[Link].
in
International Journal of Engineering and Computer Science
Volume 14 Issue 02 February 2025, Page No. 26865-26870
ISSN: 2319-7242 DOI: 10.18535/ijecs/v14i02.4996
Students performance analysis using machine learning
Preethi Vajja 1, Dr. Srivaramangai Ramanujam 2*
1
University Department of Information Technology, University of Mumbai, Mumbai, India.
2
University Department of Information Technology, University of Mumbai, Mumbai, India.
Abstract
Modern machine learning techniques create fresh footprints in the education landscape by utilizing
predictive analytics for the student's performance assessment. Unlike standard assessments of academic
performance which are rigid and subject to bias against the individual student, machine learning defines
problems in predicting student performance and applies the different scales over these very narrow margins.
Unstandardized assessment methods, the difference in the ways of learning by students, and feedback not
given in real-time to guide assessments are among the factors that affect student performance. The data
availability, feature selection, one of the most important challenges, and interpretation of the model are also
identified as some of the most critical challenges. Also, these grading systems have the limitations that urge
a shift toward automated, data-driven methods of clear improvements in predictive accuracy. Efficiency of
prediction brought about by advanced machine learning techniques provides a basis on which one can
forecast the academic performances of students. They use neural networks, decision trees and other
ensemble methods through more efficient analysis. It also improves usage with precision by predicting
academic results applicable to different student demography, besides being user-friendly. Establishing the
prediction model of student performance will need a serious analysis of the prevailing challenges and also
practical machine learning solutions. The study results will greatly contribute to improving the educational
strategies, enhance the learning experiences of students, and optimize academic decision-making.
Keywords: Student performance prediction, machine learning in education, predictive analytics, academic
success factors, data-driven learning, educational data mining, artificial intelligence in education, automated
grading systems, learning behavior analysis, and model interpretability in education.
1. Introduction
For ages, student performance has stood as a others influence student performance: Academic
prime axis of education systems for improving records include attendance, level of engagement
teaching styles and learning outcomes. It is based with education, and socio-economic background.
on static evaluations and, hence, cannot give an More traditional evaluation techniques are
extensive view of student progress by traditional adaptive in a way they would tend to generalize
methods of assessments. Artificial intelligence and the assessment instead of specifying winter needs
machine learning have worked wonders in the associated with his or her learning. Machine
ability of predictive analytics to offer deep learning seems to propose giving a predictive
insights into students' performances, trends, and pattern in student performance analysis
possible interventions involving personalized considering data perspectives and recognizing
learning experiences. Various factors among associated patterns that could be impacted with
Dr. Srivaramangai Ramanujam, IJECS Volume 14 Issue 02 February, 2025 Page 26865
highlighting areas of improvement and thus the evaluation of academic performance. Bithari et
suggesting tailor-made learning strategies. Some al. [3] have used ensemble voting method
important challenges include issues such as data providing a far better predictor than the single
quality, interpretability of the model, and privacy model. They concluded from the resultant proof
even in a promising machine learning method that the ensemble techniques are capable of
applied to education. While developing a robust overcoming the prediction error and improving the
predictive model, special attention should also be reliability of prediction models. Oppong [4] thus
given to security of data and ethical use of data so concludes that neural networks stand tall among
as to preserve trust in such analytical systems. methods in student performance prediction. The
Additionally, another directed dimension is the indicatives of their study showed that deep
machine learning algorithms and feature sets that learning models had rendered a better capture of
ensure high accuracy and reliability for what have been thought to be complex
performance predictions. This paper discusses relationships in student data than traditional
current issues and challenges in analyzing student statistical methods. The combination of decision
performance, as well as the relevance of machine trees, naive bayes classifiers, and logistic
learning techniques in mitigating these problems. regression methods thus laid the foundation for
The study, therefore, focuses on proposing an even-handed comparison and proves that hybrid
efficient model that would accurately predict a models perform better. Classification performance
student's outcome for making good decisions in was determined for Naive Bayes, Random Forest,
education and improving educational quality. This and SVM by Ogwoka et al. [5]. Both Naive Bayes
study therefore helps understand how technology and SVM demonstrated the highest classification
can improve learning by optimizing different ways performance. Okereke et al. [6] scrutinise the
for students' success in technology-driven prediction framework based on decision tree for
methods. This paves way for a better-prepared student performance along with the techniques of
learning environment to support an increasingly preprocessing the data. Feature selection has been
diverse range of academic needs. made the point in emphasis that improves the
accuracy of the predictive model while adding that
2. Literature Review
student's demographic and academic
This study, on the face of it, engages machine characteristics need to be such prime
learning and it bringing to bear on analysis of considerations in performance analysis. Urkude
student performance. With the advancing age, and Gupta . [7] advocate, therefore, for the
many mechanisms have been researched, widely, construction of a Student Intervention System on
to make predictions more accurate about the the Support Vector Machine (SVM), Decision
evolution of decisions. A profusion of machine Tree, and Naïve Bayes algorithms, thus
learning mechanisms had been brought to bear to demonstrating that the SVM-based model
understand the variables affecting academic classifies students at-risk of underperforming
performance and thereby generating intervention better than any investigators looked at.
strategies accordingly. Phauk and Okazaki [1] Performance Prediction Model for Students is
proposed hybrid models of machine learning to under development through Decision Tree, Naïve
predict students' performance. It presents that Bayes, and Logistic regression Techniques, stated
adding principal component analysis (PCA) with Hashim et al. [8]. It created a predictive model
other machine-learning algorithms is efficient for with a conclusion that Logistic Regression was
increasing accuracy in predictive. Cruz-Jesus et al. good at predicting final grades while Decision
[2] pointed that artificial neural networks (ANNs), Tree models efficiently gave high explanatory
decision trees (DTs) and support vector machines insight into feature importance, thus believing that
(SVM) greatly help in modeling performance practical applicability with much better prediction
assessment towards a more empirical approach in probability has to come from the combination.
Dr. Srivaramangai Ramanujam., IJECS Volume 14 Issue 02February, 2025 Page 26866
Iqbal et al. [9] recognized machine learning in for prediction of student performance for learning
predicting students' grades. According to them, that indeed had showed SVC and Elastic Net
collaborative filtering could have effective performing well in the prediction of success of
personalization in proposing recommendations for students or student success prediction. This shows
every student, depending on the historical that also these modelling approaches could
performance data the model was trained on. enhance the prediction accuracy. To validate the
Echoing the aforementioned authors, the model above predictions, Orji et al. [16] incorporated
can also be very much useful for working within psychological factors that affect modeling
the adaptive learning platform beyond just students' academic performance by machine
academic assistance on students' individual needs. learning techniques into their study. The attempt
Ojajuni et al. [10] employed Extreme Gradient aims at creating a ground that abides cognitive-
Boosting (XGBoost), which is a machine learning behavioral factors with AI techniques towards
algorithm, for higher accuracy prediction of better understanding in the performance analysis
students' academic performance over their of students. Dake et al. [17] experimented with
traditional methods. The results further established Random Forest and Naive Bayes as preferred
that ensemble learning techniques would be classification algorithms to ascertain the academic
competent in handling complex datasets from the performance of students. This paper clearly
education perspective. Deep Neural Networks illustrates how machine learning predictive
were the most successful models out of many models can assist the instructor in predicting the
models that were seen by Vijayalakshmi et al. [11] risk posed by students from the early beginning of
in the prediction of student performance through the semester. Kalpana et al. [18] reviewed a
machine learning. This study has its beginnings in number of machines learning algorithms,
the academic patterning by AI-based applications. including Linear Regression, Support Vector
The best support vector machines (SVM) model at Machines, etc., for predicting student performance
96% accuracy stated Ahmed in the report [12] was more accurately. They analyzed that selection of
sound for predicting students' performance using features and hyper-parameter tuning has a great
machine learning. The paper elaborates the impact on prediction accuracy. Onker et al. [19]
importance of choosing an appropriate suggested supervised learning algorithms like
classification model in educational analytics. Decision Trees and Random Forests to generate
Albreiki et al. [13] systematically reviewed the academic recommendations based on the
literature on student performance prediction and attributes of student. They were convinced that the
hence endorsed that machine learning approaches, use of different models would optimize
particularly with regard to Decision Trees, are the generalization and minimize bias to produce
current flavour of education, and further went on reliable predictions. Issah et al. [20] presented a
to comment on the trend among students towards systematic review of 84 works state the
AI-based tools fostering personalized learning. application of machine learning techniques in
Rahman et al. [14], then, pushed forward with predicting student performance. They classified
reviews of potential uses of artificial intelligence the techniques as Decision Trees, Random Forests,
in which it is majorly machine learning predictive and Naive Bayes and presented comparative
application within the performance of students. studies of their effectiveness. They concluded that
Their study had addressed different approaches ensembles generally outperform classification
regarding supervised learning methods, which from individual methodologies.
included decision trees and linear models and 3. Observations
were backed to academic context under which
maximization of learning output would be attained. It highlights some interesting observations based
This works as the evidence by Al Mayahi et al. on existing literature regarding the analyses of the
[15], who proposed a machine learning prototype student performances using machine learning,
Dr. Srivaramangai Ramanujam., IJECS Volume 14 Issue 02February, 2025 Page 26867
such as the deviations very intentionally made by collection practices to yield performance
the field with respect to diverse implementations information that would be accurate and thus
for various machine learning algorithms and actionable for better impact on educational policy
ensemble and hybrid approaches. The review of and student strategies toward success.
literature contains countless research papers which 4. Conclusion
were recognized within the last decade with a
focus on student performance analysis. Different The contested research tackles some challenges
methods of machine learning dominate the studies, that are tied to student performance analyses in the
and amongst those, Decision Trees, Logistic era of intervention through advanced machine
Regression, Naive Bayes, Support Vector learning. These are imbalanced datasets,
Machines (SVMs), and Artificial Neural Networks personalized learning strategies, feature selection
(ANN) have been mostly studied concepts. issues, and predictive models’ interpretability,
Studies look forward to increasing predictive which could limit the student's performance under
accuracy, thus identifying key elements. The sorry assumption. Poor assessment leads to failure
approaches connected to such endeavors are in early identifying at-risk students and hampers
including a combination between ensemble remedial measures for improving their academic
models and feature selection techniques like performance. And for that, a machinery analysis
Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and the system, along with an action plan that employs
hybridization sometimes of different algorithms to machine learning, could harness gaps as early
be more powerful in prediction. By the way, warning systems, real-time tracking of
nowadays uses of those techniques like Voting performance, adaptive learning insights, and
and Random Forest in terms of robustness and intelligent feedback mechanisms. It should also
excellent performance have increased. Even if have user-friendly analytical dashboards with
some progress has been made, problems still exist, actionable recommendations for educators and
such as cases of imbalanced data sets, absence of personalized learning pathways for students. Such
standardized metrics for evaluating various systems, then, would require keeping evolving in
designs, and uncertainty plus interpretability of a sustainable manner to keep their relevance by
model predictions for educationalists and those leveraging AI-powered predictive analytics,
stakeholders. Hyperparameter tuning, therefore, automated feature engineering, adaptive learning,
stands as a developing area in question, together in the cloud, and so on. Future work aims to
with steps addressing overfitting as well as improve the transparency of models should also
integrating explainable AI means, which make explore raw multimodal data pools, like behavior
models more accountable and trustworthy for and emotion analysis, to enhance student profiling
academic institutions. Another pretty amazing and implement adequate biases mitigation
observation here is the fact that a number of works techniques on educational data. AI-sustained
have been directed toward the automated innovation and further enhancement toward
predictive pipelines, rendering any human performance analyses will remain the heart of a
intervention in the analysis functions rather future data-driven personalized learning
inefficient for the educational sector. Multi-source environment that is equitable.
data fusion techniques were also considered for 5. References
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