Análisis de redes sociales: un estudio de caso en Educación Física:

Abstract

This study analyzes social networks in a physical education class in a public high school in Valencia during the COVID-19 pandemic. The main objective of this paper is to check the social status of the classroom and identify potentially problematic situations in the classroom, based on the analysis of dimensions such as pleasant interaction, emotional support, social support and co-study. To do this, a quantitative methodology was used through a questionnaire where students had to respond based on their perception of the rest of their classmates from various items corresponding to sociological dimensions. From this point, a social network analysis (SNA) was carried out and numerical and graphic values were extracted that exposed the social situation of the students. Integration problems were found, derived from the great differences in centrality between the most isolated students and the average of the class, as well as a large number of connections in the dimension “pleasant interaction”, and few connections in “emotional support”. Substantial leadership differences were also found depending on the dimension, so that the student leaders in some areas were not leaders in others. Finally, differences were found between face-to-face and digital connections, the latter being greater. This study encourages physical education teachers to use SNA to objectively know the social situation of the class, taking into account the great social component that surrounds a session of this subject.