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Sociogram paper

Amanda Mayer

Dr. Sherman

EDP 621

April 6, 2005

Draft #2

In the world of education, teachers must evaluate themselves and their classrooms for effectiveness. Although academic standards have taken a front seat in education, we must not forget about our students and how they are functioning as a group. We must look at such factors as communication, friendship, expectations, leadership, and power. All of these play an important role in the academic success of students. One way to explore these topics is called a sociogram. Students are asked three positive questions and one negative question. These questions involve the students’ choices from their classmates of who they would sit with at lunch (positive), who they would go to a movie with (positive), who they would work with in an academic group (positive), and who they dislike (negative). Their responses are then inputted into a computer programs and shown in a sociogram, which is basically a mapping of the students and their choices (for more information on sociograms, visit http://www.classroomsociometrics.com/) . I would like to analyze one particular class of thirty 13 year-old students and offer some intervention strategies for potential problems. My conclusions are based on the sociograms, which are attached, and are not based on any real-life observations.

I would first like to discuss the positive questions and what I noticed. The first thing I noticed was the lack of cohesion between the males and the females. In each positive question, all dealing with groups, males were likely to pick males, and females were likely to pick females. In the question about the movie (see figure 1 on next page), there were more crossovers with males and females than in the lunch question (see figure 2), but the majority of the choices for the lunch question were same sex choices. Also, in the negative question about who they dislike (see figure 3), they were likely to pick the opposite sex, rather than the same sex. This indicates a concern that students may not be getting enough opportunities to work with the opposite sex. It could even be possible that each sex misunderstands the other sex. Richard and Patricia Schmuck (2001, p.105), to be referred to as S&S, offer some good intervention strategies in their book, Group Processes in the Classroom. One such activity is called “Shared information about what it means to be a male or female in our society”. Students learn about the opposite sex and may even discover some similarities between each sex. Another activity by S&S (2001, p.184) is called “Expectations and Stereotypes: Sex Roles”, where the students explore their expectations and stereotypes of the opposite sex . I think doing these activities along with some cooperative learning situations of females and males working together will help build some cohesion between males and females.

Although there is a lack of cohesion between the males and females on the positive questions, it is present between the choices made. In the movie question (see figure 1), about 62% of the students have mutual choice, which shows that they are picking a student and that student is

Figure #1

Figure #2

Figure #3

also picking them. Also, in the question about the lunch (see figure 2), about 80% of the students have mutual choices, which means there is a large amount of cohesion between the same sex choices.

Another thing I noticed was the formation of cliques. These cliques were same sex, consisting of 4 students each, and emerged in the lunch question (see figure 2). This situation presents the group dynamic of friendship. Obviously, same sex friendships are common and normal throughout school. However, in this situation, the friendships only involve 8 students from a group of 30. My question is why aren’t there more friendships between the males and females? I think that some large group activities could be done to help the students get to know all of their classmates. In the book Because we can change the world, by Mara Shapon-Shevin (1999, p.51), to be referred to as Shapon-Shevin, an activity called “Stand up/Sit Down” helps the students to see similarities and differences between them and their classmates. The activity works by the teacher calling out a category such as “I have an older brother”, then all of the students who have an older brother stand up. The teacher can decide the categories based on the ages and the amount of trust within the classroom environment. In addition to the cliques formed in the lunch question, the question about who they disliked showed males being picked the most (see figure 4). There is obviously some conflict between these males and many other students, both male and female. I think the activity mentioned above and the opposite sex activities mentioned earlier

Figure #4

wuld help with the problem of the large amount of dislikes of male students. The students would know each other more, which could lower the amount of dislikes.

Furthermore, in the question involving the academic group(see figure 5), the sociogram shows two leaders emerging. There was a male and a female that were chosen multiple times to work with in an academic group. These students were both chosen by the opposite sex, as well as the same sex. I think in order to see the effects of this on the classroom, you must explore the reasons for the two students being chosen the most. You must ask such questions as: Do these students show leadership qualities in the area of academics? Did they get chosen so that the other students can copy their work and answers? Are they easy to get along with in a group? These questions get into the area of leadership, friendship, and even power. The idea of power can be applied in what type of power these two students have over the other students. Do they have expert power, where the students turn to them for answers? Do they have referent power, where the other students wish they could have the knowledge these two students have? All of these questions must be explored in order to pinpoint why this is happening. Shapon-Shevin (1999, p.39) suggests some great activities to help students get to know each other such as the activity “Collage of Me”, where students create a collage using pictures, magazines, words, and phrases that describe them. You could even have the students share their collages with the

Figure #5

class, so that the other students can understand why something is on their collage. I think once students get to know each other better, then they will choose different people to work with.

Clearly, there are numerous factors one must explore when analyzing sociograms. There are also multiple conclusions that can be made from sociograms. I explored a few of those conclusions and how a teacher can intervene to make sure that students work cooperatively and that they get to know each of their classmates. Sociograms can be used at different ages and grade levels for many reasons. As a teacher, you must consider what topics you are exploring, such as leadership or friendship. Also, you must consider how you as a teacher affect the results of the sociogram. Perhaps your power and leadership affects the cohesion of the entire class. Sociograms can be effective tools if used correctly and along with other means of research of group processes.

Bibliography

Schmuck, P. & Schmuck, R. (2001). Group Processes in the Classroom.

Boston: McGraw Hill.

Shapon-Shevin, M. (1999). Because We Can Change the World. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

http://www.classroomsociometrics.com