Abstract:

The article discusses one of the most popular open source databases - MySQL and the opportunities it provides to perform learning analysis. The article analyses the applied approach to data set by the participants in the training process, the most common formats of the above data and based on basic techniques for data mining, evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of the database.

The paper focuses on the analysis of the integration of a subset of capabilities and functions provided by one of the most popular open source databases – MySQL in the field of learning analytics. Furthermore there are taken into account the most common ways to receive feedback from:
a) learners – self-reported surveys, questionnaires, tests, essays;
b) lectors – learners’ attendance, syllabus, digitalization of learning materials, use of open educational resources;
c) administrative body – learners’ personal data;
d) psychologist - behavior biases of learners, degree of social inclusion of learners, personality profiles of learners;
е) parents – social profile, educational profile, self-reported surveys, and more.

The article analyses the most frequently used digital formats for aforesaid row data materials and discus the strengths and weaknesses of the database under consideration, based on data mining techniques.

The data used in the article was collected during one academic year in a Bulgarian high school with a profile of information technology. Feedback was collected from 180 students aged 17-18 on the following subjects: mathematics, databases, programming languages, algorithms and data structures, part of the compulsory curriculum for qualification Applied programmer according to state educational standards in force since 26.01.2018. Eight teachers took part with providing resources - two databases lectors, two programming languages lectors, one computer science lector and three math lectors, respectively. In order to prevent leakage of sensitive information for students, the administration and psychologists have assisted in the transformation of the data they handle inadequate logical models. As the focus of the article is on the analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the MySQL relational database with respect to the integration of its functionality into the learning analytics and knowledge extraction techniques, logical data models were sufficient.

The results in all phases of the analysis are summarized according to the degree of satisfaction of the participants in the process. In places, data is used only for students or only for teachers or other interested parties.

Keywords:

Learning analytics, MySQL, Window functions, Data mining, Research methods.