RUME 27
2025
Alexandria, Virginia
Students’ Perceptions of Their Professors’ Integration of Computation in Their Probability and Statistics Courses
Page: 198
Technology has become an integral part of undergraduate mathematics, particularly the use of technology to solve problems (i.e., the use of computation). In probability and statistics, this push has resulted in several projects designing and assessing tools that are conjectured to be advantageous to students and their learning. Despite this trend, minimal research exists on how students perceive the use of computational tools in their courses. As such, we designed a brief survey for students enrolled in introductory probability and statistics at a university in the Northeastern United States. Using thematic analysis, we qualitatively analyzed these survey responses to explore their perceptions of the integration of computation into their courses. Three themes were identified, relating to features of tools, augmentation of actions, and long-term benefits. This exploration of students’ perceptions allows us to better understand their views on computation and the need for professors to make instructional goals explicit.