Accounting Education Change Research Articles

A personal narrative on understanding and navigating transitional change: lessons learned by an accounting academic amidst COVID-19

PurposeThis paper aims to present the personal narrative of an accounting academic, seeking to make sense of his transition change-response to online accounting education, through the thematic lens of the transition cycle of change.Design/methodology/approachThe research approach falls under the umbrella term of autoethnography. An autoethnography is presented as a personal narrative that focused on a specific event in life.FindingsThe author found that gaining awareness of how resistance to change manifests itself in the early stages of transition allows us to move forward, rather than remaining “stuck in transition”. Furthermore, the author found that transition cycles can be looped; in other words, we find ourselves starting transition anew if circumstances change again. Thus, transition should not be seen as linear but cyclical.Practical implicationsThis research could be useful to other accounting academics by fostering an awareness of individual change-responses during times of crisis, thereby enabling better self-management of change. For heads of accountancy academic departments, it is important to take note that change amidst crisis can sap morale and diminish work performance. The management of staff, and understanding their transition change-responses during crisis, is therefore critical to ensure that staff are navigated through change arising from crisis.Originality/valueThis paper answers the question what can we learn by understanding our transitional process of change by drawing on change theory? To this end, this paper presents and starts this conversation, through a personal narrative bringing to life the transitional change journey of an accounting academic during crisis. This study lays a foundation for further empirical and theoretical enquiry into accounting education change processes during crisis.

Competing logics in university accounting education in post-revolutionary Russia

Abstract Drawing on the institutional logics literature, the paper examines the fundamental transformation of Russian higher education in accounting from 1917 to 2014. In particular, the study illustrates the transition from the state logic, dominating accounting education during the Soviet Union period, to multiple logics, namely the logics of the state, the profession and the market, shaping the accounting education after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The paper offers three important contributions to the accounting literature. The study defines westernization in the context of a post-communist country as the diffusion of professional and market logics into the field traditionally dominated by the state. The study contributes to the extensive institutional research on accounting education and profession development by explaining institutional logics change in light of the macro changes in the institutional substances. Lastly, the paper outlines the roles of discourses, rhetorical justifications and institutional vocabularies in the accounting education change. By analyzing institutional vocabularies and rhetorical justifications of the competing logics the study underscores the sources of authority and tension in the accounting education field.

Transitioning business school accounting from binary divide to unified national system

PurposeThis paper aims to provide a historical case study of strategic changes in accounting at an Australian university’s business school department during 1972-1992 when it was repositioning itself in the early stages of major changes in the Australian and international tertiary accounting education environment. The study is conducted within the context of the university history within which the department operated as well as major government policy and global education shifts shaping university structures and focus.Design/methodology/approachThis study offers a historical analysis of early stage changes in university focus at the business school’s accounting department, developed through departmental and university reports and oral history interviews. A narrative analytical methodology is adopted to portray a history of an academic accounting department in transition.FindingsThis case study illuminates the impacts of and responses to the beginning of marketisation and globalisation of higher education, and the commercialisation of universities and explains the strategic implementation processes in one university’s business school departmental during a period of significant formative change in the Australian accounting education landscape.Originality/value This study deepens our understanding of environmental, structural, educational and research changes at the operational departmental level of academic institutions, paying particular attention to the organisational culture and human capital dimensions.

Is Participation in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program Associated with Students' Problem-Solving Skills and Professional Commitment?

ABSTRACTThe Accounting Education Change Commission (AECC 1990, 309) states accounting students “should identify and solve unstructured problems that require the use of multiple information sources. Learning by doing should be emphasized.” The Pathways Commission (2012) also emphasizes the importance of exposing students to complex, real-world problems. Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) participation is an experiential learning opportunity with real-world problems and real clients in a professional setting. Using survey data obtained from students at seven U.S. universities, we test whether students who participate in VITA programs have greater professionalism as measured by problem-solving skills and professional commitment. Our results generally indicate participation in VITA programs is positively and significantly associated with problem-solving skills, but not with commitment to the profession. We do not find strong evidence that the association between VITA participation and problem solving differs significantly between traditional (age 25 and under) and nontraditional students (over age 25) or that the association differs significantly for students who intend to pursue tax careers and those who do not. Our study contributes to the extant literature on the effectiveness of experiential learning, to our understanding of attributes of professionalism in students, and to the specific benefits of the VITA program.

Is Reform in Accounting Education Needed in China and Russia: A Literature Review

The purpose of this study is to examine, through literature review, whether China and Russia are in need of accounting education reforms when they are not English-speaking, do not have developed accounting systems as major English-speaking countries do, have a different political orientation from the selected Englishspeaking countries and are at a transition stage from a state-planned economy to a market-driven economy. The paper is based entirely on literature review of global forces at play on accounting education reform, accounting education change in selected English-speaking countries and developments in accounting education in Russia and China. The review indicates that the two countries have a desperate need for accounting education change and that gradual changes are taking place in both countries, although China is at a more advanced stage of development because of its international trade. There are signs of both countries leaning towards the direction of the Accounting Education Change Commission’s (AECC) initiatives. China is focusing more on breadth of education than specialization and Russia is at a preliminary stage having to enhance its financial reporting system. The available literature on accounting education in Russia and China is limited, particularly in Russia as the Soviet’s old system did not offer accounting degrees. However, this does not present a problem in identifying an accounting education trend in these two countries from the available literature as explained in the final section of this paper “Limitations of This Study and Future Research”. With major English-speaking and non English-speaking countries leaning towards AECC in their accounting education reforms regardless of the political orientation of the country, one may conclude that AECC is the direction that developing countries having the same need for change should consider. The comparison made in this paper provides insights into an area that received little or no attention in the past.

The Goal Project: A Group Assignment to Encourage Creative Thinking, Leadership Abilities and Communication Skills

The classroom assignment described in this paper, The Goal Project, gives students an opportunity to develop four of the skills and abilities required to be a successful accountant. In 1990, the Accounting Education Change Commission issued Position Statement Number One, Objectives of Education for Accountants. Appendix B of that statement contains eight categories of knowledge, skills, personal capacities and attitudes that are needed by accounting graduates. The Institute of Management Accountants has outlined the work of a management accountant to include working in small business teams and participating in strategic decision making. The project described in this paper replicates the work an accountant would perform when working in problem-solving teams. Data was collected and results are included from a questionnaire completed by 166 students who participated in The Goal Project. The results of perceived improvement in creative problem solving, leadership skills, and oral and written communication skills are presented.

Is Hong Kong ready for accounting education reform: an analysis of tri-partite views

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to determine whether Hong Kong is ready for accounting education reform. Design/methodology/approach – The approach for this study is using a Likert-scale questionnaire for the academic institutions, the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the big four accounting firms, followed by detailed follow-up interviews with each. Findings – There is general agreement among accounting academics and the profession that the Accounting Education Change Commission initiatives should be adopted in Hong Kong. Hong Kong accounting academics in public institutions do not oppose to a balance between teaching and research, but would oppose to an emphasis of teaching over research. This is important as an overemphasis on research could mean less time for teaching and curriculum development. The big four accounting firms are either happy with the way Hong Kong universities have been educating the accounting graduates or have no complaints against them. This is also important as an urge for accounting education reform usually comes from the practitioners as in the USA. Originality/value – The USA was the first country that saw the need for accounting education reform as accounting practitioners felt that curriculum and pedagogical considerations placed heavy emphasis on the technical aspects of accounting at the expense of a general, broad-based education. Similar needs for change were also found in the UK and Australia. As Hong Kong is one of the world’s major financial centres with a large securities exchange, there is a great deal of emphasis on accounting standards, financial reporting, corporate governance, etc., and hence the importance of accounting education. Is Hong Kong ready for the change?

Institutional changes in university accounting education in post-revolutionary China: From political orientation to internationalization

Since the formation of the Peoples’ Republic of China (PRC) in 1949, the broad field of accounting education in China has undergone many changes in the context of a dramatically changing sociopolitical environment. The institutional mechanisms in Chinese university accounting education are examined in this paper, principally through a re-reading of the historical experience since 1949. We utilize an institutional theory frame to examine how action in the regulative, normative, and cultural-cognitive pillars have shaped accounting education from its heavily political orientation in the early years of the PRC to a more internationalized university accounting education system that has begun to take shape in contemporary China. We seek to contribute a contextualized understanding of contemporary China's accounting education, while adapting and extending the role of institutional theory in explaining education changes more broadly.

Impact of Software Utilization on Students’ Knowledge Acquisition: A Significant Change in Accounting Education

This study investigates the impact that software utilization may have on students’ knowledge acquisition of the accounting cycle, a fundamental concept in business and accounting. Differences in knowledge acquisition are examined between three groups of students: those who completed an accounting case 1) manually using the traditional pencil and paper approach, 2) using software, and 3) first manually and then using software. The main research question is: “To what extent does using computers to study the accounting cycle lead to better knowledge acquisition?” This paper aims to inform changes in accounting education.A survey was employed to collect data from accounting students. The results indicate that students who first completed the case manually and then completed the same case using accounting software experienced the best knowledge acquisition. This suggests that the best manner for students to acquire concrete knowledge of the accounting cycle is by completing cases using both methods. The results also indicate that students who completed the case using only the software experienced better knowledge acquisition than did students who completed the case only manually. This suggests that software can be effectively utilized and integrated in class to improve knowledge acquisition of accounting information systems. The findings may benefit students and faculty members by helping in curriculum design changes, course design, and computer implementation decisions.

Motivations, expectations and preparedness for higher education: A study of accounting students in Ireland, the UK, Spain and Greece

This paper compares the motives, expectations and preparedness of a sample of students commencing the study of accounting in higher education in four European countries. The findings reveal that whilst all students are motivated to progress to higher education for career-oriented reasons and to seek intellectual growth, considerable variation is observed between the students in the four settings with regard to motives, confidence and perceptions of preparedness for higher education. The implications of these findings, both in the context of the alignment objectives of the Bologna process and the ongoing accounting education change debate, are considered.

Using a Social Enterprise Service-Learning Strategy in an Introductory Management Accounting Course

ABSTRACTThe accounting profession has long called for learning strategies that actively develop students' critical analysis and problem-solving skills in unstructured settings (Accounting Education Change Commission [AECC] 1990), and where learning outcomes map into American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) (2000) core competencies. This paper proposes the use of a service-learning strategy in the introductory management accounting course. This learning strategy reflects the Institute of Management Accountants' (IMA) new definition of management accounting as a strategic imperative (IMA 2008), and responds to Rama's (1998) monograph revealing limited examples of service-learning in management accounting. In addition, this paper proposes that faculty work with real social enterprises that sell goods and services for profit and in support of a broader social mission. I argue that relative to working on nonprofit/government cases, working in the social enterprise setting may offer students a more tractable transition from the for-profit examples in many textbooks. I also argue that relative to working on for-profit cases, working in the social enterprise setting may provide students access to proprietary data used internally for managerial decision-making. The pedagogy of service-learning in the accounting curriculum and its relevance to that proposed in this paper is discussed. Generalized service-learning planning documents, examples, adaptations of case study questions, and a responsibility checklist are provided. Implementation guidelines that address key stakeholder barriers to success (Kenworthy-U'Ren 2008) are discussed, and examples of social enterprise service-learning implementations are presented. Post-implementation survey responses from students suggest that the social enterprise service-learning experience positively affected their learning of specific management accounting concepts, issues faced by mission-driven organizations, and how they can uniquely contribute by applying what they learn.

A Descriptive Study of Institutional Characteristics of the Introductory Accounting Course

ABSTRACTIntroductory accounting has historically been a foundational course in most undergraduate business curriculums. In many cases, the course serves as a prerequisite for all upper-level business and accounting courses. However, no current public data exist on the structure and characteristics of introductory accounting across a large sample of institutions. This study begins to fill this void by providing descriptive data on institutional characteristics of the introductory accounting course. Data are collected on seven different dimensions of the course suggested by the recommendations of the Accounting Education Change Commission (AECC) and recent trends in higher education: course size and staffing, pedagogical orientation/teaching approach, standardization of course elements across instructors, the textbook selection process, use of technology-based course management tools, off-site course delivery, and transfer credit acceptance. In some cases, the current data can be compared to previous research that examined similar characteristics. The resulting data can provide instructors, administrators, and researchers with a useful benchmark for developing teaching plans, curriculum, and future academic research.

A Half Century of Close Encounters with the First Course in Accounting

ABSTRACTThis paper describes the author's encounters with the first course in accounting in his half century of study, teaching, and service on five campuses, as a student, doctoral teaching assistant, lecturer, professor, accounting department administrator, business dean, and senior scholar. Also described are his encounters with issues surrounding the first course in accounting in a variety of leadership roles with the American Accounting Association, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Accounting Education Change Commission, Association for Advancement of Collegiate Schools of Business, the Accounting Programs Leadership Group, and the Federation of Schools of Accountancy. Changes in the nature, content, and teaching of the first course in accounting are discussed. Observations for the future of the first course in accounting are offered.

Expanding the Horizons of Accounting Education: Incorporating Social and Critical Perspectives

This paper examines a case of accounting education change in the context of increased interest in ethical, social, and environmental accountability, presenting a reflexive case study of a new university accounting subject incorporating social and critical perspectives. Foundational pedagogical principles and key aspects of curriculum are outlined. The pedagogy draws on the integration of humanistic and formative education (principally based on Gramscian and Freirean approaches) and deep and elaborative learning. Two key aspects of curriculum and pedagogy are analysed. First, a curriculum based on a broad conception of accounting and accountability as power-laden social processes, drawing on a range of research literature. Second, the adoption of an authentic, supportive, and collegial team teaching approach. Students' feedback relating to identified issues is presented. The paper contributes to the renewal of the social and ethical worth of accounting education, concluding that deep accounting educational change encompasses both the content and practice of classroom activity and changes in the self-consciousness of staff and students.

Measurement Of Student Ability To Problem Solve In Accounting

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0in 37.8pt 0pt 0.5in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Batang;">This paper describes the development and evaluation of a test used to measure accounting-specific problem solving skills in business students in an effort to assess the outcome of a significant curricular revision in the principles of accounting series.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>In response to suggestions by the Accounting Education Change Commission (AECC), the accounting faculty at a small, urban university changed the content and method of teaching principles of accounting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>Since a review of the literature did not produce an appropriate instrument for measuring problem solving in accounting that could be administered within one class period and was machine scorable, the authors developed the Accounting Problem Solving Test (APST) and evaluated its reliability and validity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>Results provided consistent and strong support that the APST is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing problem solving ability specific to the subject domain of accounting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>Further use and testing for validity are warranted in situations where teachers are interested in assessing their students’ abilities to problem solve in accounting given changes in teaching strategies.</span></span></span></p>

Rekindling the Debate: What’s Right and What’s Wrong with Masters of Accountancy Programs: The Staff Auditor’s Perspective

ABSTRACT: Global commerce has undergone massive changes over the last two decades. No less so has the worldwide public accounting profession. We have seen two market crashes in the span of eight years, a host of financial reporting fiascoes, and the demise of Arthur Andersen. Historical cost-based accounting is giving way to fair-value accounting, and International Financial Reporting Standards are replacing national rules and regulations. And, yet, not since the Accounting Education Change Commission 20 years ago has there been a significant nationwide dialog regarding changing societal needs and the adequacy of our collegiate accounting programs to meet those needs. With this void in mind, the Education Committee of the American Accounting Association launched in 2008 an initiative to ignite a nationwide dialog of practitioners, academics, and other prominent stakeholders to assess the quality and level of satisfaction with current Master’s of Accountancy programs, the relevance of current coursework, and to identify and prioritize future curriculum initiatives. The first phase of that initiative was a survey conducted in the late spring of 2009 of more than 500 recent graduates of Master’s of Accountancy programs (auditors with two to six years experience); this article reports the findings of that survey. In a nutshell, these young auditors were asked what was right and what was wrong with Master’s of Accountancy programs from their perspective. This is a first step in a larger effort to help give direction to program revisions that would best serve the interests of students, the profession, and society. The purpose of the survey is not to definitively resolve outstanding controversies but rather to encourage further necessary debate. Various interpretations of the findings of the survey are inevitable, invited, and welcome. To that end, it is the authors’ intent to raise as many questions in the following pages as those resolved. Over the last decade academics have witnessed an endless litany of suggestions for curriculum changes from individuals, committees, associations, and firms. Unfortunately, those many recommendations have often been conflicting and provide limited, if any, prioritization of what to add to existing curricula and what to withdraw. Furthermore, we acknowledge that while this article does not provide a substantive discussion of the necessarily complimentary roles of university education, continuing professional education, and on-the-job training, such issues must be included in future dialogs.

The Effect of ComputerBased Assisted Learning on Students' Performance and Attrition in Introductory Accounting Courses

The Accounting Education Change Commission (AECC) values and encourages pedagogical studies that would assist in attracting students through the delivery of First Course in Accounting. The AECC identifies content and instructional methods as the two most important areas that need attention. This study examines the effectiveness of a computer-based assisted learning (CBAL) on students' performance and attrition in the first introductory accounting course. The CBAL is a modified supplemental instruction program with an interactive lecture and computer-based IT component. In a three-year experimental study, the overall grade point average (GPA) of the CBAL students were compared to that of a matched paired control group. The two cohorts were further matched on SAT scores as strong and weak, respectively. We found that there was incremental value in terms of students' performance from CBAL. That is, the GPA of the CBAL students was significantly higher than that of the control group and the attrition rate of the CBAL students is directionally lower than that of the control group. Thus, it appears that the CBAL program is effective in enhancing and improving students' grades in the first introductory accounting course.

Accounting Experiences In Collaborative Learning

This paper discusses incorporating collaborative learning into accounting classes as a response to the Accounting Education Change Commission’s call to install a more active student learner in the classroom. Collaborative learning requires the students to interact with each other and with the material within the classroom setting. It is a departure from the traditional lecture method of teaching. Additionally, the paper addresses opposition and support of collaborative learning. Obstacles to collaborative learning are delineated and strategies to counteract these obstacles are explained.

An exploration of the learning approaches of prospective professional accountants in Ireland

In light of the ongoing accounting education change debate, it is surprising that few prior studies have explored student learning issues within professional accounting education. This paper investigates the learning approaches of students preparing for the qualifying examination of a professional accountancy body in Ireland. The findings reveal that strategic learning approaches dominated, as students engaged in learning activities which they considered were most likely to lead to examination success. Variations between the learning approaches based on gender are also considered and the approaches of students who were ultimately successful at the examination were compared to those who failed.

A History of U.S. Higher Education in Accounting, Part II: Reforming Accounting within the Academy

In the 1970s, efforts to reform accounting education revolved around the movement toward schools of accountancy (or independent departments). These efforts were largely unsuccessful. However, in the 1980s, the movement to expand accounting education beyond a four-year undergraduate degree resulted in American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) members passing a rule mandating 150 hours of education for AICPA membership. The reaction to this rule was varied. Many state boards of accountancy and state legislatures adopted rules requiring 150 hours; however, the requirements for taking the CPA exam and licensure varied across states. After the rule's passage academicians responded by creating the Accounting Education Change Commission, whose purpose was to improve accounting education regardless of the number of credit hours students earned. Also, the AICPA shifted its attention to the possibility of expanding certification to practitioners who were not accountants. Both of these efforts were forestalled, and public attention shifted to the highly publicized accounting scandals of the 1990s. Efforts to reform accounting education since then have been led primarily by the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA).