Data mining technology is a product of the development of the new era. Unlike other similar technologies, data mining technology is mainly committed to solving various application problems, and the main means of solving problems are to use big data technology and machine learning algorithms. Simply put, data mining technology is like panning for gold in the sand, searching for useful information among massive amounts of information. Data mining technology is widely applied in various fields, such as scientific research and business, and also has its shadow in the education industry. Currently, major universities are applying data mining technology to teaching quality evaluation. This article first explains the impact of data mining technology on the education industry, and then specifically discusses the application of data mining technology in the evaluation of teaching quality in universities.

With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019, educational activities have faced significant disruptions, leading to a widespread adoption of online teaching and a transformation in the evaluation of teaching quality. Using CiteSpace visualization software, the study examines 1485 papers from the Chinese database of China Knowledge Network and 1656 papers from the English database of Web of Science (WoS) spanning the period from January 2013 to June 2023 as research samples. The findings reveal heightened activity in China and other countries research on teaching quality evaluation, moreover, research in both contexts predominantly comprises independent studies, supplemented by collaborative efforts. Notably, there is an increased focus on the exploration of online teaching quality evaluation, specifically delving into methodologies and systems. The emphasis has shifted towards students’ learning initiatives and a comprehensive evaluation of teachers’ work before, during and after class. While research in other countries has also identified new hotspots related to online teaching, the number of studies is comparatively limited. The study proposes the imperative need to update the evaluation criteria for online teaching and enhance the infrastructure of online teaching platforms. Additionally, it advocates for reforms in the evaluation systems of educational institutions and innovations of teachers’ instructional methods.