Stories in networks and networks in stories: a tri-modal model for mixed-methods social network research on teachers

Abstract

Social network research on teachers and schools has risen exponentially in recent years as an innovative method to reveal the role of social networks in education. However, scholars are still exploring ways to incorporate traditional quantitative methods of Social Network Analysis (SNA) with qualitative approaches to social network research. This article provides a mixed-methods model for researching teachers' social networks and an empirical example of the model in practice. The model incorporates a tri-modal coding approach that promotes data validity while uncovering network data that some SNA methods may overlook.

Keywords:

• social network analysis
• mixed-methods
• social network theory
• teacher collaboration
• data validity

Notes

1. As mentioned previously, quantitative SNA, and ego networks, in particular, face a number of limitations related to data validity due to the nature of reliance on participants' recall and network boundaries. These limitations emphasize the need for qualitative data to provide checks for data, and a clear acknowledgement of these limitations on findings and in any SNA analyses.