Using Meta-Learning to Support Data Mining

Current data mining tools are characterized by a plethora of algorithms but a lack of guidelines to select the right method according to the nature of the problem under analysis. Producing such guidelines is a primary goal by the field of meta-learning; the research objective is to understand the interaction between the mechanism of learning and the concrete contexts in which that mechanism is applicable. The field of meta-learning has seen continuous growth in the past years with interesting new developments in the construction of practical model-selection assistants, task-adaptive learners, and a solid conceptual framework. In this paper, we give an overview of different techniques necessary to build meta-learning systems. We begin by describing an idealized meta-learning architecture comprising a variety of relevant component techniques. We then look at how each technique has been studied and implemented by previous research. In addition, we show how metalearning has already been identified as an important component in real-world applications.