A Study On Social Networking Among Engineering Freshmen

The effect of social interactions on individual and collective performance is receiving increased attention. The general assumption is that an individual’s success is, to a large extent, dependent on social ties and attainment of social capital. This paper presents the results of a study performed to determine if social interaction within freshman classes in the College of Engineering (COE) at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) correlates with academic performance. Also of interest was whether the interactions between genders had a significant affect on academic performance. Better academic performance is cited in the literature as improving retention and graduation rates; therefore, if factors that affect academic performance can be understood measures can be taken to help students perform better. Five UTK freshman classes taught by the Engineering Fundamentals (EF) Division were surveyed to determine their interaction with the rest of the members in their class. Academic performance of the class as a whole and of each gender was retrieved from the class’s instructor at the end of the semester. This data was analyzed in terms of demographics and sharing of information. Social network analysis of the interactions within the class was used to identify density and structure of networks. A description of the analysis, results, conclusions, and recommendations are provided as a basis for recognizing the potential impact of social networking in forming teams and in conducting classroom discussions. These results could also be used to determine better ways to present materials and provide information to improve academic performance. Investigation of factors that influence academic performance is important in order to know what may improve the success rate of engineering students. By improving the success rate of students, more students will remain and graduate in engineering.