58,049 research outputs found
Understanding Learners\u27 Motivation through Machine Learning Analysis on Reflection Writing
Educational data mining (EDM) is an emerging interdisciplinary field that utilizes a machine learning (ML) algorithm to collect and analyze educational data, aiming to better predict students\u27 performance and retention. In this WIP paper, we report our methodology and preliminary results from utilizing a ML program to assess students’ motivation through their upper-division years in the XYZ project-based learning (PBL) program. ML, or more specifically, the clustering algorithm, opens the door to processing large amounts of student-written artifacts, such as reflection journals, project reports, and written assignments, and then identifies keywords that signal their levels of motivation (i.e., extrinsic vs. intrinsic). These results will be compared against other measures of motivation, including student self-report, faculty observation, and externally validated surveys. As part of a longer-term study, this pilot work sheds light on the key question for student success and retention: how does student motivation evolve through the 3rd and 4th years in college?
The purpose of this research project is to gain insights into learners’ motivation levels and how it evolves during the last two years in college, as well as to extend current Educational Data Mining research and Machine Learning analysis described in the literature. It is significant on two fronts: 1) we will extend the ability of ML in analyzing reflective written artifacts to explore student physiological and emotional development; 2) the longitudinal study will help monitor the progressive change of motivation in college students in a PBL environment.
Preliminary results from an initial pilot study are promising. By analyzing written reflection journal entries from previous students, the ML algorithm has differentiated keywords into three student motivation levels: “high”, “neutral” and “low”. Using supervised classes, for example, the ML algorithm differentiated words in the highly motivated student text such as “team” and “learning”, while the text coded as low motivation included “use”, “pushed” and “nothing”.
For our future research, we aim to create a dictionary that identifies words/phrases related to positive/negative motivation. We will extend the pilot study to a longitudinal evaluation of student motivation over four semesters of engineering education as well as prediction of student success in a PBL environment
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Investigation of the use of navigation tools in web-based learning: A data mining approach
Web-based learning is widespread in educational settings. The popularity of Web-based learning is in great measure because of its flexibility. Multiple navigation tools provided some of this flexibility. Different navigation tools offer different functions. Therefore, it is important to understand how the navigation tools are used by learners with different backgrounds, knowledge, and skills. This article presents two empirical studies in which data-mining approaches were used to analyze learners' navigation behavior. The results indicate that prior knowledge and subject content are two potential factors influencing the use of navigation tools. In addition, the lack of appropriate use of navigation tools may adversely influence learning performance. The results have been integrated into a model that can help designers develop Web-based learning programs and other Web-based applications that can be tailored to learners' needs
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