Out with the old, in with learning technologies
The RMIT Accounting Educators’ Conference 2018 got off to a roaring start on Monday 19th November with a thought provoking presentation to a packed audience by Dr Simon Eassom, Executive General Manager: Member Education, CPA Australia. Simon challenged us to rethink how we educate and move to education on demand and mini stackable qualifications, amongst others things.
Keynote Speaker: Associate Professor Stephen Coetzee
Next up was Associate Professor Stephen Coetzee from the University of Pretoria, South Africa. Stephen talked us through the use of new technologies, including HyperDocs and Messenger bots, to support teaching and learning. Given that the development of new learning technologies can be increasingly undertaken without any programming or coding knowledge, they have the potential to modify and redefine traditional teaching and learning. Stephen very kindly set up a bot for the conference, which also allowed delegates to create and share a conference attendance certificate. Check out mine below!
AFAANZ Accounting Education Special Interest Group Lifetime Achievement Award – Professor Beverley Jackling
The presentation of a Lifetime Achievement Award by the AFAANZ Accounting Education Special Interest Group to one of the legends of accounting education research, Professor Beverley Jackling, was a memorable moment! Beverley’s extensive accounting education research covers topics such as graduate attributes, employability skills, perceptions of the learning environment, approaches to learning, continuing professional development for the accounting profession, perceptions of accounting as a career choice, international student issues, implications of the global adoption of international reporting standards on accounting education, and ethics education in accounting. She is widely cited in accounting education research and has published extensively in Accounting Education in particular. The award was a fitting recognition of the significant contribution she has made to accounting education research.
Concurrent Sessions
Technology is significantly impacting accounting education and the accounting profession. While contemporary teaching spaces, new learning systems and digital technologies afford renewed approaches to teaching delivery and the learner experience, the challenge for educators is to use technology efficiently and effectively to enhance learning and teaching. The concurrent sessions did not disappoint in tackling these and more issues. The Talking Accounting team were there to present their research proposal surrounding the creation of this website for the accounting education community. Checkout the conference website for all the details.
Panel Session: Innovative use of technology in curriculum and pedagogy
The panel session titled ‘Innovative use of technology in curriculum and pedagogy’ with Victor Arity, Dr Amanda White and Dr Eva Tsahuridu showcased some very innovative uses of technology in educating both students and members of the accounting profession. Viktor did a fantastic job in presenting his work with Dr Gillian Vesty in the use of serious games in education, in addition to the development of an app in his PhD. Amanda from the Talking Accounting team demonstrated the power of YouTube and social media, which she uses to not only educate students, but also promote accounting as a career for the future – bringing the latest in accounting practice, trends and research to her audience. Eva showcased the innovative accounting ethics game currently being developed by herself, Dr Gillian Vesty and Professor Steven Dellaportas for the accounting profession in relation to the new ethics standard, which leads to a micro credential and CPD hours.
For me the thread running through the whole conference was engagement – engagement with our students, engagement with colleagues, and engagement with others anywhere else in the world! Technology facilitates engagement in ways previously not possible!
Check out Amanda’s video for a fantastic summary of the day’s events.
Special Issue in Journal of Accounting Education
The Journal of Accounting Education has a Special Issue associated with the 2018 RMIT Accounting Educators’ Conference. You can submit a paper to the special issue even if you did not attend the conference. The aim of this special issue is to encourage debate about the use of technology in curriculum and pedagogy. Special Guest Editors are Meredith Tharapos and Brendan O’Connell, both from RMIT University.
Submission details are available here. The deadline for submissions is 19 March 2019.
Save the date!
The 2019 RMIT Accounting Educators’ Conference is coming your way on Monday 18th November 2019 in Melbourne. The theme is ‘Moving from diversity to inclusion in accounting education’. You don’t want to miss this one – lock it in your diary now!!
And that’s a wrap!
If you were at this year’s conference, I would love to hear your feedback in the comments section below.
Dr Meredith Tharapos is the Undergraduate Program Manager and Senior Lecturer in the School of Accounting at RMIT University. She has over twenty-five years’ experience teaching in universities within Melbourne, in addition to teaching on a regular basis in Asia for RMIT’s international partners. Prior to joining full-time academe, she gained experience in the accounting profession, the ASX, and undertook volunteer work at several not-for-profit organisations in Papua New Guinea and China.
She is an active member of the accounting education community through her roles as Convenor of the annual RMIT Accounting Educators’ Conference, and committee member of the Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand (AFAANZ) Accounting Education Special Interest Group.
Meredith’s student-centred teaching approach, underpinned by her research surrounding cultural intelligence, is based around the generation of a supportive and inclusive learning environment. She has had the honour of receiving a number of teaching excellence awards.