Lethbridge College Business Administration students, and their instructors, will soon be gaining valuable skills while saving time and paper thanks to a $41,250 grant to develop digital case studies. The funding comes from the Chartered Professional Accountants (CPA) Education Foundation., Canada’s only accounting designation, who have recognized that Lethbridge College’s expertise in accounting extends to research and development of teaching practice as well as the teaching itself.
For over 20 years, the college’s introductory accounting course has included a paper-based comprehensive case study that’s typically 20 pages or more. These case studies are critical for students’ understanding of the principles and practice of accounting, but the paper form is tedious to complete, and grade, requires manual revisions and isn’t conducive to online learning. The move to adopt CollegeCasePro was at the instigation of one of the business instructors, Riley Anderson, who felt that it would provide a more engaging experience for, and better identify the needs of, students while also better preparing them for future accounting experiences. Students and teachers can focus on teaching and learning, not managing paper.
“Because of time constraints and the amount of paper involved, it has become challenging to offer the paper case studies despite their value to students,” says James Reimer, School of Business chair. “With digital simulations, students can complete pre-built, tested case studies online that reflect todays increasing online requirements for business. Cases are graded automatically, and the progress of each student is available to instructors in real time enhancing student learning by allowing for more valuable and timely feedback.”
The CPA Education Foundation Alberta College Grant will be used to purchase CollegeCasePro software licenses for three years. Funding also allows for the development of three unique case studies each year over the course of three years and the opportunity to expand the scope of cases by adding up to three modules, such as bank reconciliations.
The digital case studies were piloted last fall.
“My introductory accounting class ended with a case study while we were working online due to the pandemic,” says Jaxon May, a first-year accounting major. “The assignment required us to print every page, write out our answers and then scan the pages back into the computer. It felt cumbersome compared to my experience with CollegeCasePro. The digital case study wasn’t easier, but it was more beneficial, as I spent my time solving accounting problems instead of printing, erasing, scanning and uploading.”
The software will be available to all first year Business Administration students in Fall 2022.
“The CPA funding will support the School of Business faculty to continue providing relevant, industry-focused experience for our accounting students,” says Dr. Kevin Smith, Dean of the Centre for Business, Arts and Sciences. “Their commitment of this funding shows an appreciation of the need to continue to develop and improve teaching resources and will ensure our students continue to receive a high-quality education that allows them to pursue meaningful, in-demand accounting careers.”
Each year 400 School of Business students pursue a two-year Business Administration diploma, which includes a common first year, before choosing one of three majors. Accounting is one of the available majors, although all School of Business students take CPA-recognized classes. Many students have used the Business Administration – Accounting major to launch their accounting and business careers, eventually pursuing a CPA designation or a Bachelor’s degree.
The CPA Education Foundation Alberta College Grant provides financial support to Alberta Colleges that offer diplomas in accounting with direct transfer pathways to degree-granting institutions that are approved for entry into the CPA Professional Education Program (CPA PEP). Grants are to support the advancement of academic and institutional initiatives that enhance student learning.
Applications for Business Administration for the Fall 2022 intake are open. Those interested in learning more about the program or Lethbridge College can read more information at lethpolytech.ca.