Exploring Contact Patterns Among Students via Social Network Analysis: A Cohort Study in Istanbul, Türkiye

We analy s ed three different grades on separate days in Istanbul, Türkiye, collecting face-to-face contact data via wireless sensors. This novel approach provides insights into factors influencing student interactions.

Results show that students within the same class have more frequent and longer interactions than those from different classes. Notably, as grade levels increase, network modularity decreases, indicating that senior students form more connections across classes. Additionally, spatial proximity plays a role, as classrooms closer to each other exhibit more interactions, emphasizing the impact of school layout on contact patterns.