Revealing underlying factors of absenteeism: A machine learning approach

Abstract

IntroductionThe basis of support is understanding. In machine learning, understanding happens through assimilated knowledge and is centered on six pillars: big data, data volume, value, variety, velocity, and veracity. This study analyzes school attendance problems (SAP), which encompasses its legal statutes, school codes, students’ attendance behaviors, and interventions in a school environment. The support pillars include attention to the physical classroom, school climate, and personal underlying factors impeding engagement, from which socio-emotional factors are often the primary drivers.MethodsThis study asked the following research question: What can we learn about specific underlying factors of absenteeism using machine learning approaches? Data were retrieved from one school system available through the proprietary Building Dreams (BD) platform, owned by the Fight for Life Foundation (FFLF), whose mission is to support youth in underserved communities. The BD platform, licensed to K-12 schools, collects student-level data reported by educators on core values associated with in-class participation (a reported—negative or positive—behavior relative to the core values) based on Social–Emotional Learning (SEL) principles. We used a multi-phased approach leveraging several machine learning techniques (clustering, qualitative analysis, classification, and refinement of supervised and unsupervised learning). Unsupervised technique was employed to explore strong boundaries separating students using unlabeled data.ResultsFrom over 20,000 recorded behaviors, we were able to train a classifier with 90.2% accuracy and uncovered a major underlying factor directly affecting absenteeism: the importance of peer relationships. This is an important finding and provides data-driven support for the fundamental idea that peer relationships are a critical factor affecting absenteeism.DiscussionThe reported results provide a clear evidence that implementing socio-emotional learning components within a curriculum can improve absenteeism by targeting a root cause. Such knowledge can drive impactful policy and programming changes necessary for supporting the youth in communities overwhelmed with adversities.

Teachers’ Challenges and Coping Strategies in Conducting Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Activities

“…Further, another study showed that training a classifier with 90.2% accuracy using over 20,000 recorded behaviors and identifying peer relationships as an important root cause directly affecting absenteeism is possible. An important finding shows empirical support for the fundamental idea that peer relationships are a significant absenteeism-influencing factor (Bowen, 2022). It means teachers cannot force students to change.…”

The Unlearning of School Attendance: Ideas for Change

“…In review article, there is the suggestion that engagement with school is augmented by restorative practices, including school-family-community partnerships and strategies to enhance safety and social relationships. Bowen et al (2022) describe a program that leverages technology and a gamification system to engage learners from underserved communities in an intervention that fosters social and emotional qualities for success. The program does not directly address engagement with learning, but it does so indirectly by supporting the development of learner's social and emotional skills and competencies, which the authors associate with in-class participation.…”

Embracing change: from recalibration to radical overhaul for the field of school attendance

“…In Kearney et al 's (2022) review article, there is the suggestion that engagement with school is augmented by restorative practices, including school-family-community partnerships and strategies to enhance safety and social relationships. Bowen et al (2022) describe a program that leverages technology and a gamification system to engage learners from underserved communities in an intervention that fosters social and emotional qualities for success. The program does not directly address engagement with learning, but it does so indirectly by supporting the development of learner's social and emotional skills and competencies, which the authors associate with in-class participation.…”