Innovation of flipped learning encouraging better communication and critical thinking skills among accounting students

Abstract

Currently the trend among the lecturer to adopt innovation and technology as a tool in the lecture hall in fostering and increasing the positive impact among the students. Innovation and technology may encourage better impact to develop soft skills among the students such as communicate effectively, critical thinking skills, demonstrate appropriate interpersonal skills and teamwork, demonstrate leadership qualities and entrepreneurial skill. Many researchers have attempted to study the efficiency of e-learning and blended learning concepts on teaching and learning processes. One of the most recent developments in technology enhanced method in teaching and learning is a method called flipped learning. It is an approach where the traditional one-way lecture is flipped to make room for active learning opportunities where educators shift learning into the individual learning space facilitated by technology. This study implemented flipped learning approach in the effort to enhance communication and critical thinking skills among accounting students in Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz School of Accounting (TISSA) in Universiti Utara Malaysia, UUM. The objective of this study is to examine how the use of flipped learning can help to improve communication and critical thinking skills in problem solving among students taking the accounting subject. From this study, the results showed that students’ communication and critical thinking skill has developed with the use of flipped learning. Sufficient time however, is needed for students to understand the content from the lectures given in the form of a video used as the media in this project used as an e-learning platform in this project, as well as the ‘catchy’ contents should be created to enhance interest from the students to watch the video.