CPE SESSION 15: SUNDAY, AUGUST 8, 8:00 AM – 11:30 AM

Create a Deep Learning Environment in Your Accounting Classes with Problem-Based Learning (PBL)
[Cancelled]

Description/Objectives:
Participants at this interactive workshop will be introduced to Problem-Based Learning (PBL), a pedagogy that uses real-life, open-ended problems to teach accounting concepts. Having completed the workshop, participants will have been motivated and equipped to use PBL in their accounting courses.

Rationale:
The call for introducing new pedagogical approaches has been persistent, loud, and clear. Accounting educators are being urged to reform accounting education in terms of the structure of the curriculum and the methods of delivery. PBL, a pedagogy that encourages active student-centered learning by introducing problems before concepts, provides accounting instructors with a means to meet these calls for reforms in a positive way. Most accounting educators are not familiar with PBL and this workshop will familiarize them with the pedagogy as well as provide them with hands–on experience in using it. Participants will leave this workshop with practical tools and references to enable them to succeed with PBL.

Students who are exposed to PBL have been better prepared to face the challenges and expectations they will encounter in their careers. The PBL approach uses unstructured problems to engage students with accounting material. As such it given these students practical problem solving skills that they can use after graduation.

Format/Structure:
This will be a highly interactive workshop. The co-presenters have successfully implemented PBL into their respective courses. The presenters will explain PBL as well as its rationale. The use of the unfolding problem and how it differs from a traditional case will be discussed. Participants will engage a PBL unfolding problem in a small group setting similar to the ones their students will use. The presenters will suggest several classroom management techniques that will facilitate PBL and small group learning. Participants will also be exposed to a group-based active interactive and collaborative learning approach which can serve as a transition bridge to using PBL.

Intended Audience:
The workshop should be of interest to all members of the American Accounting Association who are interested to revitalize classroom teaching by introducing innovative teaching approaches.

Presenters:
Philip Cottell, Miami University
Araya Debassay, University of Delaware

Sponsor:
Teaching and Curriculum Section

* Denotes special requirements or prerequisite