Epistemic Network Analysis and Ordered Network Analysis in Learning Analytics

Abstract This chapter provides a tutorial on conducting epistemic network analysis (ENA) and ordered network analysis (ONA) using R. We introduce these two techniques together because they share similar theoretical foundations, but each addresses a different challenge for analyzing large-scale qualitative data on learning processes. ENA and ONA are methods for quantifying, visualizing, and interpreting network data. Taking coded data as input, ENA and ONA represent associations between codes in undirected or directed weighted network models, respectively. Both techniques measure the strength of association among codes and illustrate the structure of connections in network graphs, and they quantify changes in the composition and strength of those connections over time. Importantly, ENA and ONA enable comparison of networks both visually and via summary statistics, so they can be used to explore a wide range of research questions in contexts where patterns of association in coded data are hypothesized to be meaningful and where comparing those patterns across individuals or groups is important.