Transfer learning for predictive models in MOOCs
Name
959240507-MIT.pdf
Description
Full printable version
Size
7.65 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
0b9a4bcf6aacdd811d38b4be7fd98a26
Author(s)
Boyer, Sebastien (Sebastien Arcario)
Advisor(s)
Kalyan Veeramachaneni.
Alternative Title
Transfer learning for predictive models in Massive Open Online Courses
Date Issued
2016
Publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Abstract
Predictive models are crucial in enabling the personalization of student experiences in Massive Open Online Courses. For successful real-time interventions, these models must be transferable - that is, they must perform well on a new course from a different discipline, a different context, or even a different MOOC platform. In this thesis, we first investigate whether predictive models "transfer" well to new courses. We then create a framework to evaluate the "transferability" of predictive models. We present methods for overcoming the biases introduced by specific courses into the models by leveraging a multi-course ensemble of models. Using 5 courses from edX, we show a predictive model that, when tested on a new course, achieved up to a 6% increase in AUCROC across 90 different prediction problems. We then tested this model on 10 courses from Coursera (a different platform) and demonstrate that this model achieves an AUCROC of 0.8 across these courses for the problem of predicting dropout one week in advance. Thus, the model "transfers" very well.
Description
Thesis: S.M. in Technology and Policy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Engineering, Institute for Data, Systems, and Society, Technology and Policy Program, 2016.
Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 2016.
Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 85-87).
Subjects
Institute for Data, Systems, and Society.
Engineering Systems Division.
Technology and Policy Program.
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Engineering Systems Division
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Institute for Data, Systems, and Society
Technology and Policy Program
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