Accounting learning standards AFAANZ 2019 Phil Hancock UWA

Accounting learning standards AFAANZ 2019 Phil Hancock UWA

Outline 1. 2. 3. 4. Accounting learning standards Why is assessment important? Achievement matters project Designing effective assessment tasks

Background • ALTC commissioned the development of discipline learning standards in 2010. • ABDC approved the accounting learning standards in December 2010 after widespread consultation with academics and the profession. • ABDC funded Achievement Matters project in December 2010. • TLS revised in 2016.

Main changes • In addition to the examples we have added a commentary to some of the TLS • Split communication and teamwork following AM experience • No changes to self-management as we have only started to assess in AM. • The following slides show the detailed changes.

Accounting learning standards Bachelor & Masters Knowledge Self Management Application Accounting graduate Communication and teamwork Judgement

Accounting learning standards Revised 2016 Knowledge Critical analysis & problem solving Self Management Accounting graduate Judgement Teamwork Communication

2019 National Assoc of Colleges and employers in the USA- Important attributes

2019 National Assoc of Colleges and employers in the USA

2019 National Assoc of Colleges and employers in the USA

2019 National Assoc of Colleges and employers in the USA

Education 4. 0 skills Problem solving Critical thinking Creativity Graduate Data/digital literacy Collaboration Communication

Activity • What changes could you make to your unit to assist students do develop digital literacy?

Why is assessment important? 13

Why assessment is important? “Assessment is at the heart of the student experience” (Brown, S & Knight, P. , 1994) “From our students’ point of view, assessment always defines the actual curriculum” (Ramsden, P. , 1992) “Assessment defines what students regard as important, how they spend their time and how they come to see themselves as students and then as graduates. . If you want to change student learning then change the methods of assessment” (Brown, G et al, 1997)

For students to reach their potential in terms of their assessed performance they need to become assessment literate • an appreciation of assessments relationship to learning; • a conceptual understanding of assessment (i. e. understanding of the basic principles of valid assessment and feedback in practice, including the terminology used); • understanding of the nature, meaning and level of assessment criteria and standards; (Price et al, 2012 pp 10 -11) • connected to transferable skills and graduate attributes 15

Changing our approach to assessment can play a major role in helping to develop critical selfawareness “The types of assessment we currently use do not promote conceptual understanding and do not encourage a deep approach to learning………Our means of assessing them seems to do little to encourage them to adopt anything other than a strategic or mechanical approach to their studies” (Newstead, 2002 p 3).

Achievement Matters project 17

Challenge • Regular external referencing including grading of students’ achievement of learning outcomes Standard 5. 4. 3, HES Framework (2015) 18

Problem – Interrater reliability “The idea that a single external examiner could make a comparative judgement on the national, and indeed international, standard of a programme has always been flawed” (HEA, 2012) 19

Solution – Calibrate before assessing “Assessment is largely dependent upon professional judgement and confidence in such judgement requires the establishment of appropriate forums for the development and sharing of standards within and between disciplinary and professional communities” Tenet 6: Price et al (2008) 20

UK sector adopts calibration – Tender for Degree Standards project 2016 -2021 • To develop UK-wide training for external examiners (separate from, and additional to, induction by host institutions). ie. sector-owned professional development • To develop proposals to explore approaches to the calibration of marking practices (not to develop common marking criteria for all providers) • Take account of sector diversity, available research evidence, central role of disciplinary communities in developing shared views of standards. • ~15, 000 external examiners across 4 nations • £ 1. 8 m (~A$3. 0 m) won by Higher Education Academy

Achievement Matters project • Funding – ABDC provided $20, 000 seed funds – ALTC DSS provided $20, 000 – CPAA and ICAA each provided $40, 000 – ALTC (OLT) competitive grant $183, 000

Date Location Jul 2011 Darwin Sep 2011 Melbourne Feb 2012 Adelaide Sep 2012 Sydney Accounting Feb 2013 Adelaide Jul 2013 Perth Feb 2014 Adelaide Jul 2014 Sydney July 2015 Hobart July 2016 Brisbane July 2017 Adelaide July 2018 Melbourne July 2019 Brisbane - Learning standard Written Communication Knowledge. WC Calibration + Review Knowledge Oral Communication Application ● Judgement Oral Communication Level Bachelor Master Application ● Judgement Teamwork Written Communication Teamwork ● Self managment Written communication Knowledge ● Application Written communication Knowledge ● Critical thinking Judgement SM and Teamwork Knowledge and WC Master Teamwork Bachelor Masters Bachelor Master Bachelor Both 23

Process Pre-F 2 F Assess Consensus F 2 F calibration Apply Post-F 2 F Enter Agree Compare Confirm

Results – Reviewer with/without calibration Student 1 – Application standard – first time assessed Experimental Control (with calibration) (without calibration) T=1 (Pre) T=2 (Post) T=1 T=2 Mean 65. 97 61. 63 76. 80 73. 27 SD 14. 86 8. 07 14. 92 13. 48 F Statistic 3. 3907 1. 2251 Prob. p=0. 002 p=0. 709 25

Designing effective assessment tasks 26

Table activity 1. Review the original assignment to provide evidence of the bachelor standard for written communication. Identify 3 major improvements in the revised version. 2. Identify changes necessary to make the assignment valid for evidencing the new standard for written communication?

Written Group Assignment Stages 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Discussion on dividing up the research work. Individuals researching their part of the work. Discussion after research/before write-up. Creation of finished product to be turned in. Feedback on the finished product’s quality. Which stage has the greatest potential for promoting student understanding of the concepts related to the project?

Written Group Assignment Stages 1. Discussion on dividing up the research work. 2. Individuals researching their part of the work. 3. Discussion after research/before write-up. 4. Creation of finished product to be turned in. 5. Feedback on the finished product’s quality. Would the learning in stage 3 be greater if the written part is: 1 -page or 25 -pages in length?

Other learnings from AM • Communicate to students the importance of the assessment task • Do not conflate learning standards • Allocate sufficient marks • Team assignments for team work skills not individual abilities • Assessment design efficiency • Use of reflective tasks • Do not need long assessment tasks- conciseness is a skill

Judgement Bachelor Current Bachelor Proposed Master Current Master Proposed Exercise judgement under supervision to solve routine accounting problems in straightforward contexts using social, ethical, economic, regulatory and global perspectives. Exercise judgement under supervision to provide possible solutions to routine accounting problems in straightforward contexts using where appropriate social, ethical, economic, regulatory, sustainability, governance and/or global perspectives Exercise judgement under minimal supervision to solve emerging and/or advanced accounting problems in complex contexts using where appropriate social, ethical, economic, regulatory and global perspectives. Exercise judgement under minimal supervision to provide possible solutions to emerging and/or advanced accounting problems in complex contexts using where appropriate social, ethical, economic, regulatory, sustainability, governance and/or global perspectives.

Knowledge Bachelor Current Bachelor Proposed Master Current Master Proposed Integrate theoretical and technical accounting knowledge which includes a selection of auditing and assurance, finance, economics, quantitative methods, information systems, commercial law, corporation law and taxation law. Integrate theoretical and technical accounting knowledge in a business context. Integrate advanced theoretical and technical accounting knowledge which includes a selection of auditing and assurance, finance, economics, quantitative methods, information systems, commercial law, corporation law and taxation law. Integrate advanced theoretical and technical accounting knowledge in a business context.

Application skills Critical analysis and problem solving skills Bachelor Critically apply theoretical and technical accounting Current knowledge and skills to solve routine accounting problems. Bachelor Critically apply theoretical and technical accounting knowledge and skills to provide possible solutions to routine business issues Proposed Master Current Master Proposed Critically apply advanced theoretical and technical accounting knowledge and skills to solve emerging and/or advanced accounting problems. Critically apply advanced theoretical and technical accounting knowledge and skills to provide possible solutions to emerging and/or advanced business issues.

Communication and teamwork Communication Bachelor Justify and communicate accounting advice and ideas Current in straightforward collaborative contexts involving both accountants and non-accountants. Bachelor Justify and communicate accounting advice and ideas in straightforward contexts to influence specialists and non-specialists Proposed Master Current Master Proposed Justify and communicate accounting advice and ideas in complex collaborative contexts involving both accountants and nonaccountants. Justify and communicate accounting advice and ideas in complex contexts to influence specialists and non-specialists.

Communication and teamwork Teamwork Bachelor Current Bachelor Proposed Master Current Master Proposed Justify and communicate accounting advice and ideas in straightforward collaborative contexts involving both accountants and non-accountants. Contribute accounting expertise to a diverse team collaboratively providing possible solutions to a routine business problem in a straightforward context. Justify and communicate accounting advice and ideas in complex collaborative contexts involving both accountants and nonaccountants. Contribute accounting expertise in a leadership capacity to a diverse team collaboratively providing possible solutions to an emerging and/or advanced business problem in a complex context

Self-management Bachelor Current Bachelor Proposed Master Current Master Proposed Reflect on performance feedback to identify and action learning opportunities and self-improvements. Seek and reflect on performance feedback to identify and action learning opportunities and self-improvements and initiate this process for others.

Thank you