Undergraduate student perceptions regarding the use of educational technology - A case study in a statistics service course

Abstract

Integrating theory with practice has become a mandatory requirement for universities of technology. Using educational technology to supplement traditional pedagogical approaches has contributed significantly to achieving this mandate. However, which educational technologies could help improve the educational experience of students in a statistical service course? This research uses an exploratory design, where one large group of undergraduate students were polled using a questionnaire as the main data collection tool. Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint presentations were viewed as a very good supplemental educational tool, while YouTube clips, myVUT (institutional learning management system using Sakai) and the business/financial calculator were not fully utilised by the students. However, the majority of students selected the prescribed textbook as the most useful educational tool in understanding first year statistics, as it was a locally published textbook with many native examples. A blend of all these educational technologies helped to enrich student understanding and satisfaction in learning statistical concepts.