Author: Nicola Beatson

Nicola joined the Department of Accountancy and Finance at the University of Otago in 2010. Since that time she has had several teaching accolades, including being named in the Otago University Student Association awards (student voted) as the ‘Premier Lecturer, Commerce Division’ in 2017. Nicola has a passion for accounting education and is currently a PhD candidate investigating the self-efficacy beliefs of accounting students. She is student focused, both in teaching and research activities. Nicola's enthusiasm for her research saw her win the PhD Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition in 2017, after winning the same competition for Masters students in 2015. Nicola enjoys several service roles within the department including as a course approver and advisor, a member of the AKO teaching and learning committee, being the tutor coordinator for the department, and as the Kaiāwhina Māori in Accounting and Finance. Nicola coordinates the large core paper BSNS115: Accounting and Information Systems and also teaches on ACCT222: Cost Management Accounting. In 2017, Nicola was appointed a College Fellow for Cumberland College, one of Otago's residential colleges. College Fellows have the special purpose of relating with residents to facilitate and expand College residents' network within and beyond the University. Read the Otago Magazine story on Nicola's PhD research Read the Otago Daily Times story on Nicola winning the 3MT competition Read the Otago Post story on Nicola's PhD research and her goal to change the world view of accounting Watch Nicola compete in the 3MT competition.

Learning @ the edge

Posted on February 25, 2019February 25, 2019 by Nicola Beatson

READING TIME: 3 minutesMost of us can remember what it is like to learn something new. Imagine for a minute you are back in your first ever accounting class. The words being said (assets, liability, depreciation) may or may not make sense, they

Have a nice holiday Miss

Posted on October 16, 2018 by Nicola Beatson

READING TIME: 3 minutes“Have a nice holiday Miss” One of my students just said this to me. They think, because I’ve finished teaching, that I’m about to go and sit on a tropical island somewhere, relaxing, drinking Pinot without a care in the

Encourage your students

Posted on September 13, 2018September 13, 2018 by Nicola Beatson

READING TIME: 3 minutesSo, we all know that accounting has a dull reputation. Nothing new there (in fact see my earlier blog ‘Accounting is dull?!’), but what if I was to tell you that anyone can learn accounting, even if they start the

What is accounting anyway?

Posted on July 17, 2018 by Nicola Beatson

READING TIME: 3 minutesOften we start the introductory course in accounting with an overview of ‘what is accounting’. I guess I’m writing this blog today for two reasons, firstly, I’m currently reflecting on what accounting really is…plus I’m designing my lectures for this

Day one of lectures: who is the most nervous?

Posted on July 13, 2018 by Nicola Beatson

READING TIME: 3 minutesWhen I was an undergraduate student I never considered whether the lecturer was nervous. I assumed all lecturers were these supremely confident human beings who loved to perform and excel in public speaking…right? I’ve been teaching first year accounting now

Participation in class is good, right?

Posted on June 20, 2018 by Nicola Beatson

READING TIME: 3 minutesWe all love it when our students want to participate…especially when we want them to be talking, or discussing a particular topic…maybe answering a question which has been asked, but sometimes, in large classes (or maybe even in small classes),

Doing a PhD in Accounting Education

Posted on June 15, 2018June 15, 2018 by Nicola Beatson

READING TIME: 4 minutesThe following account is a version of a speech I gave as part of the panel at the 2017 RMIT Accounting Educators Conference. The theme of the conference was ‘research quality in accounting education’ and this subject is very dear

Accounting is dull?!

Posted on June 12, 2018June 26, 2018 by Nicola Beatson

READING TIME: 3 minutesMost universities have a compulsory accounting course for all business majors, despite the student’s choice of discipline. This can create a few issues, as this means there are a lot of students enrolled in the course who really do not