This study uses social network analysis to examine the patterns of student interactions in an online site designed to join students within undergraduate engineering technology programs at two universities. The site was developed to provide students the opportunity to discuss, share, and learn both from and with one another on topics related to green energy manufacturing. The study demonstrates that the online site supports interaction among the undergraduate students. In particular, the networks formed by these interactions were sparse; online students did not seek or share course-related advice and information across the sites as a whole, but were selective with those whom they sought out for support, information, or guidance. This study has implications for future research to determine why students chose to use the site to interact with their peers and what these interactions provided them, advancing their learning in green energy manufacturing. Such data could inform the ways the site helped support students both in their advancement in the program, and could be useful in assisting future development of such sites and similar learning spaces.
Keywords: Online Learning, engineering technology, green energy manufacturing, Social Network Analysis, Undergraduates, UCINET
Regina Ruane, Ph.D. is the Director of the Exploratory Program for the Goodwin College at Drexel University. Additionally, Dr. Ruane teaches for the online Bachelor of Science in Education and at Drexel and serves as a consultant for the US Department of Education DHSIP project– Fusing Green Energy into Manufacturing Engineering Education to Cultivate a Technical Success and Leadership Excellence Among Hispanic Engineering Students. In particular, she aids in the development and organization of a secure, web-based forum for student engagement for this project. Dr. Ruane’s pedagogical and research interests include online learning, computer-mediated communication, computer supported collaborative learning, information exchange in online learning environments, online communities, communities of practice and practice fields, social network analysis, collaboration, peer mentoring, situated learning, curriculum theory and development.
Dr. Ruane earned her doctorate from Drexel University in Educational Leadership and Learning Technologies in 2012. She completed her Master of Arts degree in Curriculum and Teaching at Teachers College, Columbia University and her baccalaureate degree at Villanova University, where she studied education and philosophy. Dr. Ruane presents nationally and internationally on blended and online education, particularly online peer mentoring. This past April, Dr. Ruane presented her research at the American Educational Research Association’s Annual Meeting.
Dr. Richard Chiou is Associate Professor within the Engineering Technology Department at Drexel University, Philadelphia, USA. He received his Ph.D. degree in the G.W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology. His educational background is in manufacturing with an emphasis on mechatronics. In addition to his many years of industrial experience, he has taught many different engineering and technology courses at undergraduate and graduate levels. His tremendous research experience in manufacturing includes environmentally conscious manufacturing, Internet based robotics, and Web based quality. In the past years, he has been involved in sustainable manufacturing for maximizing energy and material recovery while minimizing environmental impact.
Dr. Tseng is a Professor and Chair of Industrial, Manufacturing and Systems Engineering at UTEP. His research focuses on the computational intelligence, data mining, bio- informatics and advanced manufacturing. Dr. Tseng published in many refereed journals such as IEEE Transactions, IIE Transaction, Journal of Manufacturing Systems and others. He has been serving as a principle investigator of many research projects, funded by NSF, NASA, DoEd, KSEF and LMC. He is currently serving as an editor of Journal of Computer Standards & Interfaces.
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