A Review of Educational Data Mining Techniques for
Classification of Students Academics Performance
Muhammad Awais
Reg # 1873134
SZABIST H-8, Islamabad
1. Introduction
In the higher Education institutions and
Universities data stored is so large that is
difficult and impossible to fetching data
from large database and other resources.
Data can be stored in the format of files,
text, images, sound and videos. Data
Mining is an advance technique to use to
Knowledge Discovery in Databases for the
classification of students on the learning
behavior. Recently Data Mining increases
research interest in the field of education
[4, 26] is used to predict the classification
of the student’s behavior on their
academic performance; this field is known
as Educational Data mining (EDM).
Educational Data Mining is used to explore
the data mining for the usefulness in the
learning systems [18]. Data Mining is
made the researchers capable to more
efficient discovery, these discoveries are
useful for decision making. Different Data
Mining decision algorithms are used to
classification of students on the academic
performance. The Educational Data
mining is the procedure that transform
the raw sored in educational database in
the useful information’s which has an
important impact in the educational
research and to help improve the learning
system of the students.
However, analysis of students’ academic
performance is complex problem to
classifying in different categories using
decision making algorithms like as Naïve
Bayesian, Neural Networks, Decision Tree,
Random Forest Algorithm, SMO, Fuzzy
Logic, Genetic Algorithms, K-nearest
neighbor J48, Weka an open source tool
and many others.
This study of research explores the ability
to predicting and classification using the
Data Mining Techniques and Knowledge
Discovery in Databases (KDD) and
decision tree algorithms. Data Mining is
powerful tool give the information that
can be useful for decision making
process. Data mining techniques
prediction and modeling can be impact to
better academic performance and help to
teacher to increase the potential of
teaching in the future for those students
who are poor academic performance.
Literature Review:
EDM is a new area of education which
can apply in the different fields like
sports, accounts etc. The researcher in
the EDM fixed the journal of Educational
Data Mining (2009) and international
conference enable thee users to scan
data from different situation classify the
outline the association that recognize
between the mining process.
 Parneet Kaur and Manpreet Singh [1] in
2015 suggest the learning behavior
classification technique to categorize the
students using WEKA tool. To perform this
task the data collected from high school data
base and then apply the manual techniques.
The data was gathered from high school and
varying values are assured of the domain,
procedure files processed in the required
format assured values that are most
meaningful and apply the classifying decision
algorithm to get the desired output. The
proposed method applied on the 152
students record of the high school [1].
Multiple predictor used five classifiers like as
Naïve Bayes, SMO, J48, REP Tree but the
Multilayer perception (MLP) classifier
produced the accuracy 75% in the proposed
method. The classifier’s algorithms comprise
using the WEKA experimenter which show
the result with 82% accuracy. The
experiment performed on the 152 records,
but the variables values not changed. The
experiments should be performed increasing
or decreasing students record that may
produce other classifiers algorithms accurate
result [1]. The proposed system should be
applying in the higher educational students
record. Some questions are as which answer
the proposed technique:
 What is the technique used to predict the
student’s classification on their academic
performance?
 How can be data academic collected for
decision making process?
 What can extent it makes the possible to
teacher poor learning student behavior
should be improved?
 How can extract the students grouping
control the analyzing student’s academic
performance in the starting phase?
K Prasada Rao and MVP Chandra Sekhara
[2] proposed a simple predictive model
for classification of students using the
previously knowledge of higher education
and Data Mining technique Knowledge
Discovery in database. The data set use of
200 that are rural-rest computer Science
and Engineering students [2]. This used
for predicting to make better
performance of the poor academic
students. The proposed research process
divided on tow section which first section
deals the predicting the student’s
performance and second section examine
the accuracy and modeling constructing
on the base of using three algorithms J48,
Naïve Bayes. It examines the comparison
of the data as previously and compared
the different algorithm like as J48
Algorithm, Naïve Bayes and Random
Forest using WEKA 3.7.5 software. The
data collected in the MS Excel file format
and convert it in required format. The
data set processing converting the all
allocated values and features are
eliminate and all values that are not
founded in database be handled. The
proposed perspective is developed on
three learning categories of the students
Excellent, Good, Average and slow
learners. The proposed methodology
experiment on the 200 students
Computer Science and Engineering to
predict classification using the tree
algorithms and comparing them. K
Prasada proposed that random forest
algorithm [2] is best with accurate result
for classification of students learning
behavior. The weakness is that it’s not do
experiment by decreasing the sample of
the students and other best algorithm
which produce the previously accuracy.
The experiment is applied for CS and
Engineering students. The same
procedure can be used for different
perspectives like as Accounts,
transportation is not mentioned. The
proposed predict proof that the Random
Forest Algorithm is produce most efficient
and accurate classification result of the
selected sample. If the data sampling
increasing the Random Forest Algorithm
produce better accuracy as compared to
other two algorithms [2]. In the future
the it increases the impact on students
learning performance using social media
and internet access. Some questions are
which this proposed classifier provide
answers:
 What is the technique to predict the
classifying students on their learning
behavior in the higher education?
 What type of collected data can be
used making decisions to predict the
classification?
 How can improve the learning
behavior of students by decision
making tree?
 How can be produce accurate output
form sampling data comparing the
proposed algorithms?
 How can be increase the
performance of the students using
internet and Social media?
 How its help to the teachers to made
good learning behavior of the rural-
based computer science and
engineering students?
 What its only increase the rural
students or can be made good
academic performance of the urban
students?
Ahmed Mueen and Bassam Zafar et.
al (2016) proposed a simple modeling
and predicting the academic
performance of the students using
different data mining techniques like
as Naive Bayes, Neural Networks and
Decision Tree algorithms on
undergraduate students to classify
the students’ academic performance
[3]. The Naïve Bayes algorithm
shows the most efficient result with
86% accuracy [3]. The EDM is used
to find the educational data mining
to enable the uses of the learning
process [18] examine learner
academic behavior [9] construct a
warning method [17]. Prediction is
classified in the three types;
Classification Regression and Density
Estimation. The famous algorithm
Naïve Bayes, Decision Tree and
Neural Networks and supporting
vector machine are continuous
changeable. [23]. In the proposed
method dt collected of two
undergraduate courses and examine
the practical on the sampling data;
the Naïve Bayes algorithm produce
required output with 86% accuracy.
Two parts are used training and
testing parts for predict the
classification. In the first part data is
collected which has information all of
the classes and second Decision tree
used internal node as decision node
and the end nods known as leaf
which are showing specified class.
The best knowing trees constructing
algorithms are ID3, C 4.5, CART [3,7].
The equation is used find the value
ID3 using vale of node set S in subset
Si
 Gain(S,A)=E(S)-I(S,A)=E(S)∑|si|/|s|
(1)
The algorithm C4.5 gain the ratio
Gainratio(S,A)=Gain(S,A)/splitIfo (S,A) (2)
CART algorithm uses the Gini Index
and calculated by equation (3)
Gini (s)=1-∑ip2 i
Naïve Bayes classifiers algorithm is
used to Bayes Theorem to find the
probability. (4)
P(c|x)=P(xIc)P(c)/P(x) (4)
In the proposed technique four
stages are performed to classifying
the students; Data Gathering, Data
Transformation, Classification
according to required Data, and then
interpret the result to predict the
student’s classification on academic
performance.
output Layer
Hidden layer
input layer
Artificial Neural Network
The data transformation in the
required format WEKA is give the
different features to select the
efficient algorithms. To reduce
misbalancing of the data used the
SMOTE algorithm. Then data
converted in required format used
the Weka’s ARFF format. Th Decision
tree is used to recursive
differentiating findings into branches
to reach the best accurate output the
algorithms [20]. In this proposed
method the 10-fold cross validation is
performed for all algorithms. The 10
data subsets having equal density
randomly tested on 38 subroutines.
Comparison of the different uses
algorithms is shown in the table in
which Naïve Byes shows the accuracy
86%.
Classifi Accurac Precisio Reca Specif
er y n ll y
NB 86.0% 88.4 85.5 86.3
MLP 82.7% 82.5 86.3 79.1
C4.5 79.2% 81.4 78.0 80.2
In this proposed system the three-
classifier compared, and the Naïve
Bayes Classifier show the result with
more accurate [3]. This research to
motivate the teachers to pre-
understand the poor learning
behavior students and encourages
them to and help them by provide
good material of study. There are
many different factors that affect the
students learning behaviors that are
family, teachers, and personals which
make to slow learner. In the future
work this proposed method should
be apply on the large data sample. To
increase the learning capability of
slow Lerner should be an effective
method apply or to overcome the
factors. Question to that proposed
classifiers are developed;
 What are the data mining
techniques used to
knowledge discovery in
database to predict
classification of slow learners?
 What are the factors involve
that effect the learner to
make slow?
 How can an instructor make
good learner to a student?
 What are the Decision maker
Algorithms that predict the
accurately to the slow
learner?
 How can data be applied and
transform?
 What are the important
features that makes the
learning system of the
Instituting?
Alemu K. Tegegne proposed
an educational data mining
model (2018) to predict the
students’ academic
performance that selected for
Ethiopian higher educational
institutions. [4]
The research in the education
field of advance data mining
made the easy to mine the
data and help the teachers’
students and the institutions
decision make. The students
exploring the academic
performance is a more
difficult approach to produce
the factors that are causes to
the failure students. Data
mining and knowledge
Discovery are made the more
decision maker efficient with
accurate result. In the higher
learning institutions, the data
has increased that is more
significant factor. To collected
and analyze the large data
and stored on database is
difficult task. Data mining
techniques are used to
transform the data in to
meaningful required
information. In this paper the
data gathered from the
different five universities in
the Ethiopia; named are
Bahirdar University, Wollo
University, Gondar University,
D/Marks University and Debre
Berhan University [4].
Gathered data has different
attribute related to the
students. 2007 and 2012.
Using Python 3.0 the
gathered date processed and
transformed.
The processed data format
converts in the required
format with WEKA 5.0
decision tree classification
model [4]. This study is
divided in two parts; 1st is
training and testing is 2nd. The
produced data is categorized
in the 70% for the training
model and 30% is use the
testing to measure the
accuracy of the predicted
model. The values are used to
find information to predict
the model of academic’s
behavior is as follows:
PSGPA: preparatory School
grade Point average result is
three types High, medium
and low similar Ethiopian
University Entrance
Examination of 700 marks
divided in three categories
High, Medium and Low; the
other two first year first
semester and second
semesters academic
achievement are categories
the students’ academic
 performance to promote at
2.00 and above. Pruning
technique is used to delete
the leaves of the node which
are the less marks than the
required of object. The C 4.5
(J48) decision tree is used to
predict the classification of
the slow learning behavior of
students. The decision tree
shows the result with 81.4%
accurately [4]. The weakness
of this paper is that it’s not
compared the different
algorithm to find the accurate
vale. This study answers the
following questions:
 What is purpose of data
mining techniques to classify
Akarhita Tripathi (2019)
proposed the data Ming
techniques to the increase the
learning performance.
Educational main aim is to
deliver the quality of
education. The Educational
data mining techniques help to
increase the quality and
academic performance of the
students. Data should be
stored on the different sources
like as database, Cd drives or
other resources. To accessing
the data from different
resources is much difficult in
the large amount of size.
Educational data mining is
used to gain the data from
data bases using the
knowledge discovery
techniques. Different
Techniques like as decision
the students’ academic
performance using the
education problems?
 What is the different finding
that are gathered for decision
making to classify the
students’ academic
performance?
 How can explore the factors
of prediction model to classify
the students’ academic
behavior in the binging?
 How the Data mining and
knowledge discovery used to
enhance the decision-making
procedure?
tree algorithm [6] support
vector machines, artificial
neural networks are used to
classify the students’ academic
data. Educational Data mining
is used to gather the data from
different resources and
surveys. This made the Apache
Prediction IO Machine
Learning Server to predict the
academic performance. Jie Xu
et. al (2016) proposed the ML
technique which predict the
students’ academic
performance which has two
features [8]. Predicting the
programing performance of
the academic students five
algorithms applied and the
experiments result shown
about over accurately 93%
[15]. Using different literature
reviews find the data mining
 techniques are useful for
knowledge discovery and
decision making for the
student’s classification on the
base of academic behavior or
performance. Perdition is a
technique which used to
predict the future problems

solution from the current

information. The prediction
can be predicting the
classification techniques using
different decision maker
algorithms. [5] Research
Questions are as follows:
 What techniques are used to
perform predicting the
classification of the students?
 How can we get stored data
from different resources?
 Which techniques are used to
enhance the educational
environment and learning
behavior of
Students’ on the base
academic performance?
 Method Domain Conclusion
Research

Use five algorithms MLP, Classification is performed on 152

Naïve Bayes, SMO, J48 and students using classification and
REP Tree for testing on data prediction techniques
Parneet Kaur-2015 values. The MLP give 75% the more
WEKA workbench is used to Education accurate to predict the
comparison the accuracy to classification and F-measure 82%
rank the algorithms

Used the Decision tree classifying the 200 Students in

model to predict different categories Excellent,
classifications like as Good, Average and poor. Shows
Random Forest, J48 the comparison of algorithms,
Algorithm, Naive Bayes Random Forest Algorithm is
K. Prasada Rao, 2016 Classifier Education showing more accuracy on
Use WEKA 3.7.5 to rank increasing the size of datasets, it
algorithms compared each takes much time to make model
other, the Random Forest comparing with other algorithms
Algorithm shows more
accurate
Data Mining techniques to To this research the data is
classification and collected of two semesters of
algorithms are used undergraduate students.
Decision Tree, Education classified three algorithms 38
Ahmed Mueen, 2016 Naive Bayes And Neural attributes of 10 same size data
Network sets are compared. Naïve Bayes
Weka 3.6 is used to show more accurate result with
compare the algorithms, 86%.

ID3 and C4.5 Decision Tress On the collected data the data
used, Education mining techniques applied and get
Alemu K. Tegegne To analyze the data Python the result with 81.4% to predict
2018 3.0 and classification model the classification accuracy.
WEKA 5.0 used
Used Knowledge Discovery The data mining techniques are
and Data Mining more reliable to predict the
Akarishta Tripathi techniques, Education classification of the students’
2019 Decision Tree Algorithms academic performance. Using
and Support Vectors Decision Trees, Clustering
Analyzing, Naïve theorems and
WEKA tools can be classified the
students in the different
institutions
Summary:
There are different techniques of Data Min to knowledge discovery in database to classify the
student’s behavior and their academic performance using different algorithms and Decision-
making trees. Every institute wants to Enhance the educational behavior using the different
classification techniques. Students who are poor learning behavior; instructor can be potentially
increase their academic performance. Many factors that are effect to slow learner behavior can
be reduced. Different algorithms can be used for classification which shows different result with
accuracy on different datasets size. In these research paper the main objective is to improve the
learning behavior of students and categories them into different categories that’s help to
instructors, students and institutes to their improvements.
In the future using social media and internet access the academic performance can be
improved. These data mining techniques can also apply in the other fields like as business,
sports etc.

References:
[1] Parneet Kaur, Manpreet Singh, Gurpreet Singh Josan “Classification and Prediction based
data
mining algorithms to predict slow learners in education sector”3 rd ICRTC-2015

[2] K Prasada Rao, M.V.P. Chandra Sekhara Rao, Phd, B. Ramesh “Predicting Learning Behavior of
Students using Classification Techniques” International Journal of Computer Science, Volume
139- No.7, April 2016
[3] Ahmed Mueen, Bassam Zafar, Umar Manzoor, “Modeling and Predicting Students’ Academic
Performance Using Data Mining Techniques” Modern Education and Computer Science
2016

[4] Alemu K. Tegegne, Tamir A. Alemu, “Educational Data Mining for Students’ Academic
Performance Analysis in Selected Ethiopian Universities” Journal of I& KM 2018, Vol. 9

[5] Akarshita Tripathi, Mr. Amit Kumar “Analysis of Education Data Mining Techniques”
International Journal Computer Science and Mobile Computing, Vol. 8, January 2019
[6]