ERIC Number: EJ1280042
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2020
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1539-3100
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Educational Data Mining Applied to a Massive Course
International Journal of Distance Education Technologies, v18 n4 Article 2 p17-30 2020
In the current context of distance learning, learning management systems (LMSs) make it possible to store large volumes of data on web browsing and completed assignments. To understand student behavior patterns in this type of environment, educators and managers must rethink conventional approaches to the analysis of these data and use appropriate computational solutions, such as educational data mining (EDM). Previous studies have tested the application of EDM on small datasets. The main contribution of the present study is the application of EDM algorithms and the analysis of the results in a massive course delivered by a Brazilian University to 181,677 undergraduate students enrolled in different fields. The use of key algorithms in educational contexts, such as decision trees and clustering, can reveal relevant knowledge, including the attribute type that most significantly contributes to passing a course and the behavior patterns of groups of students who fail.
Descriptors: Learning Analytics, Data Collection, Class Size, Online Courses, Behavior Patterns, Undergraduate Students, Pass Fail Grading, Academic Failure, Distance Education, Integrated Learning Systems, Decision Making, Prediction, Foreign Countries
IGI Global. 701 East Chocolate Avenue, Hershey, PA 17033. Tel: 866-342-6657; Tel: 717-533-8845; Fax: 717-533-8661; Fax: 717-533-7115; e-mail: journals@igi-global.com; Web site: https://www.igi-global.com/journals/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Brazil
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A