Educational Networking: A Novel Discipline for Improved K-12 Learning Based on Social Networks

The quality of K-12 education has been a major concern in the nation for years. School systems, just like many other social networks, appear to have a hierarchical structure. Understanding this structure could be the key to better evaluating student performance and improving school quality. Many studies have been focusing on detecting hierarchical structure by using hierarchical clustering algorithms. The authors design an interaction-based similarity measure to accomplish hierarchical clustering in order to detect hierarchical structures in social networks (e.g. school district networks). This method uses a multi-agent system, for it is based on agent interactions. With the network structure detected, they also built a model, which is based on the MAXQ algorithm, to decompose the funding policy task into subtasks and then evaluate these subtasks by using funding distribution policies from past years and looking for possible relationships between student performances and funding policies. For the experiment, the authors used real school data from Bexar county’s 15 school districts in Texas. The first result shows that their interaction-based method is able to generate meaningful clustering and dendrograms for social networks. Additionally the authors’ policy evaluation model is able to evaluate funding policies from the past three years in Bexar County and conclude that increasing funding does not necessarily have a positive impact on student performance and it is generally not the case that the more is spent, the better.

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A survey of K-12 teachers’ utilization of social networks as a professional resource

Education and Information Technologies ◽

10.1007/s10639-017-9627-9 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 23 (2) ◽

pp. 633-658 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Leah J. Hunter ◽

Cristin M. Hall

Keyword(s):

Social Networks ◽

K 12

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Analysis of Online Social Interactions Based on Positive Reinforcement Social Networks in a K–12 Geometry Class

Applied Sciences ◽

10.3390/app112311545 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (23) ◽

pp. 11545

Author(s):

Sebastian Romero ◽

Habib M. Fardoun ◽

Victor M. R. Penichet ◽

Maria D. Lozano ◽

Jose A. Gallud

Keyword(s):

Social Networks ◽

High School Students ◽

Online Social Networks ◽

Positive Reinforcement ◽

Positive Impact ◽

Control Group ◽

Classroom Participation ◽

School Students ◽

K 12 ◽

Experimental Group

Online social networks are part of our daily life. They are widely used among university students. These platforms have positive and negative aspects. Focusing on the positive aspects, positive reinforcement social networks (PRSNs) have been used to improve the participation of high school students in the classroom. The main objective of this study is to analyze online social interaction on PRSNs, in order to find out if they have a positive impact on classroom participation and students’ self-perceptions of their own social skills, especially in the supposedly difficult STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) subjects, where engagement tends to be lower. An education-oriented PRSN platform has been developed and used by the experimental group of students to promote discussion and facilitate the sharing of different types of materials. These materials had to be related to students’ academic and professional life, but not necessarily related to Mathematics. A total of 72 Geometry students (K–12) and their teacher participated in a semester-long experimental study. Analyses of the interactions through the proposed platform combined with classroom participation revealed that students from the experimental group showed an improvement not found in the control group. Moreover, perceptions of students’ own online skills were analyzed, showing a positive impact after the experiment.

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Foul Weather Friends: Enabling Movement Alliance through an Intentionally Limited Coalition

Social Currents ◽

10.1177/2329496517725329 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 5 (3) ◽

pp. 228-243 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Amanda Pullum

Keyword(s):

Social Networks ◽

Education Reform ◽

Social Movement ◽

Social Movement Organizations ◽

Community Members ◽

Research Challenges ◽

Education Association ◽

K 12 ◽

Movement Organizations ◽

New Education

While social movement organizations often work in alliance with other groups, relatively little has been written about coalitions that are intentionally limited in nature. In this study, I begin to address this gap in the literature through analysis of the successful campaign to defeat Idaho’s Propositions 1, 2, and 3 in 2011–2012. The campaign brought together the Idaho Education Association—the state’s K-12 education workers’ union—and Idaho Parents and Teachers Together, an organization made up of community members who opposed the new education reform laws. The intentionally limited nature of this alliance allowed for strategic separation between organizations, which provided some immunity from opponents’ arguments, lessened the costs of entering into a partnership, and promoted broad-based framing of shared claims and goals. This research challenges previous conceptions of social movement coalitions as long lasting or necessarily built upon preexisting social networks. I call for further research on intentionally limited coalitions, as findings could have applications for both scholars and activists.

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GAMIFICATION AS AN EFFECTIVE TECHNOLOGY FOR STUDENT MEDIA LITERACY DEVELOPMENT: US EXPERIENCE

Pedagogical Sciences ◽

10.32999/ksu2413-1865/2020-92-14 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 84-90

Author(s):

Prykhodkina N.O.

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Social Networks ◽

Media Literacy ◽

United States Of America ◽

Online Games ◽

The United States ◽

Educational Process ◽

Educational Game ◽

Online Game ◽

K 12

The USA is a leader in the production of computer and online games for use in the educational process of schools.Purpose. The article examines the experience of the United States of America on the use of gamification technology for the development of student media literacy. The author explains the effectiveness of the gamification method.Methods. The specific search, systemic methods, methods of logical-historical analysis, comparison, generalization, and study of scientific approaches to the selected problematic were used in the process of research.Results. The author analyzed Globaloria. It is an online learning platform for teaching students to design, prototype, and code educational web/mobile games and simulations using industry standard technologies. Globaloria is used to develop media literacy at the schools of the United States of America. The article presents a selection of games for the development of media literacy. In particular, the article describes the possibilities of using the online game “Factitious", the essence of which is to determine the reliability of information. The simulation online game “Newsfeed defenders” is offered to increase the level of literacy in social networks and news. The online games “Fakey” and “Interland” teach students how to properly disseminate latest news on social networks. The online educational game “BBC Reporter” teaches children to spot misinformation on the Internet. The author suggests using the educational game “Go Viral!” to teach students to separate facts from fakes about Covid-19. “Be Internet awesome” contains several games: “Mindful mountain”, “Tower of treasure”, “Reality river”, “Reality river”, “Kind kingdom”. These games teach children to create strong passwords, to display fake profiles and phishing, to be kind to others and report cyber bullies.Conclusions. The educational online-games for the development of media literacy appear every yearin the United States. Gamification is an effective method for developing students’ skills in media literacy and critical thinking, preparing them for a life that is oversaturated with digital information.Key words: media education, game, online game, educational process, students, fake, educational platform, manipulation, digital technologies. США є лідером з виробництва комп’ютерних та онлайн-ігор для використання в освітньому процесі закладів середньої освіти. Мета статті – проаналізувати досвід Сполучених Штатів Америки щодо використання технології гейміфікації для розвитку медіаграмотності учнів.Методи. У процесі дослідження використано конкретно-пошуковий та системний методи, методи логі-ко-історичного аналізу, порівняння, узагальнення, вивчення наукових підходів до вибраної проблематики.Результати. Авторкою проаналізована Globaloria – онлайн-навчальна платформа, орієнтована на навчальні програми K-12, щоб навчити учнів розробляти, створювати прототипи та кодувати навчаль-ні веб-/мобільні ігри та моделювати за допомогою стандартних галузевих технологій. У статті пода-но добірку ігор, що використовуються у закладах середньої освіти для розвитку медіаграмотності. Зокрема, описано можливості використання онлайн-ігор “Factitious”, “Newsfeed defenders”, суть яких полягає у визначенні достовірності інформації, зокрема, у соціальних мережах і новинах. У “Fakey” та “Interland” учні можуть проходити вікторини, що містять останні новини, вчаться правильно поши-рювати їх у соціальних мережах. Онлайн-ігри “BBC Іreporter”, “Go Viral!” навчають дітей віком від 11 до 18 років виявляти дезінформацію в Інтернеті, відокремлювати факти від вигадок (фейків) про Covid-19. “Be Internet awesome” містить міні-ігри “Mindful mountain”, “Tower of treasure”, “Reality river”, “Kind kingdom”, де учні вчаться обмінюватися інформацією в Інтернеті тільки з тими, кому вони довіряють, створювати надійні паролі, виявляти підроблені профілі і фішинг.Висновки. Для розвитку медіаграмотності школярів у США з кожним роком з’являється все біль-ше ресурсів, інструментів та навчальних ігор. Ефективність методу гейміфікації пояснюється тим, що у разі його використання інформація засвоюється на підсвідомому рівні. Гейміфікація є ефективним методом для розвитку в учнів навичок медіаграмотності та критичного мислення, підготовки їх до життя, перенасиченого цифровою інформацією.Ключові слова: медіаосвіта, гра, онлайн-гра, освітній процес, учні, фейк, навчальна платформа, маніпуляція, цифрові технології.

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