Abstract:

Providing a learning environment that is relevant to the varied learning styles of accounting students and enables them to master the foundations of accounting practice from identifying transactions through to producing and interpreting financial statements is one of the fundamental problems facing accounting education. ‘AccountingLab’ is a computer-based visual learning tool that has been developed to address this need. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the reactions of accounting students at undergraduate and postgraduate levels to the style of learning embodied in ‘AccountingLab’. Students at the foundation, undergraduate and postgraduate levels of accounting study were asked to evaluate the usefulness of ‘AccountingLab’ to their specific learning needs through survey, ad hoc discussions and developer observation. ‘AccountingLab’ has been found to increase learner engagement, demystify the principles of accounting and to encourage experimentation. Student responses are largely stated rather than revealed through multiple inter-related research methods. ‘AccountingLab’ provides a practical solution to the down-side of computerisation, which on the one hand has made vast amounts of specific information available with a few keystrokes, while on the other hand can reduce understanding through embedding accounting rules and principles in computer applications.

Keywords:

Visual, debit-credit, accounting cycle, feedback.