6. If You Build it,
They May Come; If They Build it, They Will Learn
Presenter: C. David Strupeck, Indiana University Northwest
Description: The session
focuses on a semester-long project in Managerial Accounting. Students are
required to create a portfolio that includes:
- Selecting a product of their choice
that they will "manufacture"
- Identifying the competition and
obtain, via the Web, annual reports and/or financial statements
- Creating a comprehensive list of
all costs/assets/resources to manufacture and sell their product Identifying
the cost behaviors for their company
- Quantifying the list of
costs/assets/resources
- Calculating a break-even point,
target profit, and flexible budget formulae
- Creating a master budget, including
pro forma financials
- Organizing all of the above in a
hard-copy portfolio
- Making a formal
PowerPoint® presentation to a "venture capital panel"
(group of local bankers)
Students conduct the above
activities after traditional coverage of the topics necessary for them to be
successful in applying the knowledge to their company. Concepts tests are
administered throughout the course. Features of the project are designed so
that students: are active learners, conduct research, develop critical-thinking
skills, use software and technology, and apply communication skills. A final
key outcome is that students have a hard copy of their own work that provides
the program with a unique assessment device.
