Exploratory statistical analyses of educational data: principles, concepts and implementation – the case of first-year students’ adaptation in IUT after the reform of the baccalauréat and the BUT

Abstract

In the era of big data, the increasing accessibility of digital information is a significant trend, including in the field of educational sciences. Technologies used in online teaching now enable all student activities to be recorded. While this accumulation of data undeniably provides a wealth of information, it also makes the data more complex and difficult to analyze. Exploratory statistical methods are useful for identifying latent relationships between variables or individuals. However, their use requires an understanding of the statistical concepts mobilized to ensure appropriate implementation. This article proposes to clarify the underlying statistical concepts and to guide practitioners step-by-step in their exploratory statistical analyses. Based on a study of first-time IUT students, we show how these methods can contribute to a holistic understanding of their difficulties in adapting to IUT.