Assessing the educational performance of different Brazilian school cycles using data science methods

PLoS One. 2021 Mar 17;16(3):e0248525. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0248525. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

Educational indicators are metrics that assist in assessing the quality of the educational system. They are often associated with economic and social factors suggested to contribute to good school performance, however there is no consensus on the impact of these factors. The main objective of this work was to evaluate the factors related to school performance. Using a data set composed by Brazilian schools' performance (IDEB), socioeconomic and school structure variables, we generated different models. The non-linear model predicted the best performance, measured by the error and determination coefficient metrics. The heterogeneity of the importance of the variable between school cycles and regions of the country was detected, this effect may contribute to the development of public educational policies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Academic Performance / statistics & numerical data*
  • Brazil
  • Data Interpretation, Statistical
  • Data Science
  • Datasets as Topic
  • Educational Status*
  • Humans
  • Nonlinear Dynamics
  • Public Policy*
  • Salaries and Fringe Benefits / statistics & numerical data
  • School Teachers / statistics & numerical data
  • Schools / economics
  • Schools / organization & administration
  • Schools / statistics & numerical data*

Grants and funding

This project is supported by Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) and Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) grant Number 2018/21934-5.