CPE SESSION 29: SUNDAY, AUGUST 8, 1:00 PM – 4:30 PM

Teaching and Assessing Professional Competencies
in Managerial and Cost Accounting

Description/Objectives:
Both the IMA and AICPA have asked accounting educators to better prepare students for the workplace. In addition to understanding course content, students need a variety of competencies to help them succeed as professionals. Many accounting professors wish to increase the focus on competencies in their courses, but are concerned that this focus might take away from student learning of course content knowledge. At the same time, accrediting organizations such as the AACSB are demanding that accounting programs use assessments to demonstrate program effectiveness. One way for programs to assess student performance is to embed assessments in regular coursework. This workshop will demonstrate how you can use assignments to help students learn accounting, while simultaneously developing their competencies in areas such as strategic thinking, decision modeling, communication, teamwork, risk analysis, resource management, and lifelong learning. You will also learn how to use coursework assignments to reliably assess student competencies. The workshop will use examples from managerial and cost accounting courses and provide assignment and assessment materials that professors can use in their own courses.

Format/Structure:
The workshop will be highly interactive. First, participants will discuss the professional competencies they would like students to develop in managerial and cost accounting courses. Next, they will explore ways to design assignments to more explicitly develop professional competencies. Finally, participants will practice assessing student performance using a rubric and assessment guidance.

Intended Audience:
The workshop is intended primarily for managerial and cost accounting professors who would like to focus on professional competencies and/or assessment. The workshop will also be of interest to administrators or members of curricula or assessment committees responsible for designing or evaluating program efforts to improve students’ professional competencies.

Presenters:
Susan K. Wolcott, WolcottLynch Associates
Leslie G. Eldenburg, The University of Arizona, Tucson

Sponsor:
Teaching and Curriculum Section

* Denotes special requirements or prerequisite