Empowering Data Literacy through Altair RapidMiner: A Competency-Based Approach to Teaching Data Mining at HCT

Dr. Amala V. Rajan, Assistant Professor and Dr. Syed Habeeb Shah Khan, Senior Lecturer Information Technology from Higher Colleges of Technology present at the 2025 ATCx Unlocking Data Science & AI conference.

This presentation highlights how the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT), UAE, has successfully integrated Altair RapidMiner into its Data Mining and Predictive Analytics course to cultivate applied data science competencies among undergraduate students. Aligning with HCT’s competency-based education (CBE) framework, the course moves beyond theory by enabling students to design, train, and evaluate machine learning models through an intuitive, low-code environment.

The session demonstrates how RapidMiner was embedded across key course modules—ranging from data preprocessing and feature engineering to classification, clustering, and model evaluation—allowing students to focus on analytical thinking rather than coding syntax. Through guided labs and real-world datasets (business, healthcare, and environmental domains), learners developed critical skills in model selection, performance interpretation, and ethical data use.

Results from classroom implementation show increased student engagement, deeper conceptual understanding, and higher success in applied assessments compared to traditional methods. The presentation will also share insights on integrating RapidMiner with Python scripting and cloud-based analytics tools, illustrating a scalable pathway for other institutions seeking to enhance their AI and data science curricula.