Examining the use of Accounting Information in Planned Careers: A Group Project to more Fully Engage Students in Introductory Accounting Courses

Most undergraduate business students are required to complete one or two introductory accounting courses, but many fail to see the value that such coursework offers their career (Chen, Jones, and McIntyre 2004). However, engaging students in exercises that explicitly demonstrate the link between course content and planned areas of study enhances the student experience in introductory accounting courses (Turner, Lesseig, and Fulmer 2006). This article presents a group project for introductory accounting courses that links course content to planned areas of study across business disciplines. We discuss all elements of the semester-long project and offer several tools to help with implementation (e.g., project instructions, timeline, grading rubric, peer evaluation forms). Further, we provide insight into the advantages and disadvantages of different project administration approaches. Our pre and post surveys reveal the project helps students across nearly all business majors see that accounting information is used in their planned careers at significantly higher levels than once believed. We also find that the project helps students either increase enthusiasm for their major/planned career or pushes them to consider other majors/career paths. Such insight is invaluable for students early in their business education

Dual-evaluation with formative peer-assessment by rubrics: A teaching experience in Business and Economics studies

[EN] This paper shows the implementation of a learning experience based on formative peer feedback. The experience consists in the grading of an individual assignment using a dual-evaluation with peer’s assessments method using rubrics. We develop this experience in a variety of subjects corresponding to three different Bachelor’s degrees related to Business and Economics and gather the student’s reflections about how this learning experience has influenced the acquisition and development of a set of generic competencies. Overall, students value positively the experience. In general, they consider that the ability to evaluate and maintain the quality of work produced and the determination and perseverance in the tasks given and responsibilities taken are the competencies most developed with this learning experience. This opinion is pervasive across the different characteristics of the students. Considering the kind of task, the ability to identify, pose and resolve problems is the competency most developed for the students that solve a practical exercise.Abad, P.; Robles, M. (2019). Dual-evaluation with formative peer-assessment by rubrics: A teaching experience in Business and Economics studies. En HEAD'19. 5th International Conference on Higher Education Advances. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 37-45. https://doi.org/10.4995/HEAD19.2019.9460OCS374

Strategies and mechanisms for electronic peer review

This journal article published at the October 2000 Frontiers in Education Conference discusses strategies and mechanisms for electronic peer review. It outlines a peer-grading system for review of student assignments over the World-Wide Web called Peer Grader. The system allows authors and reviewers to communicate and authors to update their submissions. This system facilitates collaborative learning and makes it possible to break up a large project into smaller portions. The article summarizes a unique and innovative method of peer-review. Educational levels: Graduate or professional

Enhancing Team Dynamics in an Online Learning Environment

The corporate world considers the ability of employees to work well within a team environment as a critical factor in success and expects potential employees to gain experience of team work during their university education. Although team projects have been well-incorporated into the traditional curriculum in higher education, the advent of online learning has created challenges in ensuring effective team dynamics. This research presents a case study implementing an online team learning approach designed to create a positive learning environment at St. Petersburg College. In the original online environment, both staff and students encountered a variety of concerns and ineffective team dynamics. These issues were addressed by the course team using a variety of formalized rocedures, best practices and team documents. This led to improved student interactions, better quality of assignments, as well as lecturers spending less time on team management issues