Editing Social network analysis (section)

====Other methods used alongside SNA====
Although many studies have demonstrated the value of social network analysis within the computer-supported collaborative learning field,<ref name=":0" /> researchers have suggested that SNA by itself is not enough for achieving a full understanding of CSCL. The complexity of the interaction processes and the myriad sources of data make it difficult for SNA to provide an in-depth analysis of CSCL.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Groupware: Design, Implementation, and Use|last1=Daradoumis|first1=Thanasis|last2=Martínez-Monés|first2=Alejandra|last3=Xhafa|first3=Fatos|chapter=An Integrated Approach for Analysing and Assessing the Performance of Virtual Learning Groups |date=2004-09-05|publisher=Springer Berlin Heidelberg|isbn=9783540230168|editor-last=Vreede|editor-first=Gert-Jan de|series=Lecture Notes in Computer Science|volume=3198 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/unset0000unse_i0a6/page/289 289–304]|language=en|doi=10.1007/978-3-540-30112-7_25|editor-last2=Guerrero|editor-first2=Luis A.|editor-last3=Raventós|editor-first3=Gabriela Marín|hdl=2117/116654|s2cid=6605 |chapter-url-access=registration|chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/unset0000unse_i0a6/page/289}}</ref> Researchers indicate that SNA needs to be complemented with other methods of analysis to form a more accurate picture of collaborative learning experiences.<ref name=autogenerated1/>

A number of research studies have combined other types of analysis with SNA in the study of CSCL. This can be referred to as a multi-method approach or data [[Triangulation (social science)|triangulation]], which will lead to an increase of evaluation [[Reliability (statistics)|reliability]] in CSCL studies.
* Qualitative method – The principles of qualitative case study research constitute a solid framework for the integration of SNA methods in the study of CSCL experiences.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Johnson|first=Karen E.|date=1996-01-01|title=Review of The Art of Case Study Research|jstor=329758|journal=The Modern Language Journal|volume=80|issue=4|pages=556–557|doi=10.2307/329758}}</ref>
** ''[[Ethnography|Ethnographic]] data'' such as student questionnaires and interviews and classroom non-participant observations<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite journal|author1=Martínez, A.|author2=Dimitriadis, Y.|author3=Rubia, B.|author4=Gómez, E.|author5=de la Fuente, P.|date=2003-12-01|title=Combining qualitative evaluation and social network analysis for the study of classroom social interactions|journal=Computers & Education. Documenting Collaborative Interactions: Issues and Approaches|volume=41|issue=4|pages=353–368|doi=10.1016/j.compedu.2003.06.001|citeseerx=10.1.1.114.7474|s2cid=10636524 }}</ref>
** ''[[Case study|Case studies]]'': comprehensively study particular CSCL situations and relate findings to general schemes<ref name=autogenerated1 />
** ''[[Content analysis]]:'' offers information about the content of the communication among members<ref name=autogenerated1 />
* Quantitative method – This includes simple descriptive statistical analyses on occurrences to identify particular attitudes of group members who have not been able to be tracked via SNA in order to detect general tendencies.
** ''Computer [[Logfile|log files]]:'' provide automatic data on how collaborative tools are used by learners<ref name=autogenerated1 />
** ''[[Multidimensional scaling|Multidimensional scaling (MDS)]]'': charts similarities among actors, so that more similar input data is closer together<ref name=autogenerated1 />
** ''[[Software]] tools:'' QUEST, SAMSA (System for Adjacency Matrix and Sociogram-based Analysis), and Nud*IST<ref name=autogenerated1 />