Social Network Analysis for Assessing Social Capital in Biosecurity Ecoliteracy

Abstract

: Social Network Analysis for Assessing Social Capital in Biosecurity Ecoliteracy. Biosecurity ecoliteracy (BEL) is a view of literacy that applies ecological concepts to promote in-depth understanding, critical reflection, creative thinking, self consciousness, communication and social skills, in analyzing and managing issues around plant health/living, animal health/living and the risks that are associated with the environment. We used social network analysis (SNA) to evaluate two distinct forms of social capital of BEL: social cohesion and network structure. This study was executed by employing cooperative learning in BEL toward 30 undergraduate teacher training students. Data then was analyzed using UCINET software. We found the tendency of so­cial cohesion to increase after students participated in BEL. This was supported by several SNA measures (density, closeness and degree) and these values at the end were statistically different than at the beginning of BEL. The social structure map (sociogram) after BEL visualized that students were much more likely to cluster in groups compared with the sociogram before BEL. Thus BEL, through cooperative learning, was able to promote social capital. In addition SNA proved a useful tool for evaluating the achievement levels of social capital of BEL in the form of network cohesion and network structure.