PLUM: A Teaching Learning Tool for Understanding Computer-Based GL Systems

• In Event: Reception with Effective Learning Strategies Displays
  In Poster Session: Poster 5

Abstract

Course level: Introductory-intermediate financial accounting and AIS.

The session presents an educational tutorial (and a GL

app) designed to gain a basic conceptual understanding of how computer-based GL systems work—without having to understand any computer programming.

Plum.Tutorial—This tutorial incrementally unfolds the components of GL system (Plum.app). Two transactions are introduced. First, common stock issuance; second, a common stock dividend.
One of the intriguing aspects of the GL system is that each “transaction-type” is introduced as a mini-app. Each journal entry is a uniquely custom-designed grid. The User (student) does not have any involvement with the contents of a JE grid other than to edit the cells that contain default values. This allows User to focus on the (detailed) design of that JE “type.” Each JE submission dynamically updates the entire system—to the very end.

Plum.app—the app addresses many complex transactions, e.g., CS issuance w/rights (and subsequent exercise), bond conversions, stock splits, treasury stock (acquire/reissue/retire), etc.

Participants are encouraged to have hands-on experience with this educational app. Tentatively, workshop scope will be limited to financing activities. Both the Plum materials will be available for participants for subsequent classroom use (with some restrictions).

So what’s the motivation? Ben Franklin’s quotation: “Tell me and I will forget; teach me and I will learn; engage me and I will understand.”

Author

• James McKee, Retired