Implementation of a web-based educational tool for digital signal processing teaching using the technological acceptance model

This paper presents an exploratory study about the improvement and validation of a Web-based educational tool. The tool, designed with Shockwave and Macromedia Director, is used as a teaching methodology in an undergraduate course using modern microprocessors, architectures, and applications. An information system theory, called the Technological Acceptance Model (TAM), has been applied to detect both the use of the tool and the external variables that have a significant influence over it. The obtained results illustrate the strengths and weaknesses to be reinforced and have been taken into account to implement the final version of the tool. The proposed method may be extended to similar tools and experiments to fill the lack of scientific studies in the validation and acceptance of computer-based educational tools.