Intergenerational professional relationships in elementary school teams: a social network approach
Main Article Content
Abstract
This paper examines the extent to which school team members’ professional relationships are affected by being part of a certain generational cohort. These professional relationships provide opportunities for intergenerational knowledge flows and can therefore be relevant for intergenerational learning. Nowadays these topics have gained more attention due to worldwide demographic changes such as increased retirement rates and high levels of teacher dropout. Data were gathered through a survey with socio-metric questions among 299 school team members in 15 elementary schools in the Netherlands. Using social network analysis, in particular p2 modelling, we analysed the effect of being part of a generational cohort on teachers’ likelihood of having professional relationships in networks such as discussing work, asking and providing advice, and collaboration. Findings indicate that generational cohorts based on chronological age do matter in the formation of work related ties. These findings also support the importance of focusing on different professional networks since different age dynamics can be at play. Our findings also show that school team members of the youngest cohort tend to form intra-generational relationships, whereas older generational cohort members prefer inter-generational relationships. This study is innovative due to its application of social network analysis to investigate intergenerational knowledge flows.
Article Details
How to Cite
Geeraerts, K., Van den Bossche, P., Vanhoof, J., & Moolenaar, N. (2017). Intergenerational professional relationships in elementary school teams: a social network approach. Frontline Learning Research, 5(2), 78–98. https://doi.org/10.14786/flr.v5i2.293
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Boer, P., Huisman, M., Snijders, T. A. B., Steglich, C., Wichers, L. H. Y., & Zeggelink, E. P. H. (2006). StOCNET: An open software system for the advanced statistical analysis of social networks. Version 1.7. . Groningen: ICS/Science Plus.
Borgatti, S. P., Everett, M. G., & Johnson, J. C. (2013). Analyzing social networks. London: SAGE Publications Ltd.
Brücknerová, K., & Novotný, P. (2016). Intergenerational learning among teachers: overt and covert forms of continuing professional development. Professional Development in Education, 1-20.
Carolan, B. V. (2014). Social network analysis and education. Theory, methods & applications. Los Angeles: Sage.
Choo, C. W. (1998). The knowing organization: How organizations use information to construct the meaning, create knowledge, and make decisions. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Cross, R., Parker, A., & Borgatti, S. P. (2002). Making invisible work visible: using social network analysis to support strategic collaboration. California Management Review, 44(2), 25-46.
Daly, A. J. (2010). Social network theory and educational change. Cambridge: Harvard Education Press.
Dencker, J. C., Joshi, A., & Martocchio, J. J. (2007). Employee benefits as context for intergenerational conflict. Human Resource Management Review, 17(2), 208-220. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.hrmr.2007.04.002
Feld, S. L. (1982). Social structural determinants of similarity among associates. American Sociological Review, 47(6), 797-801.
Frank, K. A., Zhao, Y., & Borman, K. (2004). Social capital and the diffusion of innovations within organizations: The case of computer technology in schools. Sociology of Education, 77(2), 148-171.
Fuller, A., & Unwin, L. (2004). Young people as teachers and learners in the workplace: challenging the novice-expert dichotomy. International Journal of Training and Development, 8(1), 32-42.
AUTHORS. (2016).
Gerpott, F. H., Lehmann-Willenbrock, N., & Voelpel, S. C. (2016). A phase model of intergenerational learning in organizations. Academy of Management Learning & Education.
Glass, A. (2007). Understanding generational differences for competitive success. Industrial and Commercial Training, 39(2), 98-103.
Grangeat, M., & Gray, P. (2007). Factors influencing teachers' professional competence development. Journal of Vocational Education & Training, 59(4), 485-501. doi: 10.1080/13636820701650943
Kelchtermans, G. (2006). Teacher collaboration and collegiality as workplace conditions. A review. Zeitschrift für Pädagogik, 52(2), 220-237.
Kelchtermans, G., & Ballet, K. (2002). The micropolitics of teacher induction. A narrative-biographical study on teacher socialisation. Teaching and Teacher Education, 18, 105-120.
King, S. P., & Bryant, F. B. (2017). The workplace intergenerational climate scale (WICS): a self-report instrument measuring ageism in the workplace. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 38(1), 124-151. doi: 10.1002/job.2118
Kooij, D., de Lange, A., Jansen, P., & Dikkers, J. (2008). Older workers' motivation to continue to work: five meanings of age. A conceptual review. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 23(4), 364-394.
Lazega, E., & van Duijn, M. (1997). Position in formal structure, personal characteristics and choices of advisors in a law firm: a logistic regression model for dyadic network data. Social networks, 19, 375-397.
Lin, N. (1999). Building a network theory of social capital. Connections, 22(1), 28-51.
Marsden, P. V. (1988). Homogeneity in confiding relations. Social networks, 10, 57-76.
Marsden, P. V. (2011). Survey methods for network data. In J. Scott & P. J. Carringston (Eds.), The Sage handbook of social network analysis (pp. 310-388). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
McPherson, J. M., Smith-Lovin, L., & Cook, J. M. (2001). Birds of a feather: Homophily in social networks. Annual review of sociology, 27, 415-444.
AUTHOR. (2010).
Novotný, P., & Brücknerová, K. (2014). Intergenerational learning among teachers: an interaction perspective. Studia paedagogica, 19(4).
Pillen, M., Beijaard, D., & den Brok, P. (2013). Tensions in beginning teachers' professional identity development, accompanying feelings and coping strategies. European Journal of Teacher Education, 36(3), 240-260. doi: 10.1080/02619768.2012.696192
Reagans, R., & McEvily, B. (2003). Network structure and knowledge transfer: the effects of cohesion and range. Administrative Science Quarterly, 48(2), 240-267.
Richter, D., Kunter, M., Klusmann, U., Lüdtke, O., & Baumert, J. (2011). Professional development across the teaching career: Teachers' uptake of formal and informal learning opportunities. Teaching and Teacher Education, 27, 116-126.
Ropes, D. (2011). Intergenerational learning in organisations. A research framework. In CEDEFOP (Ed.), Working and ageing. Guidance and counselling for mature learners. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union.
Ropes, D. (2013). Intergenerational learning in organizations. European Journal of Training and Development, 37(8), 713-727.
Rupp, D. E., Vodanovich, S. J., & Credé, M. (2006). Age bias in the workplace: the impact of ageism and causal attributions. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 36(6), 1337-1364.
Smylie, M. A., & Hart, A. W. (1999). School leadership for teacher learning and change: A human and social capital development perspective. In J. T. Murphy & K. S. Louis (Eds.), Handbook of educational administration: A project of the American Educational Research Association (2 ed., pp. 421-442). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Spillane, J. P., Kim, C. M., & Frank, K. A. (2012). Instructional advice and information providing and receiving behavior in elementary schools: exploring tie formation as a building block in social capital development. American Educational Research Journal, 49(6), 1112-1145.
Starks, A. (2013). The forthcoming generational workforce transition and rethinking organizational knowledge transfer. Journal of Intergenerational Relationships, 11, 223-237.
Stokking, K., Leenders, F., De Jong, J., & Van Tartwijk, J. (2003). From student to teacher: reducing practice shock and early dropout in the teaching profession. European Journal of Teacher Education, 26(3), 329-350.
Tajfel, H., & Turner, J. C. (1986). The social identity theory of intergroup behavior. In S. Worchel & W. G. Austin (Eds.), Psychology of intergroup relations (pp. 7-24). Chicago, IL: Nelson-Hall.
Thambi, M., & O'Toole, P. (2012). Applying a knowledge management taxonomy to secondary schools. School Leadership & Management, 32(1), 91-102.
Van Duijn, M., & Vermunt, J. K. (2006). What is special about social network analysis? Methodology, 2(1), 2-6. doi: 10.1027/1614-1881.2.1.2
van Knippenberg, D., De Dreu, K. K. W., & Homan, A. C. (2004). Work group diversity and group performance: an integrative model and research agenda. Journal of Applied Psychology, 89(6), 1008-1022.
Wasserman, S., & Faust, K. (1994). Social network analysis: Methods and applications. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Williams, K. Y., & O'reilly, C. A. (1998). Demography and diversity in organizations: A review of 40 years of research. Research in Organizational Behavior, 20, 77-140.
Wolff, C. E., van den Bogert, N., Jarodzka, H., & Boshuizen, H. P. A. (2015). Keeping an eye on learning: Differences between expert and novice teachers' representations of classroom management events. Journal of Teacher Education, 66(1), 68-85.
Zijlstra, B. J. H., & van Duijn, M. A. J. (2003). Manual p2. Version 2.0.0.7. Groningen: iec ProGAMMA/University of Groningen.
Zijlstra, B. J. H., Van Duijn, M. A. J., & Snijders, T. A. B. (2006). The multilevel p2 model: A random effects model for the analysis of multiple social networks. Methodology, 2(1), 42-47.