Development of Generic Competencies: Impact of a Mixed Teaching Approach on Students' Perceptions
- 18 March 2010
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Taylor & Francis Ltd in Accounting Education
- Vol. 19 (1-2), 93-122
- https://doi.org/10.1080/09639280902888195
Abstract
Accounting education in recent years has emphasized the need for developing generic competencies and, to this end, has advocated various pedagogies other than the traditional lecture format. The Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (Canada) started an award-winning program, Vire, Tuelle & Associates (VTA), which uses a mixed teaching approach to develop students' generic competencies in preparation for the Chartered Accountant designation. This questionnaire-based study asked students to rate this approach at the end of their training in the mock firm (VTA) and while they were trainees in an accounting firm. It also asked the office supervisors to assess their trainees' competency levels during the training period. It was found that the mixed approach program significantly enhanced the development/improvement of all 32 generic competencies investigated. After a few months' work as CA trainees, students had not substantially changed their views of the usefulness of VTA activities for the development of their competencies. Students' perceptions of some benefits of the mixed approach differed significantly according to accounting work experience and prior academic performance. The office supervisors generally viewed the UQTR trainees as being highly competent or excellent. This study provides educators, schools and professional accounting bodies with feedback on the mixed approach to help them develop similar programs.Keywords
This publication has 37 references indexed in Scilit:
- The effects of group quizzes on performance and motivation to learn: Two experiments in cooperative learningJournal of Accounting Education, 2005
- A critical analysis of students' perceptions of the usefulness of the case study method in an advanced management accounting module: the impact of relevant work experienceAccounting Education, 2004
- Skills development, motivation and learning in financial statement analysis: an evaluation of alternative types of case studiesAccounting Education, 2004
- The Effect of the Case Method on Tolerance for AmbiguityJournal of Management Education, 2003
- Competency‐Based Education and Assessment for the Accounting Profession: A Critical Review*Canadian Accounting Perspectives, 2003
- Fostering deep and elaborative learning and generic (soft) skill development: the strategic use of case studies in accounting educationAccounting Education, 2001
- Some empirical evidence on the superiority of the problem-based learning (PBL) methodAccounting Education, 1999
- Choosing Teaching Methods Based on Learning Objectives: An Integrative FrameworkIssues in Accounting Education, 1999
- Improving the quality of accounting students' learning through action-oriented learning tasksAccounting Education, 1997
- Encouraging group skills in accountancy students: an innovative apporachAccounting Education, 1993