Abstract
ABSTRACT This research investigates students’ transferable skills in an integrating blended learning environment, specifically addressing writing skills. Drawing on Biggs’ application of constructivism theory, the study analyses students’ characteristics, perception of the designed teaching methods, and confidence in their writing skills. The study context was a suite of accounting and finance programmes in the United Kingdom. 164 student participants answered questionnaires, from among whom focus group participants were organised. A mixed research method was adopted to clarify the drivers of the active learning process. The findings reveal that students’ characteristics influence perceptions, and that a well-designed blended learning method can alter their perceptions and improve students’ writing skills. The study contributes to the literature on blended learning by providing evidence of its positive impact on the students’ learning process and performance. The findings encourage accounting educators to develop strategies to improve students’ performance in transferable skills through an appropriate learning design.
Highlights
Artificial intelligence, complex platforms, and other significant changes associated with Industry 4.01, have increased the demand for a workforce capable of applying an extensive range of transferable skills, including proficient written and oral communication skills (IBA Global Employment Institute, 2017)
The study explored the characteristics and evolution of the learning process among students on accounting and finance programmes aiming to evaluate the effectiveness of a blended learning approach in enhancing students written communication skills
In particular Biggs’ work on ‘student learning’ and teaching and learning enhancement (Biggs, 1993, 1996 and 1999), and on previous literature related to the active learning process, the research investigated how students’ characteristics shape their level of perception resulting from past educational experience, to establish if this perception influences their performance in terms of their writing skills
Summary
Artificial intelligence, complex platforms, and other significant changes associated with Industry 4.01, have increased the demand for a workforce capable of applying an extensive range of transferable skills, including proficient written and oral communication skills (IBA Global Employment Institute, 2017). A review conducted by Riley and Simons (2013), including 100 published articles pertaining to accounting, demonstrated that accounting students, who may assume exhibiting good numeracy and technical knowledge sufficient to guarantee a professional position, generally do not perceive writing skills as important This assumption is erroneous, since accounting profession is no longer a purely technical domain, as consultancy and advisory roles, which demand excellent communication skills, are vital (De Villiers, 2010; Kermis & Kermis, 2010). Biggs (1993) clarifies that the teacher context and related activities, i.e. teacher-controlled, peer-controlled, and self-controlled, play a significant role in engaging students and motivating them to learn Combining these activities is effective in a blended approach, and is supported extensively in the literature, which demonstrates the positive impact of regular online activity on learning outcomes (for example, Angus & Watson, 2009; Gikandi et al, 2011; Stull et al, 2011). The remainder of this paper is structured as follows: Section 2 provides a literature review; Section 3 presents the research questions and discusses the methodology and sample; Section 4 analyses the empirical findings; and Section 5 draws conclusions, discusses the limitations of the study, and suggests areas for future research
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