Enhancing Statistical Thinking in Higher Education Through Pedagogically Designed Use of Interactive Whiteboards

Although interactive technologies such as interactive whiteboards are increasingly used in higher education, empirical evidence regarding their pedagogical role in statistics education remains limited. Existing studies often focus on technology adoption rather than instructional design. This study examines the effectiveness of interactive whiteboards when embedded within a pedagogically designed instructional framework aimed at supporting statistical thinking. A mixed-methods, quasi-experimental design with pre- and post-test measures (N = 126) was employed to compare learning outcomes and student perceptions in an introductory university statistics course taught either through traditional lectures or through an interactive approach emphasizing dynamic visualization, collective interpretation, and formative feedback. Mediation was tested using bootstrapped indirect effects and complemented by qualitative thematic analysis. Students in the interactive condition demonstrated significantly greater gains in statistical reasoning (Cohen’s d = 0.94, 95% CI [0.57, 1.31]), particularly in tasks involving data interpretation and reasoning about variability. Mediation analysis indicated that two student self-report measures—perceived clarity of instruction and formative feedback quality—together accounted for 63% of the total effect. The interactive format was especially beneficial for students with lower prior knowledge, reducing achievement gaps by 34%. These findings are consistent with the view that interactive technologies support conceptual learning most effectively when embedded in deliberate pedagogical designs promoting visualization, collective reasoning, and real-time feedback, highlighting the central role of instructional design over technological presence.