26. Un modello quantitativo per l'analisi e la valutazione della struttura collaborativa di una Knowledge Building Community

Authors

  • Pietro Gaffuri University of Bologna
  • Elvis Mazzoni University of Bologna
  • Patrizia Selleri University of Bologna
  • Birgitta Kopp Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

Abstract

The web forum is probably the most used tool for online collaboration betweenmembers of a Knowledge Building Community (KBC). The analysis of the communicationstructure inside it, thanks to web tracking and Social NetworkAnalysis (SNA), can help to understand the nature and quality of learningprocesses. The model presented here provides an effective procedure to monitor,analyze and evaluate the evolution of a KBC, and the role played by the participantsin it. The model makes it possible to calculate individual indices regardingthe actions taken by the single participants in the web forum, and collectiveindices regarding the structure and properties of the relationship betweenthe individual and the rest of the group. Consequently the teacher (or thetutor, the coordinator, the expert) has a complete set of indicators to assess participants'activities and the relations established in the community, and to decidewhether they are self-sufficient and positive for the developments of theKBC. In case an external support is needed, the indicators allow to identify whatare the areas in which to intervene.

Published

2012-02-03