Analysis of the Actual State of Learning through Career Education as First-Year Experience Using a Topic Model

A topic model was used to analyze what kind of learning was experienced by many first-year students who took a career development class. This study targeted a class offered as a compulsory subject at a regional university in Japan. For the analysis, we used free descriptions from 2,652 students who took classes from 2011 to 2019. The percentage of topics included in the free descriptions was calculated, and the yearly changes in each topic were examined. The results showed that the percentage of topics such as “self-image clarification and communication skills,” “diverse experiences,” and “self-efficacy” changed insignificantly, indicating that these topics were robust in learning.