Big Data in Education: Perception of Training Advisors on Its Use in the Educational System
Julio Ruiz‐Palmero, Ernesto Colomo Magaña, José Manuel Ríos Ariza, Melchor Gómez García
Abstract
Big Data has revolutionized decision making in many fields, including education. The incorporation of information and communication technologies into education enables us to gather information about the teaching and learning process. As Big Data can help us improve it, it is paramount to integrate it into initial and continuous learning stages. This study therefore aims at finding out the perception of the training advisors of teacher training centers (N = 117) in Andalusia on the application of Big Data in education. The tool is an adaptation of the VABIDAE (Assessment of Big Data Applied to Education) scale, and the study of the descriptive statistics was carried out by using the analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Mann–Whitney U tests in order to check the existence of significant differences and correlations between the items that make up the scale. The results reflect the positive perception of training advisors on the use of Big Data in education. Significant differences were found in the competence level variable, whereby this tool was better rated by those advisors who feel that they have an advanced competence level. In conclusion, Big Data is valued for its ability to personalize educational processes and the consequent improvement in academic results, which shows the need to increase the level of knowledge about this tool.