Correlating Formal Assessment with Social Network Activity within a Personal Learning Environment

Abstract

Social networks have undoubtedly penetrated into our daily life, in such a degree that educational life could not avoid this effect, as proven by the many education-oriented social networks that have emerged. The education-oriented social network environment named HOU2LEARN, used by the Hellenic Open University, is one of these networks, providing a valuable source of data about students' networking behavior and their tensions. This article aims at contributing to the investigation of possible linkages between social network behavior and student performance as assessed within a formal learning environment. The article is focused on analyzing data and performing statistical correlations from two consecutive and recent academic years in a computer science course, attempting to reach robust conclusions. Although the research question remains the same: Is there a relationship between grades and social activity within the social network? This article is supported by increased sampling and data, providing concrete and intriguing answers, thus setting the pillars for further research goals regarding contemporary and smart learning environments.