Dr. Amelia Taylor

Dr. Amelia Taylor

Co-author

Computing & Information Technology

19 publications

Amelia Taylor is a lecturer in Artificial Intelligence at the Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences, former the University of Malawi, the Polytechnic. She teaches Artificial Intelligence, Computational Intelligence and programming modules. In addition, she teaches and supervises MSc and...

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Publication Preview Source Predicting School Dropout in Malawi ⋆

Conference Proceeding
Published 10 months ago, 325 views
Author
Mudaniso Hara
Co-authors
Dr. Amelia Taylor, Precious Gawanani
Abstract
School dropout is a significant issue, especially in developing countries due to high poverty levels and inadequate allocation of resources to education. This study applies Machine Learning to predict dropouts in the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources' open and distance education system. Four supervised machine learning classifiers (Gaussian Naïve Bayes, Logistic Regression, K-Nearest Neighbour, and Random Forest) were assessed to find the best predictor for dropouts. Data imbalance was addressed using oversam-pling and undersampling techniques. Results showed that Random Forest performed the best with under-sampling. Hyperparameter optimization using grid and random search methods also improved performance, with Random Forest emerging as the best classifier. This study contributes to future research and enhances the existing literature. It is expected to improve student support services by proactively addressing at-risk students, reducing attrition rates.
Year of Publication
2023
Proceedings Title
4th EAI International Conference on Technology, Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Education
Page Numbers
na
Conference Dates
September 27-28, 2023
Conference Place
Cambridge, Great Britain
Top Researchers
“Academic success depends on research and publications.”
---- Philip Zimbardo ----