Sociograms as a Tool for Teaching and Learning: Discoveries From a Teacher Research Study

Abstract

This collaborative article by a middle school teacher and her college faculty mentor explores the use of visual representations of data—specifically, using sociograms to explore peer relationships in an eighth-grade setting. The sociograms revealed the complexity and changing nature of relationships among students and informed classroom-based decisions that supported the entire class. The teacher's project prompted reflections by the faculty mentor on her own approach to teaching data visualization.

Key words:

• data visualization
• junior high/middle school education
• peer mentoring
• sociograms
• teacher research