Pre-activities for participants who would like to use ENA with their own data.

• Defining research questions that the participant would like to explore.
• Preparing the dataset as a csv format, following the steps in https://www.epistemicnetwork.org/resources/

Session Description

Activities:

• Presentation of ENA (25 minutes)
  – Theory behind ENA.
  – Research questions that are appropriate for ENA.
  – An illustrative example of applying ENA with an educational dataset with synthetic data.
• General exercise (25 minute)
  – All participants use ENA individually to analyze the same dataset.
  – In the end the presenter repeats the analysis once more and clarifies doubts that participants might have.
• Group exercise (35 minutes)
  – Dividing the participants into groups of 3-4.
  – Each groups receives a different dataset, uses ENA to analyze it and shortly presents the results.
• Summary (5 minutes)
  – Clarifying doubts that participants might have.
  – Providing additional materials that participants can use to learn more about ENA.

Post-activities

Reading the following papers for further examples on the type of research where ENA has been used in TEL.

• Fisher, K. Q., Hirshfield, L., Siebert-Evenstone, A., Irgens, G. A., & Koretsky, M. (2016, June). Network analysis of interactions between students and an instructor during design meetings. In 2016 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition.
• Eagan, B., & Hamilton, E. (2018). Epistemic network analysis of an international digital makerspace in Africa, Europe, and the US. In annual meeting of the American education research association.
• Andrist, S., Collier, W., Gleicher, M., Mutlu, B., & Shaffer, D. (2015). Look together: Analyzing gaze coordination with epistemic network analysis. Frontiers in psychology, 6, 1016.