E-LEARNING: A CHALLENGE FOR BUSINESS STATISTICS EDUCATION

The expansion of e-learning and distance education are responsible for some of the greatest systemic changes in the recent history of higher education not only in the United States but worldwide. Undergraduate business education has not been immune from these effects. However, undergraduate business statistics education presents unique challenges in distance education, because the nature of the field, as well as its importance, have changed dramatically during the age of Big Data. This paper will elucidate some of the challenges that emerging pedagogical technology presents to the teaching of statistics in business. While technology presents an opportunity, it also presents a number of difficulties, for universities as well as students. Some of these are old, as the mode of transmission does not change the content of a course that is already feared and considered "difficult." However, e-learning also presents new tests for both sets of stakeholders. The American Statistical Association has presented several guidelines for the teaching of undergraduate statistics that must be taken into consideration in curricular planning. In addition, business curricula are themselves being challenged to embed research, critical thinking and technology in the course, alongside an introduction to big data. This paper elucidates some of these points and closes with recommendations to universities and undergraduate business curricular planners engaged in the implementation of distance education.