Analysis of factors associated with academic performance in basic education students in Ecuador: a comparative study using classification trees (CHAID)

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.70577/asce.v5i2.827

Keywords:

Academic performance; Multivariate methods; Classification tree; Pandemic; Post-pandemic; High school.

Abstract

This research follows a quantitative, cross-sectional, and associative-explanatory design, utilizing national data from the “Ser Estudiante” survey (INEVAL) in Ecuador. The study aims to analyze the factors associated with the academic performance of twelfth-grade students (tercero de bachillerato), comparing the pandemic and post-pandemic periods. Using CHAID (Chi-square Automatic Interaction Detector) classification trees, independent models were estimated for each period. Model performance was validated using a confusion matrix, global accuracy, balanced accuracy, and weighted Kappa coefficient, further complemented by cross-validation. The main results indicate that teacher-student interaction and the type of institutional funding are significantly related to academic performance. During the pandemic, the school’s geographical location and computer usage were found to be key factors; whereas, in the post-pandemic period, the student’s employment status and study autonomy emerged as relevant variables. The models demonstrate a global accuracy exceeding 84% and a substantial agreement according to the weighted Kappa, concluding predictive stability across the analyzed periods.

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References

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Published

2026-05-14

How to Cite

Caiza Fuel , J. A., & Basantes Moreano , L. F. (2026). Analysis of factors associated with academic performance in basic education students in Ecuador: a comparative study using classification trees (CHAID). ANNALS SCIENTIFIC EVOLUTION, 5(2), 1329–1351. https://doi.org/10.70577/asce.v5i2.827

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