Book Review: Handbook of Educational Data Mining
By Nirmal Patel, Chief Data Scientist, Playpower Labs.
In this short article, I am going to review the Handbook of Educational Data Mining. It’s one of the most fascinating introductions to the area of Educational Data Mining that I’ve ever seen. The book is broken into two parts and consists of a collection of essays. The first section introduces data mining methods typically used in the field of Educational Data Mining (or EDM), and the second half includes a collection of case studies that show how EDM approaches can be applied in a variety of ways.
The book’s initial section focuses on describing several algorithms or strategies that are often used to examine educational data. Data visualisations, clustering, Bayesian models, process analysis, and other techniques are examples. In terms of the methodologies’ entry into the education research arena, the chapters are also arranged in chronological order. The following are the chapters in the book’s first section:
- Visualization in Educational Environments
- Basics of Statistical Analysis of Interactions Data from Web-Based Learning Environments
- A Data Repository for the EDM Community: The PSLC DataShop
- Classifiers for EDM
- Clustering Educational Data
- Association Rule Mining in Learning Management Systems
- Sequential Pattern Analysis of Learning Logs: Methodology and Applications
- Process Mining from Educational Data
- Modeling Hierarchy and Dependence among Task Responses in EDM
If you have never studied educational data previously but are familiar with statistical and computational data mining approaches, this is a wonderful introduction to the field. EDM methods are becoming more relevant as more educators use educational data on a daily basis. As digital learning platforms capture huge amounts of learner data, the EDM profession has benefited from the development of online learning. We can apply EDM to large amounts of educational data to obtain actionable insights that can have a direct impact on student learning. Educational data also provides a wealth of opportunities for classroom technology.
If you want to learn EDM, you should look for a copy of this book. Also, if you want to discover what’s new in EDM, try attending the 2021 Educational Data Mining Conference, which will be held both digitally and in person. https://educationaldatamining.org/edm2021/
Have a great day.
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