A Blended Learning Approach to Teaching First Year Accounting

Abstract

This paper reports the findings of an empirical study of the adoption of a blended learning approach to teaching the first year accounting course at one of a large Australian universities. A pre and post survey questionnaire assessing student's views on this learning environment was administered in the first and final lecture of the course. It was found that students perceived greater benefits from the blended learning environment for immediate feedback, motivation for taking responsibility for their own learning and support for their learning style. Additionally, students perceived that the blended learning environment resulted in improved performance in the course, improved comprehension of basic accounting knowledge and assisted students to better understand the procedures, terms and principles of accounting. Results indicate that the blended learning environment adopted improves student learning outcomes, the overall satisfaction with the course and their overall performance. Keywords: Blended learning, online learning, learning environments, and learning outcomes.