Linking Quantitative and Qualitative Network Approaches: A Review of Mixed Methods Social Network Analysis in Education Research

Social network analysis (SNA) is becoming a prevalent method in education research and practice. But criticism has been voiced against the heavy reliance on quantification within SNA. Recent work suggests combining quantitative and qualitative approaches in SNA—mixed methods social network analysis (MMSNA)—as a remedy. MMSNA is helpful for addressing research questions related to the formal or structural side of relationships and networks, but it also attends to more qualitative questions such as the meaning of interactions or the variability of social relationships. In this chapter, we describe how researchers have applied and presented MMSNA in publications from the perspective of general mixed methods research. Based on a systematic review, we summarize the different applications within the field of education and learning research, point to potential shortcomings of the methods and its presentation, and develop an agenda to support researchers in conducting future MMSNA research. Beginning in the 1990s, education researchers, policy makers, and practitioners have become interested in relationships and collaboration in educational settings. In response, social network analysis (SNA) was proposed as a theoretical and methodological framework, offering theory and tools to explore relationships in depth. Compared to then existing approaches for studying interactions and interdependencies among, for example, teachers or pupils, SNA allows one to capture these relationships in a more nuanced way, by focusing on the patterns and qualities of relationships (Borgatti et al., 2009). SNA offers valuable insights into whether and to what degree interactions and collaboration take place in education. Another key strength of SNA is that it offers several tools to visualize relationships (Hogan et al., 2007), which creates opportunities for visual analysis and feedback aimed at improving practice. No other methodological framework is as focused on the in-depth exploration of relationships and structures in learning and instruction (Moolenaar, 2012; Sweet, 2016). The surge in SNA publications across the academic disciplines is largely driven by quantitative SNA studies (Freeman, 2004). Despite its merits, authors such as Fuhse and Mützel (2011) or Hollstein (2011) have criticized this formalized approach to network analysis for a lack of attention to the qualitative aspects of relationships. Recent work addresses these concerns by combining quantitative and qualitative approaches in SNA to what we call mixed methods social network analysis (MMSNA; Froehlich, Rehm, et al., 2020; Hollstein, 2014). MMSNA is helpful for addressing research questions related to the formal or structural side of relationships and networks, but it also attends to questions related to the actual content and meaning of interactions, the day-to-day variability of social relationships, the developments of nodes and ties, and agency (Crossley, 2010; Crossley & Edwards, 2016). In this chapter, we describe how researchers have applied and presented MMSNA in publications from the perspective of general mixed methods research. Based on a systematic review, we (a) summarize the different applications within the field of education and learning research, (b) point to potential shortcomings of the methods and its presentation, and (c) develop an agenda to support researchers in conducting future MMSNA research. We tailored the review for a diverse audience. For social network and mixed method researchers, the review details the use of mixed methods within SNA, sets forward a framework for quality reporting practices, and hints at potential pitfalls. For education researchers, the review illustrates how MMSNA is being applied when studying relationships and collaboration within educational settings.