Innovating Statistics Education: The Design of a Novel App Using Design Thinking

Abstract

Statistical education at university level faces significant challenges, particularly with the rapid advancements in technology and evolving teaching methods. Updating teaching methodologies for statistics in higher education is essential. Information technologies can greatly enhance the learning of statistical content, but many existing platforms are not well-suited for university contexts, either due to language barriers or how the content is presented (often confusing, with limited explanations or lacking context). It is crucial to have a student-centered platform that addresses these issues, ensuring an effective and efficient learning experience. This study introduces “EstApp”, an innovative mobile application prototype designed for teaching and learning descriptive statistics in university courses. The application was developed using the Design Thinking methodology, which emphasizes user experience and focuses on the needs of the end users. The design process involved stages of empathizing, defining, ideating, prototyping, and testing, culminating in validation through user tests with university students and professors. This study concludes that EstApp’s functionalities enhance understanding of (1) statistical models through interactive graphs and data visualizers; (2) probability concepts via a probability calculator; and (3) descriptive statistics through real-time data generation and visualizers.

Keywords

• user-centered design
• design thinking
• user experience
• statistics
• higher education
• mobile application