Title: Performance evaluation of mechanical engineering degrees using partial minimum squares and data envelopment analysis

Authors: Enrique Delahoz-Dominguez; Rohemi Zuluaga-Ortiz; Alicia Camelo-Guarín; Mária Suarez-Sánchez

Addresses: Industrial Engineering Department, Engineering Faculty, Universidad Tecnológica de Bolívar, Cartagena, Colombia ' Industrial Engineering Department, Engineering Faculty, Universidad del Sinú, Cartagena, Colombia ' Social Communication, Social Sciences Faculty, Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla, Colombia ' Industrial Engineering Department, Engineering Faculty, Universidad del Sinú, Cartagena, Colombia

Abstract: This study analysed the causal relationship between the learning outcomes acquired in high school and university by mechanical engineering students in Colombia. The methodology articulates partial least squares and data envelopment analysis. The data represents the standardised exams conducted by the Colombian Institute for the Quality of Education from 2012 to 2019. The results indicate that 42% of the degrees that receive students with high levels of high school knowledge cannot add value to higher education learning outcomes. In parallel, 21% of the programs that receive students with low academic performance in high school can reach high-performance learning outcomes in higher education. In conclusion, the present methodology contributes to the spectrum of knowledge of models that support decision-making in the educational field to focus on improving academic levels and educational quality.

Keywords: partial least squares; PLS; data envelopment analysis; DEA; education; predictive evaluation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIL.2022.126635

International Journal of Innovation and Learning, 2022 Vol.32 No.4, pp.397 - 413

Received: 18 Jun 2021
Accepted: 26 Oct 2021
Published online: 31 Oct 2022 *

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