Forecasting e-Learning Efficiency by Using Artificial Neural Networks and a Balanced Score Card

Forecasting the values of the indicators, which characterize the effectiveness of performance of organizations is of great importance for their successful development. Such forecasting is necessary in order to assess the current state and to foresee future developments, so that measures to improve the organization-s activity could be undertaken in time. The article presents an overview of the applied mathematical and statistical methods for developing forecasts. Special attention is paid to artificial neural networks as a forecasting tool. Their strengths and weaknesses are analyzed and a synopsis is made of the application of artificial neural networks in the field of forecasting of the values of different education efficiency indicators. A method of evaluation of the activity of universities using the Balanced Scorecard is proposed and Key Performance Indicators for assessment of e-learning are selected. Resulting indicators for the evaluation of efficiency of the activity are proposed. An artificial neural network is constructed and applied in the forecasting of the values of indicators for e-learning efficiency on the basis of the KPI values.

Authors:



References:
[1] Box, GEP and Jenkins, Time series Analysis: Forecasting and Control,
GM 1976
[2] Robert S Kaplan, David P. Norton, Strategic Maps, 2006
[3] http://www.planning.ed.ac.uk/Strategic_Planning/BSC/Overview.htm
[4] Lauren Keller Johnson, Texas Education Agency: Boosting Performance
and Accountability with the BSC, May 15, 2003
[5] Yee-Ching Lilian Chan, St. Thomas University:Which Balanced
Scorecard to Use?", McMaster University, AP Vol. 6 No. 4 ÔÇö PC vol. 6,
no 4 (2007) pages 399-414 ┬® CAAA/ACPCdoi:10.1506/ap.6.4.4
[6] http://www.purdue.edu/ssta/general/strategicplan/bsc/files/BSC
SSTA.pdf
[7] Elsa Cardoso, Maria José Trigueiros, Patricia Narciso, A Balanced
Scorecard Approach for Strategy- and Quality-driven Universities
[8] Bruce D. Baker, Craig E. Richards, A comparison of conventional linear
regression methods and neural networks for forecasting educational
spending
[9] S.S. Mahapatra and M.S. Khan, A neural network approach for assessing
quality in technical education: an empirical study
[10] HE De zhong,LIU Jing nan,ZHANG Su he, Evaluation of Academic
Degrees and Graduate Education Based on Neural Network
[11] Bill C. Hardgrave1, Rick L. Wilson2, Kent A. Walstrom, Predicting
graduate student success: A comparison of neural networks and
traditional techniques
[12] V.V. Kuruglov, M.I. Dli, R. Golunov - Fuzzy logic and artificial neural
networks, 2001, p. 59
[13] G. Cybenko Approximation by superposition of a sigmodial function,
1989
[14] Kurt Hornik, Maxwell Stinchcombe, Halbert White, Multilayer
feedforward networks are universal approximators, 1989
[15] Ken-Ichi Funahashi, On the approximate realization of continuous
mappings by neural networks, 1989, to Signal Detection and Estimation.
New York: Springer-Verlag, 1985, ch. 4.