‘Untying the Accountancy Knot’

1. Project Team: Frances Boylan, Pauline Rooney, Fionnghuala Kelly, Learning and Technology Team; Jennifer McConnell, DIT Disability Office; Alice Luby, School of Marketing; Rebecca Maughan; Dan Shanahan, School of Accounting and Finance; Daniel King, Tony Kiely, School of Hospitality Management and Tourism • The Problem with Accountancy • Experience indicates that many students have difficulty with Accountancy • Some students view Accountancy as “old”, “dusty”, and “uninteresting”, this results in lack of student engagement and involvement in learning, consequently many student tend to underperform. • Research also suggests that some students cannot assimilate financial data because of the presence of an inherent disability. • Solution to this Problem • To develop a set of e-learning tools for use as support within any financial accounting or business studies module. These tools must work for the challenged student, and must also be acceptable to those who teach it. ‘Untying the Accountancy Knot’ • The Project Team Approach • Overall aim is to develop some interactive learning exercises that will make teaching and learning Accountancy enjoyable and fun • Adaptation of a cross-faculty collaborative approach to this task • Learning tool would acknowledge disability requirements, accountancy teaching and learning, technology design and research requirements • Incorporation of student involvement and feedback Solution Scenarios It is envisaged that the tutorials will enhance accessibility and engagement for all students, by ensuring a wider variety of e-learning resources which cater for multiple learning styles This project will particularly identify improve the usability and accessibility of the tutorials for dyslexic students. Some Interested Cohorts Students, Lecturers, Heads of School The Teaching and Learning Centre, DIT Administration, DIT Disability Office, DIT Retention Office, The Media DIT Access Office Figure 1: Book Keeping Introduction Figure 2: Book Keeping Flash Game • Future Work • Roll out and evaluation of initial e-learning modules in 2009 • Continuation of work on a full set of computer assisted financial accounting learning tools • On completion, to make these learning tools available to any parties within DIT who express an interest in e-learning activities • To make research findings available to colleagues throughout DIT and externally • To participate in DIT Learning and Teaching Showcase & 2009 EdTech Conference. • Submit a paper for the IAFA (Irish Accounting and Finance Association) annual conference in May 2009