View in EDS

Graph Theoretical Methods for Understanding Student Social Interactions in Physics Classrooms

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Graph Theoretical Methods for Understanding Student Social Interactions in Physics Classrooms
Language: English
Authors: Nathan D. Davis (ORCID 0000-0001-6657-7644), Eric Burkholder (ORCID 0000-0001-7420-4290)
Source: Physical Review Physics Education Research. 2025 21(2).
Availability: American Physical Society. One Physics Ellipse 4th Floor, College Park, MD 20740-3844. Tel: 301-209-3200; Fax: 301-209-0865; e-mail: assocpub@aps.org; Web site: https://journals.aps.org/prper/
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 16
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Physics, Social Networks, Network Analysis, Peer Relationship, Science Education, Self Efficacy, Sense of Belonging, Social Capital, Social Integration, Undergraduate Students, Engineering Education, Majors (Students)
DOI: 10.1103/7jkm-zcmb
ISSN: 2469-9896
Abstract: Social network analysis has become a common methodology within physics education research to quantify the impacts that student interactions and classroom structure have on student outcomes. These relationships are typically quantified using a degree centrality metric based on the number and range of connections a student has, such that a higher degree centrality would indicate a more central position in the network. However, when looking at these interdependent metrics as independent parameters, they do not consistently show any statistically significant relationship with motivational outcomes like self-efficacy or sense of belonging. In this study, we instead characterize students' network positionality using various "network actor roles" and measure the strength of their connections through network paths, within the context of social capital. In this framing, we are less interested in the impact and importance of individuals than we are in the overall social integration of most students in the class. Using data from an interactive calculus-based physics 1 class, we find that students who are network isolates (no incoming or outgoing connections) or weakly connected report a lower sense of belonging compared with other students, but, consistent with prior research, the number of connections was not correlated with sense of belonging. Similarly, students who were strongly connected to at least one other person reported a higher sense of belonging compared to those who were weakly connected. This indicates the potential for graph theoretical methods to enhance our understanding of student interactions in physics classrooms.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1489875
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: EJ1489875
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Graph Theoretical Methods for Understanding Student Social Interactions in Physics Classrooms
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Nathan+D%2E+Davis%22">Nathan D. Davis</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6657-7644">0000-0001-6657-7644</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Eric+Burkholder%22">Eric Burkholder</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7420-4290">0000-0001-7420-4290</externalLink>)
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Physical+Review+Physics+Education+Research%22"><i>Physical Review Physics Education Research</i></searchLink>. 2025 21(2).
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: American Physical Society. One Physics Ellipse 4th Floor, College Park, MD 20740-3844. Tel: 301-209-3200; Fax: 301-209-0865; e-mail: assocpub@aps.org; Web site: https://journals.aps.org/prper/
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 16
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Physics%22">Physics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Networks%22">Social Networks</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Network+Analysis%22">Network Analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Peer+Relationship%22">Peer Relationship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Science+Education%22">Science Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Self+Efficacy%22">Self Efficacy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sense+of+Belonging%22">Sense of Belonging</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Capital%22">Social Capital</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Integration%22">Social Integration</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Undergraduate+Students%22">Undergraduate Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Engineering+Education%22">Engineering Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Majors+%28Students%29%22">Majors (Students)</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1103/7jkm-zcmb
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 2469-9896
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Social network analysis has become a common methodology within physics education research to quantify the impacts that student interactions and classroom structure have on student outcomes. These relationships are typically quantified using a degree centrality metric based on the number and range of connections a student has, such that a higher degree centrality would indicate a more central position in the network. However, when looking at these interdependent metrics as independent parameters, they do not consistently show any statistically significant relationship with motivational outcomes like self-efficacy or sense of belonging. In this study, we instead characterize students' network positionality using various "network actor roles" and measure the strength of their connections through network paths, within the context of social capital. In this framing, we are less interested in the impact and importance of individuals than we are in the overall social integration of most students in the class. Using data from an interactive calculus-based physics 1 class, we find that students who are network isolates (no incoming or outgoing connections) or weakly connected report a lower sense of belonging compared with other students, but, consistent with prior research, the number of connections was not correlated with sense of belonging. Similarly, students who were strongly connected to at least one other person reported a higher sense of belonging compared to those who were weakly connected. This indicates the potential for graph theoretical methods to enhance our understanding of student interactions in physics classrooms.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1489875
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1489875
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1103/7jkm-zcmb
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 16
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Physics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Social Networks
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Network Analysis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Peer Relationship
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Science Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Self Efficacy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Sense of Belonging
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Social Capital
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Social Integration
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Undergraduate Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Engineering Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Majors (Students)
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Graph Theoretical Methods for Understanding Student Social Interactions in Physics Classrooms
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Nathan D. Davis
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Eric Burkholder
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 01
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-electronic
              Value: 2469-9896
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 21
            – Type: issue
              Value: 2
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Physical Review Physics Education Research
              Type: main
ResultId 1