Purpose

The purpose of this paper is two-fold: (1) to offer a conceptual understanding of knowledge brokering from a sociometric point-of-view; and (2) to provide an empirical example of this conceptualization in an education context.

Design/methodology/approach

We use social network theory and analysis tools to explore knowledge exchange patterns among a group of teachers, instructional coaches and administrators who are collectively seeking to build increased capacity for effective mathematics instruction. We propose the concept of network activity to measure direct and indirect knowledge brokerage through the use of degree and betweenness centrality measures. Further, we propose network utility—measured by tie multiplexity—as a second key component of effective knowledge brokering.

Findings

Our findings suggest significant increases in both direct and indirect knowledge brokering activity across the network over time. Teachers, in particular, emerge as key knowledge brokers within this networked learning community. Importantly, there is also an increase in the number of resources exchanged through network relationships over time; the most active knowledge brokers in this social ecosystem are those individuals who are exchanging multiple forms of knowledge.

Originality/value

This study focuses on knowledge brokering as it presents itself in the relational patterns among educators within a social ecosystem. While it could be that formal organizational roles may encapsulate knowledge brokering across physical structures with an education system (e.g. between schools and central offices), these individuals are not necessarily the people who are most effectively brokering knowledge across actors within the broader social network.

中文翻译：

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知识代理的网络案例

目的

本文的目的有两个方面：（1）从社会计量学的角度提供对知识中介的概念性理解；（2）在教育背景下提供这种概念化的经验示例。

设计/方法/方法

我们使用社交网络理论和分析工具来探索一群教师，指导教练和管理人员之间的知识交流模式，他们正在集体寻求提高有效数学教学的能力。我们提出网络活动的概念，以通过使用程度和中间性集中度度量来度量直接和间接知识中介。此外，我们提出了通过效用复用度来衡量的网络实用程序，作为有效知识中介的第二个关键组成部分。

发现

我们的发现表明，随着时间的推移，整个网络上的直接和间接知识代理活动都将显着增加。特别是在这个网络学习社区中，教师成为了关键的知识中介。重要的是，随着时间的流逝，通过网络关系交换的资源数量也在增加。在这个社会生态系统中，最活跃的知识经纪人是交换多种形式知识的个人。

创意/价值

这项研究着重于知识中介，因为它以一种社会生态系统内的教育者之间的关系模式呈现自己。虽然正式的组织角色可能封装了带有教育系统的跨物理结构的知识中介（例如，在学校和中央办公室之间），但这些人不一定是在更广泛的社交网络中跨行为者最有效地中介知识的人。