Social network analysis: Measuring symmetry of information flow in virtual learning groups

The sociocultural constructivist perspective regards interaction as vital to collaborative learning. In e-learning contexts, the quality of electronic educational discourse has been extensively analyzed for indications of information sharing and meaning negotiation with discourse and content analytical methods. Recently, the method of social network analysis (SNA) has been applied to the discourse of computer-mediated communication (CMC) supported learning groups. While research has mainly focused on network analysis of asynchronous CMC interaction, this study examines patterns of information flow in synchronous CMC exchanges of two virtual learning groups in terms of SNA measures of actor-node types and group reciprocity. The quantitative results from comparative group analysis reveal both higher reciprocity at group level and mutuality in information sharing at actor level in one group. These findings on the symmetry of information flow in virtual groups have implications for e-tutor facilitation of collaborative learning processes.