Assessment of Soft Skills that Foster Practical Skills in Accounting Course

Abstract

Accounting subjects in a matriculation college focused on knowledge and practical skills, with less attention to the elements of soft skills. Hence, the purpose of this study was to assess the level of soft skills among accounting students attending Perlis Matriculation College. A total of 250 students in the first semester, comprising 80 male and 170 female students took part in the study, which was based on assessments using individual and group assignments. Students used the Mr. Accounting software for individual assignments and case studies during group assignments. The study was carried out throughout a semester, which was 16 weeks. A soft skills assessment tool was adapted from the Integrated Cumulative Grade Average Grade (iCGPA), which was used by lecturers in the college to assess the competencies of the students. The soft skills were evaluated through observations during the assignments by the lecturers using the soft skills rubrics, which had 38 items that represented six learning outcomes based on the Malaysian Qualifications Framework. The data collected were analysed descriptively. The findings showed that the overall elements of the learning outcomes had a high mean score, which suggested that students practised these sets of soft skills in the learning process. The domain with the highest score was on social responsibilities, while critical thinking and problem-solving skills.