Artificial intelligence applications in education: Natural language processing in detecting misconceptions

This study aims to determine the misconceptions of teacher candidates about the greenhouse effect concept by using Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithm instead of human experts. The Knowledge Discovery from Data (KDD) process model was preferred in the study where the Analyse, Design, Develop, Implement, Evaluate (ADDIE) instructional design cycle was used. The dataset obtained from 402 teacher candidates was analysed by Natural Language Processing (NLP) methods. Data was classified using Machine Learning (ML), one of the AI tools, and supervised learning algorithms. It was concluded that 175 teacher candidates did not have sufficient knowledge about the concept of greenhouse effect. It was found that the AI algorithm with the highest accuracy rate and used to predict teacher candidates’ misconceptions was Multilayer Perceptron (MLP). Furthermore, through the Enhanced Ensemble Model Architecture developed by researchers, the combination of ML algorithms has achieved the highest accuracy rate. The kappa (κ) value was examined in determining the significant difference between the AI algorithm and the human expert evaluation, and it was found that there was a significant difference, and the strength of agreement was significant according to the research findings. The findings of the current study represent a significant alternative to the prevailing pedagogical approach, which has increasingly come to rely on information technologies in the process of improving conceptual understanding through the detection of conceptual misconceptions. In addition, recommendations were made for future studies.