Using Semester-long Experiential Learning in Accounting Courses

• In Event: ED Talks-short (e.g., 10-minute TED-like talks) talks about Teaching and Learning:

Abstract

Need a better way to turn on the light bulb in the brain of an accounting student? Run a higher level experiential learning project! Experiential learning is an emerging and exciting pedagogy and continues to gain importance in accounting curricula. Accounting related educational entities have only recently embraced experiential learning relative to its long-standing presence in the education literature. The Accounting Education Change Commission (AECC) (1990), Position Statement 1 states that accounting programs should teach students to learn on their own and be active participants in the learning process (Still & Clayton, 2004; Zamora, 2012).

The AACSB has embraced experiential learning activities to help schools connect theory and practice, as evidenced through either formal coursework or higher level extracurricular activities, such as field trips, consulting projects, field research, interdisciplinary projects, extracurricular activities, etc.

High level experiential learning activities are a seemingly daunting challenge to implement. Seasoned teachers who have created and successfully implemented high level experiential learning projects will provide insights to the challenges in creating, implementing and managing them.

Teachers will learn how get into the experiential learning mindset, understand time commitments, writing instructions, assessment challenges, manage grading, considerations of individual verse group work, and recycle and reusing projects in their coursework.

Authors

• Joseph Foy, CUNY School of Professional Studies

• Frimette Kass-Shraibman, Brooklyn College