Exploring the Social Architecture of Peer Engagement in Preschool Classrooms: A Social Network Analysis

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Saturday 9:45 am - Gold 1
  In Roundtable Session: Play and Learning

Abstract

We examined the peer engagement of 150 preschoolers in 10 Head Start classrooms using naturalistic observations. Engagement was analyzed across modalities (visual, verbal, physical), affective valence (positive, negative), and subgroups by race and gender. In addition to frequency, we assessed how mutual (reciprocity) and how widely connected (centrality) peer engagement was using social network analysis. Visual and verbal engagement were more frequent, more reciprocated, and more broadly connected than physical engagement. Although positive and negative engagement occurred at similar rates, positive engagement was more mutual and more widely connected. No gender differences were found. While Black and non-Black children showed similar frequencies of peer engagement, Black children’s engagement was less reciprocal and less broadly connected across peers in the classroom.

Authors

• Taehee Kim, University of Georgia

• Mihyun Kim, University of Georgia

• Kristen L Bub, University of Georgia