Social connection of students and its role in blended learning environments

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the social networks of a cohort of students who are participating in blended learning environments within an educational leadership master's level graduate program, and to explore if these relationships have an impact on their academic success as perceived by the students. Participants in this study are members of a blended learning cohort enrolled in hybrid and online learning experiences which have started their course work at the same time, enrolled in the same courses each semester. Data were collected through Social Network Analysis (SNA) survey, interviews, observations, and document review. The data from the SNA was imported into UCINET and NETdraw to create sociograms which aided in the selection of participants invited to interview. The data in this study indicate that there are few social connections between students in this blended cohort. Of those relationships that do exist, they are often one-way and transactional. These relationships are often built on trust as defined by competence and, in some cases, vulnerability. Because relationships are built on the perception that the other person can be of assistance in coursework, there is very little utility for social interaction outside of class, and there is a sentiment among cohort members interviewed that the relationships built during this BLC are not sustainable beyond graduation. Though formal structures built into the BLC are intended to encourage student community and collaboration, students report that these tools are limited in their ability to build relationships. Students interviewed credited more informal methods of relationship building for the few relationships that they have built with peer BLC members.