Abstract:

This article will share strategies in conducting more efficient and effective synchronous sessions in teaching/learning online undergraduate accounting courses. The theoretical construct for this paper is the Engagement Theory (Kearsley 2,000). The author posits that the learner must be actively engaged in a meaningful task to achieve effective learning. It states that all learning must have three important characteristics:
(1) collaboration or the interaction among students, teachers, and subject-matter experts via e-mail, discussion forums, and conferencing,
(2) problem-based, which means that all student activities involve completing assignments or projects rather than just taking tests or exams, and
(3) authenticity where all course materials and activities are realistic and directly related to the student’s interests.

The strategies to be discussed are intended to make students fully engaged in the learning process and ready to actively participate in discussions in the virtual environment. By making student solve exercises and problems prior to each session, students are reading the book and resource materials not just for the sake of reading, but instead to read the text book in order to solve problems. The result is more purposeful reading, deeper understanding, and active involvement in the sessions. Students are equipped with knowledge and questions for those areas that they have difficulty comprehending. The students are exposed to the intricacies of the problems and thus, ready to internalize explanations and clarifications by the instructor and the other students during the synchronous sessions. A student survey will be conducted to determine the degree of usefulness based on the students’ perspective relative to the strategies utilized in the synchronous sessions. The expected result is a more meaningful, efficient, and effective learning on the part of the students.

Keywords:

Online, synchronous, learning.