Abstract:

This paper aims to demonstrate the benefits of a teaching method based on learning by doing approach, which is complementary to the traditional expositive method [1]. The experience using this teaching method was initiated in February 2003, at the Accounting and Administration bachelor’s degree of the Porto Accounting and Business School.

The learning by doing approach was implemented through the courses Business Simulation Project I and Business Simulation Project II and aims to provide students the opportunity to apply the knowledge acquired in the remaining subjects of the degree, and also serves as an alternative to the internship required by the Order of Accountants in Portugal. In these courses, students are divided into groups of 3 and each group constitutes a company. The companies all together form a virtual market and interact with each other, performing several tasks throughout each semester. The developed tasks range from the creation of the company to the final report. In this way it is possible for students to apply the knowledge acquired in other courses such as financial accounting, management accounting, tax law, commercial law, finance, financial management, ethics, among others. The advantage of Business Simulation Project courses compared to the internship required by the Order of Accountants is the absence of risk, i.e. if students make mistakes, they are not penalised as they were in a real business environment. In these courses a set of skills is developed by students, skills that are valued and defended by the main regulatory organizations of the accounting profession [2].

This study was conducted in the academic year of 2018/2019 through the use of a questionnaire that was responded by the students who attended Business Simulation Project courses. The questionnaire was composed by two main parts. The first part includes the information about the student (age, gender and professional experience) and the second part includes information about students' perception about the acquisition of certain skills and competences. The results obtained were in line with those obtained in previous studies [3]–[7], in which it was possible to concluded that the students value this teaching method. This more practical approach enables students to apply previous knowledge and acquire new skills and competences, such as teamwork.

Keywords:

Learning by doing, teaching methodologies, business simulation.