Keywords

1 Introduction

Considering the number of students enrolled in Distance Learning (DL) courses, the information and communication technologies (ICT) incorporated in the Virtual Learning Environments (VLE) should be used for more than accessing and discussing content. They should also serve as a means of accompanying the construction of knowledge. This process involves the interactions between the individual subjects and the social relations established in the specific virtual space. It also encompasses the conflicts, contradictions, arguments, and rhetoric as well as the recommendation of new subject matter and materials.

People have only just begun to study the social relationships in VLE. For the most part, studies focus on themes such as content management and monitoring of students, and do not give due importance to the interactions that occur during the process of knowledge construction in these environments [3, 4]. In fact, Piaget [1, 2] categorically stated that well-structured intellectual development presupposes due attention to affectivity and social interactions.

This work therefore presents the development and validation of a tool that presents sociometric graphs, called Social Map. This tool is linked to the AVA ROODA (Cooperative Learning Network, https://ead.ufrgs.br/rooda). It is meant to analyze the interactions of the subject in the learning environment and illustrate relationships in the form of sociograms.

Research was carried out based on the generated graphs which in turn enabled the improvement of the manner of visualizing the interactions and categories of social information as well as in the recommendation of pedagogical strategies in order to meet individual student and/or group needs in the process of knowledge construction. Thus, the Social Map tool is a digital service integrated into AVA ROODA that is exclusively for the teacher’s use. It can transform the teaching experience, primarily in the E-Learning context. It is part of a group of smart solutions that have been developed in the Digital Technology Center Applied to Education (NUTED) at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (UFRGS).

In order to understand the importance of interactions in VLE, we present the theoretical foundation of the key terms of this study in Sect. 2 and the tool Social Map is outlined in Sect. 3. Section 4 presents the adopted methodology, while Sect. 5 describes the preliminary results that were obtained. Lastly, the final section presents new perspectives for the development of this research project.

2 Theoretical Structure

In order to understand the social relationships that can be formed in a virtual learning environment, a theoretical review is necessary, mainly regarding social interactions, VLE, and sociometry, as will be discussed below.

2.1 Social Interactions

Etymologically, the term interaction (inter + action) includes the concept of reciprocity, in which at least two elements (they do not need to be the same type of elements) are involved in an encounter that causes them to change. According to Piaget [1, 5], subjects construct knowledge through interactions. Thus [5], “social life is one of the essential factors in the formation and growth of knowledge” (p. 17).

Interactions may be intrapersonal or interpersonal. The first level of interaction occurs when one uses previous knowledge to reformulate or understand the new, for example the mental processes that occur during reading. At the second level, the relationship is considered S (subject) => O (object), to the extent that there is some reciprocity. That is, O can be another subject or any other element in the environment. Contact requires the intermediation of the physical environment (sound waves, electric waves, etc.) for interactions established at the interpersonal level in order for the subjectivity of each participant to be externalized [6].

In technological terms, interaction mediated by digital resources is understood from a technical perspective [7], with emphasis on the functioning of the computer system based on Information Theory and Behaviorism. According to Primo [7], the interaction can be defined as mutual and/or reactive. Mutual interaction is “characterized by interdependent relations and negotiation processes,” whereas reactive interaction is “limited by deterministic relations of stimulus and response” (p. 57). The two types of interaction are not established exclusively. In some spaces, both can occur at the same time (e.g. while chatting one interacts with the application’s interface, the mouse, and keyboard).

Therefore, the practice of conversation (and the social relations formed through it) supported by digital technologies can be confused with a flow of messages, where there is not necessarily social dialogue or interaction (often called interactivity). Yet, interactions in technological spaces are based on a dialogue that modifies the subject, the other, their messages, and their inter-relations [7].

2.2 Virtual Learning Environments (VLE)

Virtual learning environments are understood as the composition of a platform (programming and interface) and networks of relationships established through this platform (cognitive, symbolic, affective). Hence, a VLE are characterized as resources to support learning, communication, and collaboration, and can be used to support both face-to-face education as well as Distance Learning.

In this context, the digital technologies integrated in VLE support virtual spaces beyond their technological mechanisms, or beyond simply managing information. They are also formed by the subjects involved and their interactions. Therefore, interactions in VLE are important sources for understanding about not only cognitive, but also social, affective, symbolic and behavioral aspects [7]. Thus, a subject’s behavior, relationships, and contributions, revealed through their texts and messages, can be indicators used by teacher to mediate the process of knowledge construction [7].

2.3 Sociometry

Sociometry [8] aims to implement an experimental technique based on quantitative methods of the mathematical study of the psycho-sociological properties of populations. According to Moreno [8], sociometry is a strategy for understanding the structure of a group.

One of its techniques is the application of sociometric tests that allow one to visualize the similarities and the differences between the individuals that compose a group. For example, the subjects express: (a) their choices of which partners they would like (or not like) help from to perform a particular activity; (b) which partners play a certain role in the group better (or worse). In making their choices, the reciprocal relationships of the subjects are identified and presented in the form of a graph, known as a sociogram. These can, according to Moreno, reveal even the “invisible.”

A sociogram illustrates the position occupied by the individual in the group and the nucleus of relationships that are formed around them. This nucleus of relationships constitutes the smallest social structure, which Moreno defines as a social atom [8]. While certain social atoms are limited to the individuals participating in it, some of these individuals may be related to parts of other social atoms, and so on, forming complex chains of interrelationships.

Therefore, through a sociogram one can see the social position of each participant in a learning community and their relationship with the rest of the group. Their choices determine the most privileged member of the social atom and degrees of reciprocity. It also shows which individuals are rejected because they do not comply with reciprocity, and which ones are isolated because they do not show preferences.

Sociograms are graphical representations in the form of a network of relationships among a group of individuals. More than a method of presentation, sociograms constitute a method of exploration, because they allow for the identification of sociometric data and the structural analysis of a group.

Moreno [8] defined a set of symbols (which are geometric figures, such as circles, triangles with one or two outside edges as well as red or black straight lines with continuous or interrupted lines with or without arrows), manually drawn representing the gender of the subjects, their role in the group, their attractions and repulsions, indifferences, as well as uni or bilateral relationships.

In the 1960s, Moreno’s sociogram incorporated the formalisms of graph theory that gave it a mathematical rigor [9] and was described by computational algorithms with graphic displays in various devices. Sociograms are now recognized as social network diagrams.

A network (or graph) is formed by a finite set of nodes that represent the actors (individuals, groups or organizations) and edges (or arcs) that reveal the connections between them. The main focus of analysis when reading the graph is on the pattern of connections, the distance, and the physical position of the nodes.

In this work, the analysis of the sociogram of the learning community makes it possible to verify, through the patterns of connection, the choices made and the reciprocity between individuals. The distance and physical position of the participants designate the those who are isolated, rejected, and leaders in the group as well as closed groups (or social atoms) [12].

Sociograms are valuable sources of data on relationships in a group of individuals. In this context, some research has been developed to explore social networks in VLE.

Most of the research presented in the literature extracts data from open source or proprietary software VLE databases (PAJEK, UCINET, MEERKAT-ED, GraphML and NETDRAW) to construct the matrices and their respective sociograms [11, 12]. On the other hand, there is the software created by the Social Networks Adapting Pedagogical Practice (SNAPP), which aims to reinterpret the interactions in postings in the forums of several VLE, such as MOODLE, BlackBoard, and WebCT. These interpretations are presented in the form of a social network diagram [13]. VLE TelEduc, developed by the State University of Campinas (São Paulo, Brazil), offers the InterMap tool [14], which is based on the interactions of the participants with communication tools (e-mail, discussion forums, and chats), exhibited in a graph or table. However, the model is restricted to quantitatively mapping the data.

Yet, sociograms must go beyond the quantitative data expressed in the form of graphs, to offer qualitative interpretations for the teachers to help them understand the relationships that are formed during the teaching and learning process.

3 The Social Map Tool

Social Map is a tool that enables the creation of sociograms, based on users’ interactions with ROODA’s communication tools (forum, chat, synchronous and asynchronous messages). It allows one to visually follow the relationships established in the VLE. The sociogram makes it possible to identify the links, influences, and preferences that exist within a group. This tool can only be accessed by the class’ teacher.

On the initial Social Map screen, the teacher indicates the configuration options for the visualization (Fig. 1), such as:

Fig. 1.
figure 1

Source: ROODA. Available at: http://ead.ufrgs.br/rooda

Social map configurations.

Full size image
  1. A.

    Period of analysis: The teacher defines the interval of time that they want to visualize and the interactions that occur;

  2. B.

    Participants’ colors: The teacher indicates the colors for each user profile (monitor/tutor/TA, teacher, and student).

  3. C.

    Analysis functions: The teacher chooses which tools and their relevance to analyze interactions in ROODA;

  4. D.

    Analysis: The teacher indicates the members of the class that will participate in the analysis (everyone, only teachers, only students, only formal groups).

After the teacher indicates the preference options, a graph is generated that shows the relationships that were established between the subjects and the tools that were used to collect the data (Fig. 2).

Fig. 2.
figure 2

Source: ROODA. Available at: http://ead.ufrgs.br/rooda

Graph generated by the Social Map tool.

Full size image

In the current version, the arrow indicating the direction of the connectors shows how the connections between two nodes (VLE participants) have been formed and the size indicates the number of interactions that occurred. The graphic visualization of this information allows the teacher to identify which students (and monitors/tutors/TAs) had higher (or lower) numbers of interactions during the selected period. They can also use the tooltip feature for each student. This feature numerically displays the number of exchanges that occurred for each VLE tool.

4 Methodology

This study addresses how to map social interactions in a virtual learning environment and presents them in the form of graphs (sociograms). These graphs enable the analysis of the subjects’ social interactions. Based on these, it is possible to categorize the most frequent interactions and automatically recommend possible pedagogical strategies that can maximize the social interactions in the environment. Therefore, this research is characterized as theoretical-practical, because it is dedicated to the (re)construction of ideas and the improvement of theoretical foundations, especially those related to sociometric studies [8].

Thus, in order to meet the proposed objectives, this study was developed in four stages, which took place recursively: (1) construction of the theoretical reference regarding the topics addressed, primarily social aspects [7], sociometry [8], education [2–4], and Distance Learning [15]; (2) implementation of the Social Map tool, and interaction module that was built into the environment; (3) validation of the Social Map tool in undergraduate, graduate, and extension courses offered at or outside of the university; (4) consolidation of the social information categories based on the theoretical framework and the Social Map tool.

5 Preliminary Results: Validation of the Social Map Tool

Interactions in different contexts were analyzed in order to improve the Social Map tool in VLE ROOD. A difference was observed between the face-to-face and virtual the sociograms with undergraduate subjects. In fact, the interactions were far more intense in the Distance Learning modality. This is due to the fact that the teacher interacts more intensively and instigates the use of the VLE’s communication tools.

This map was also applied in a music workshop with high school students. In addition to this tool, a sociometric test was also used with the students at the beginning and end of the course. The target audience consisted of 27 students in a public school, of which 10 were male and 17 were female, between 14 and 17 years old. The results of this test were compared with the sociograms generated by the Social Map tool in order to identify possible established relationships or social profiles of the VLE students. It was determined that Social Map can be an important tool to verify possible groupings between pairs of students, as well as the possibility of isolated or popular students. These mappings highlight the importance of developing smart technology for education and learning, especially for virtual learning environments.

By identifying the social profile of students based on this new technology, the teacher can then apply pedagogical strategies to mediate dialogues, investigations, interactions, and conflicts that occur not only in VLE, but also in face-to-face classrooms in high schools.

The Social Map tool was also used in an investigation of group formation. The results obtained were the basis of a Master’s thesis [16] and signalled that the engagement in collaborative activities from the beginning of a course is fundamentally important for the constitution of a participatory group. Thus, it was possible to identify links, influences, and preferences that exist within the class. Moreover, the educator can diversify classes, as well as follow the interactions of students through the display of the sociograms constructed through the Social Map tool. The results of this research revealed that the Social Map could present the components of the groups with different colors in order to make it easier the teacher to identify the interactions between groups of students.

These applications and validations enabled the development of categories of social information in the map. The categories present a way of interpreting the most common relationships demonstrated in the map. It can also facilitate the teacher’s actions by contributing to the identification of possible social profiles of their students. There were six categories of social information chosen: popularity, social distancing by the group, social distance from the group, absence, grouping, and collaboration. Based on this profile, the teacher can develop strategies to increase or diversify social interactions among students. These are important pedagogical strategies to qualify teaching, because the social aspects of each individual are intrinsically related to cognition [2]. In other words, they are always involved with learning.

It should be noted that the evaluation of the sociograms presented in this article did not take into account the pedagogical strategies used by the teachers, only the possibility of the Social Map as a source for teachers to examine or rethink their pedagogical practices. For the researchers, the visual data suggests several insights regarding the social interactions that occur in the education process and allows for new investigations and the possibilities of applying the map for other educational purposes.

Thus, the sociograms generated point to the need to carry out future studies that include qualitative and quantitative data in order to explore social relationships. The data also helped us in the development of a recommendation system that presents pedagogical strategies for teachers according to the social profile presented by the Social Map tool. Both the graphic presentation of the relationships and the recommendation of pedagogical strategies are part of the development of smart technology for education and learning.

In the current version, the recommendation tool for pedagogical strategies is linked directly to the Social Map tool. Teachers can choose the category of social information (collaboration, popularity, etc.) that they wish to examine in their students. Information on the number of interactions, the mean, the standard deviation, and the calculated degree in relation to the classmates is displayed for the each student and category selected. Therefore, pedagogical strategies, which are suggested educational actions that teachers can adopt to improve or maximize social interactions with thier students in the virtual learning environment, are recommended according to the social profile mapped by the tool. Yet, new perspectives point towards some improvements that could be made, that will be presented in the final considerations.

6 Final Considerations

This work presented the development, application, and validation of the Social Map tool for the mapping of the interactions that take place in the classroom and virtual teaching activities supported by VLE ROODA. Based on the data extracted from the Social Map tool, the teacher can analyze the collaboration, grouping, distancing of the subject by the group, the distance of the subject in relation to the group, popularity, and absence. Hence, the results obtained using the tool give the teacher important social information. Using these social indicators, the teachers can then focus their pedagogical practices on those students who require more help and can thus expand their range of communication.

The results of the sociograms made it possible to analyze and propose some modifications necessary to improve its development in the future:

  • Adjustments in the visualization interface of the sociograms by social categories;

  • Adjustments in the pedagogical strategies recommendation system based on the student’s social profile in the VLE;

  • Validation of social information categories in terms of establishing a relationship with the theoretical aspects raised by Moreno [8] and other theoretical authors.

In addition to the technological items that were discussed above, there are also educational aspects that are being discussed, evaluated, and validated. These aspects are related to the pedagogical strategies that may be recommended in the future to the teacher using the Social Map tool.