The Enhancement of Generic Competencies through the Application of Student Centred Learning: The Students Perspective

The traditional view of university teaching is one in which it is the lecturer’s job to profess to students and the student’s job is to learn. However, as a result of the agenda for widening participation in Higher Education, Universities now have to cater to students from a diverse range of backgrounds and abilities. In terms of employment there is growing pressure within accounting courses to align the outcomes of university education with useful generic skills and competencies that are transferable to employment situations. Organisations are complaining that students employed in entry-level accounting positions lack the required critical thinking and creativity skills to work effectively. The rapid expansion of accessible information and knowledge has also required closer attention to understanding how students learn and manage information. Thus, a recurring dilemma for lecturers within accounting education concerns the development of generic competencies and the transfer of information and whether to present ideas and information in a teacher-centred expository manner i.e. through a lecture. Or, alternatively lecturers could encourage and utilise a student-centred learning and teaching experience which provides opportunities to determine, direct and monitor the course of learning. Teaching and learning research indicates that integrating students into the teaching process is one way to make learning more student-centred, resulting in improvements in quality, productivity, student achievement, self-esteem, student retention and attitudes to course content. In this paper we will outline how, in accounting education, the adoption of a more-student-centred learning approach, has resulted in deeperlearning, encourages critical thinking and creativity, has fostered a sense of collaboration and co-operation within faculty, and reflects on the methods utilised in accounting education and identifies opportunities for further development.