Session Information
15 SES 08 A, Analysing Partnerships
Paper Session
Contribution
The presentation highlights results of a social network analysis, conducted in the context of the Austrian project IMST (Innovations Make Schools Top) (https://www.imst.ac.at/). Launched in 1999 as intermediary structure to foster innovative instruction in science education, IMST Regional Networks and IMST Didactic Centres at universities and teacher education colleges have developed in all Austrian federal states. Furthermore, members of the steering group have forged ties to international science education networks to foster European as well as international perspectives through EC projects like ARTIST (http://www.erasmus-artist.eu/) and LINKS (https://www.fondation-lamap.org/en/links-project). One core of these efforts is to raise a strong and long-lasting interest for the features developed by science education networks. Yet, another one is to provide insights into the organizational learning processes that have been taking place over the years.
Therefore, our presentation of an ongoing social network analysis of the IMST networks elucidates crucial organizational questions for educational networks: Who and what are the driving forces behind interactions within educational networks? How are relations organized through processes of communication, co-operation and trust? How are these shaped in order to provide a positive impact on teaching practices and learning outcomes? Finally, what cultural framework conditions (Kolleck & de Haan & Fischbach 2012) prove to be beneficial for intermediary networks in science education?
Our contribution will focus on ways of visualizing processes of communication, relation and cultural framework conditions. Thus, our social network analysis will contribute to the body of knowledge valuable for the development of local, national and international science education networks.
IMST defines itself as non-formal science learning interface and in its scope of activity as intermediary educational structure. Its development draws from international engagements in the field of educational networks and social networking theories (EC 2018) as networks in the education sector have become increasingly attractive for intermediate structures pooling expertise (Czerwanski & Hameyer & Rolff 2002; OECD 2003). Theoretical approaches of educational networks are, among others: mutual intentions and aims, orientation towards a common main theme and target horizons (Liebermann & Wood 2003), mutual trust as prerequisite for exchanging and sharing knowledge and last but not least, finding innovative paths (McLaughlin et al. 2008). In this regard, educational networks are not occasional interactions, but institutionalized co-operations (Dalin 1999).
The goals of the IMST regional networks are manifold. They intend to raise the attractiveness and the quality of lessons in mathematics, biology and ecology, chemistry, physics, information technology, geography, descriptive geometry as well as other related subjects. Furthermore, they promote cross-curriculum initiatives and school development in grammar schools, vocational and secondary modern schools, even so in primary schools and kindergarten. They put a special emphasis on the professional development of teachers, while involving as many school forms as possible and providing links to the local industries (Rauch, 2013).
Key for the success of initiatives like IMST regional networks is their constant pursuit of co-operations between scientists and practitioners in the field. Another strenuous achievement lies in their conceptual development against the backdrop of ever changing framework conditions in the education sector (Rauch & Korenjak, 2018). These approaches foster sustainable cooperation, which in turn supports synergies in the educational system (Krainer & Zehetmeier, 2013). Even more so in the light of European co-operations with other educational intermediary structures like the French La main à la pâte, the Italian ANISN or the Finnish LUMA network to name but a few. However, how to sustain these alliances and partnerships on all levels over time?
Method
The method of Social Network Analysis is, (1) used to determine the relationship structures of network actors and (2) to explain principles of social trade and phenomena in interactions (like trust, cooperation, power, control, hierarchy, etc.). In analysing the inner workings of the IMST regional networks, this study focuses on an egocentric network approach, sometimes termed as egocentric network analysis (Perry & Pescosolido & Borgatti 2018). In comparison to other methods within the social sciences, these do not claim to capture the inner workings of a network in all its detail. This would be too difficult to accomplish in view of the multitude of relationships between actors. Even more so as network structures are difficult to delimit (Junker & Berkemeyer 2014). In view of these limitations, we chose a positional approach for this study to make statements about the quality of the negotiating position, the autonomy of action and the integration of individual actors in various network groups. (Götzenbrucker 2013). By mapping the interactions of network actors in their scope and frequency, this research intends to illustrate the processes of communication and cooperation among IMST regional network partners. In this vain, our study is an effort to visualize the activities as well as the cultural frameworks of conditions around the IMST regional networks. While structural embedding determines the behaviour of actors, the behaviour of individuals influences other actors and the network structure. A social network analyses "therefore shows a clear reference to socio-cultural learning theories, since knowledge and experience are always regarded as a social exchange process and are linked to cultural framework conditions" (Kolleck & de Haan & Fischbach 2012, p. 122). Hence, this study outlines the roles of various actors within the network structure, looks at the frequency of communication processes and their spatial as well as temporal scopes. For this purpose, we set up a questionnaire and conducted a survey with members of the regional networks in 2017/2018. Of all steering group members of the nine regional networks, 74 persons completed the questionnaire. This provides a data set with 1820 connections between 1427 persons, detailing specific communication processes within the IMST regional network. In addition, the respective communication contents, specific actors and their institutions were also analysed. Based on this, the collected data is modulated to graphically picture the fabric of group relations within the IMST regional networks.
Expected Outcomes
Preliminary findings visualize frequent communication processes. The mapping process elucidates the internal division of roles in organizational processes. Therefore, a network analysis may be used as a valuable resource for internal as well as external reflection processes of science education networks. First, in the case of IMST regional educational networks, there is the most intensive and frequent contact with other members of the steering group in the respective federal states. The most frequent communication processes take place within the various regional networks. This may be explained by the pursuit of common goals and concrete regional activities of the steering group. Thus, appointed key activities frame the communication contents. In some cases, there are also links to people in other states in connection with certain projects or due to the exchange of information among steering group members of different IMST regional networks as well as further educational networks. Second, it is noteworthy that some network actors work at several institutions dealing with continuous professional development at the same time. For example, 8% of the actors work for 2 institutions at the same time, 2% of all network actors even for 3 institutions at the same time. Third, the most frequently mentioned cooperation or communication processes in the survey take place between working groups/consortiums and schools of all grades and types. This is due to steering group members who are significantly involved in working groups and thus have many contacts to teachers. However, links between the various regional networks were also indicated, especially at the level of network coordinators and occasionally between steering group members. In the final contribution, this analysis will be deepened and reflect back to cultural framework conditions. Finally, possible answers on how to how to sustain these alliances and partnerships over time will be discussed.
References
Czerwanski, A. & Hameyer, U. & Rolff, H. G. (2002). Schulentwicklung im Netzwerk – Ergebnisse einer empirischen Nutzenanalyse von zwei Schulnetzwerken. In H. G. Rolff et al. (Eds.), Jahrbuch für Schulentwicklung (pp. 99-130). München: Juventa Dalin, P. (1999). Theorie und Praxis der Schulenwicklung. Neuwied: Luchterhand. European Commission (ed.) (2018). European ideas for better learning: the governance of school education systems. Produced by the ET 2020 Working Group Schools. The final report and thematic outputs of the ET2020 Working Group Schools. Online ressource: https://www.schooleducationgateway.eu/downloads/Governance/2018-wgs6-Full-Final-Output.pdf [01.12.2019] Götzenbrucker, G. (2013). Wir müssen uns viel mehr vernetzen! In: Ingrid Paus-Hasebrink/Sascha Trültzsch /Alois Pluschkowitz /Christine W. Wijnen [Hrsg.] (2013): Integrative AV-und Online-Kommunikationsforschung. Perspektivem –Positionen –Projekte. Baden Baden: Nomos, 46-49.(edited) Junker, R. & Berkemeyer, N. (2014). Beziehungsstrukturen in schulischen Innovationsnetzwerken. Eine egozentrierte Netzwerkanalyse von Netzwerkkoordinatoren in RNW. In Zeitschrift für Erziehungswissenschaft. 17. Jg. Sonderheft 26. Wiesbaden: Springer IMST (2015). www.imst.ac.at (20.01.2019) Kolleck, N. & de Haan, G. & Fischbach, R. (2012). Qualitätssicherung in der Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung: Netzwerke, Kommunen und Qualitätsentwicklung im Kontext der UN-Dekade "Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung" In: Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (Hrsg.): Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung. Beiträge der Bildungsforschung. Bonn, Berlin Krainer, K. & Zehetmaier, S. (2013). Inquiry-based learning for students, teachers, researchers, and representatives of educational administration and policy. Reflections on a nation-wide initiative fostering educational innovation. In: ZDM – The International Journal on Mathematics Education, Vol. 45, 875 - 886, Springer publisher GmbH. Lieberman, A. & Wood, D. R. (2003). Inside the National Writing Project. Connecting Network Learning and Classroom Teaching. New York: Teacher College Press. LINKS (2019).Building comprehensive Partnerships and Alliances for a Sustained CPD. Online Ressource: https://www.fondationlamap.org/en/page/55552/main-expected-outputs-in-links [23.12.2019] McLaughlin, C. & Black-Hawkins, K. & McIntyre, D. & Townsend, A. (2008). Networking Practitioner Research. London: Routledge. OECD (2003). Schooling for Tomorrow. Networks of Innovation. Paris: OECD. Perry B. L. & Pescosolido B. A. & Borgatti S. P. (2018). Egocentric Network Analysis. Foundations, Methods and Models. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Rauch, F. (2013). Regional networks in education: a case study of an Austrian project. Cambridge Journal of Education, 43(3), 313-324. Rauch, F. & Korenjak, P. (2018). Regionale Bildungsnetzwerke als intermediäre Organisationsstrukturen: Konzepte und Befunde am Beispiel des Projektes IMST in Österreich: In S. Weber (Hrsg.), Organisation und Pädagogik: Band 26. Organisation und Netzwerke. Beträge der Kommission Organisationspädagogik (S. 251 - 260). Berlin: Springer.
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