K- means Clustering of Online Learning Profiles of Higher Education Teachers and Students Amid Covid19 Pandemic

Crisostomo, A. S. I.; Balida, D. A. R.; Gustilo, R. C.; Ieee,

The unparalleled impact of the Covid19 pandemic prompted most countries to declare lockdown to prohibit human interactions and implement physical and social distancing. The Education system endured the most overwhelming implications. Institutions shutdown, gatherings were banned, and face to face classes was suspended. Many schools and universities were forced to shift to fully online or blended learning. This swift change in instruction mode in academic communities became a great challenge for students and teachers alike. This study investigates the readiness of each individual who is part of the online learning process. A survey was conducted on 420 respondents to profile them according to their level of confidence, the level of provisions and support they are provided, and preparedness for online learning. K-means clustering algorithm was used to profile the respondents into three categories. Then, a profile of the actual online experience is presented. It is shown that among the 420 respondents, 217 (51.67%) belong to the Movers, 148 (35.24%) belong to the Trailers, and 55 (13.09%) belong to the Catchers.