American Accounting Association 2006 Midwest Region Meeting March 30 – April 1 Chicago, Illinois

Friday, March 31, 10:20 a.m.-12:00 noon
Concurrent session 2F - Curriculum and Assessment Issues (Teaching and Curriculum)

Title: Assessing Learning in the Accounting Curriculum with Multiple Measures

Dawn Hukai University of Wisconsin – River Falls

ABSTRACT: The learning outcomes assessment process for the accounting curriculum at the College of Business and Economics (CBE) of the University of Wisconsin – River Falls developed gradually over a number of years. Continuous improvement has been facilitated by setting perception, skill, and knowledge objectives and integrating the objectives into the curriculum at several levels. In addition to course-based assessment, student, alumni, and employer surveys have also provided valuable feedback on aspects of the program that are less academic in nature, including access to alumni and other business professionals and the adequacy of career services. Student learning portfolio evaluation has allowed the program to measure the development of skills over the entire curriculum, which is often impossible with strictly course-based assessment. Finally, the College has piloted a comprehensive senior exam to directly measure student perceptions, skills, and knowledge immediately before graduation. Similar to the learning portfolio, this exam is another broad metric of the program overall. Both validity and relevance are enhanced by evaluating learning outcomes from different perspectives. While implementing all of the components of an assessment plan may take several years, with faculty participation and support it can provide multiple measures of learning outcomes that lead to continuous improvement in the accounting program.

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