Irwin/McGraw-Hill:
Hands-On Learning in the Introductory Class

By Karen Pincus, University of Arkansas

It’s just about impossible for students to prepare adequately for the workplace by simply reading textbooks and attending lectures (no matter how brilliant!). Learning by reading and listening helps build basic knowledge, but with the drawback that retention may not be as long as teachers, students or employers might hope.

For example, just about every adult who has been to high school or college has had one or more basic economics courses. Yet, the National Council of Economic Education’s 1998–99 test of 1,010 adults on their knowledge of very basic economic principles found that 49% got an F and another 20% got a D; the average grade was a dismal 57%. Almost 2 out of 3 did not even remember that the purchasing power of money declines in times of inflation!

Hands-on learning is essential to developing the knowledge and skills needed for the workplace. According to the AICPA’s recently developed competency model for today’s finance professional, along with functional expertise, accountants need:

• a broad business perspective,
• personal attributes such as insight, judgment, presenting/speaking and writing skills, and
• leadership qualities such as teamwork and problem-solving skills.

This mix of knowledge and skills is best built with hands-on learning.

Hands-on learning is particularly important in introductory accounting courses. Only a relatively small number of introductory students will go on to earn accounting degrees. For these students, the introductory course is their first course in accounting. But for most students, the introductory course is their last course in accounting. The accounting concepts and skills they will need later in their business and personal lives have to be learned in this one course—and hopefully retained for the long run.

Fortunately, it is becoming increasingly easier to use hands-on learning activities with new wave textbooks and customized publications that allow teachers to combine course materials from different sources. For example, the introductory course materials I write for Irwin/McGraw-Hill (Core Concepts of Accounting Information) are full of “hands on, minds on” learning activities. Here are some examples (all examples are from Theme I; similar activities may be found in the other 3 themes as well):

Opening Day: First impressions always count—especially in the classroom. A hands-on exercise for the first day of class introduces students to the uses of accounting and to some important basic concepts. The “Early Accounting Systems” exercise (Module 1, Assignment I-1-1) challenges students to design their own accounting system as if they were early accountants living in ancient Mesopotamia, with only simple tools (clay, pottery bowls and sharp sticks) at their disposal and before the invention of writing or numbers. At the same time, students get to know the small groups they will work with throughout the course. The activity also whets their appetite for the material in the first reading assignment, which provides the “real world answer”—that is, a description of the accounting system created by the ancient Mesopotamians using clay balls and tokens.

Getting Into The Community: Students can learn a lot from observing real businesses and talking to people in business. A series of assignments in Module 2 (I-2C-1, I-2C-4 and I-2C-10) lets students learn basic concepts of internal control systems by visiting local businesses, including fast-food restaurants, music/video stores and gas stations. Students are often amazed to discover the purpose behind some of the procedures at these places—for example, some fast-food restaurants have pocketless uniforms to make it harder for employees to conceal stolen cash.

Making Decisions Using Accounting Information: In both business and life, accounting information helps improve decision quality. The best way to learn that is to make some decisions! Two assignments in Module 5 (I-5-3 and I-5-4) give students the chance to hone their Internet research skills by locating financial and nonfinancial information about four charities that serve the same purpose (e.g., saving wildlife). They also find the guidelines used by the Philanthropic Advisory Service in analyzing financial statements of charities. Based on the information, students decide which charity to give a donation to (hypothetical now, hopefully real in the future).

Using hands-on learning activities does require more preparation by both teachers and students. But it’s worth it! Remember that accounting is the language of business. How well can students learn a language by sitting silently and listening?