Online learners can exchange ideas and information at any time through the rich social media, thus the individual knowledge networks can be formed. Simultaneously, the synergistic effects can be generated during peer interaction processes. In recent years, more and more educational researchers have begun to pay attention to the social interaction behaviors within the learning community formed under the online learning environment, and utilized social network analysis approaches to reveal learners’ interaction patterns to improve the quality and effectiveness of online learning. In this paper, firstly, we describe the related concepts about social network analysis and learning analytics. Secondly, through the literature analysis, we summarize domestic and foreign learning analytic research in social network analysis. Finally, we summarize six primary aspects of applications of social network analysis in the learning analytics field under the network environment. This summary aims to reveal the current research situation and developing tendency of social network analysis method in learning analytics field to provide the references for data-driven learning behavior analysis research. |