Synchronous Communication in Teaching Statistics Applied to Management: A Study in a Semi-Presential Discipline

Abstract

Teaching Statistics in Business Administration course is quite complex, both for teachers and for students. Distance education has features that make teaching flexible, reducing barriers of time and space, and increasing interaction between teacher and student. This article studied the use of chat in a semipresential discipline of Statistics at FEA-RP. This tool was used to perform elective after class help. There was low participation of students, probably because of the non-mandatory use of chat and concurrency discussion. There was predomination of messages regarding the discipline content, reaching the goal of the activity. There was no significant difference in performance between students who participated in the activity. Chat can be used as a tool in teaching Statistics, since it helps in reducing student’s anxiety and insecurity by approaching him to the teacher; however, to be successful, it is necessary that tutoring is able to help the student.