The same evaluative packet that has been used in the past and which is comprehensive in nature, was utilized for this cohort. The students, via this packet were expected to complete the accounting cycle. This includes identification of economic events in a business, recording and journalizing of those economic events, posting to appropriate journals, completing a worksheet, financial statements, adjusting and closing entries, and completing a post-closing trial balance.
Twenty-nine students were originally enrolled in the course for fall 2002. During the course of the semester nine students withdrew from the course. All but two students completed the capstone project. Following is a breakdown of the scores earned.
12 in 90-100% range, 3 in 80-89%, 3 in 60-69%, and 2 in 0-59% (did not return assessment packet).
As a result of the assessment, collected in May 2001, more time was spent on adjusting and closing entries. The data reflects that there seemed to be understanding and comprehension in these specific areas. In addition, supplementary data was available to all of the students via Blackboard.com. This site allowed students to view and print supplementary materials, such as: PowerPoint slide shows, practice quizzes, homework data, and vocabulary words. The instructor was able to measure the amount of times each student utilized the area. At the beginning of the course, there was heavy usage. As time progressed and students became more comfortable with the data, usage was minimized. See chart.
The three students that received scores from 60% - 69% were exceptional students, however, they confessed that other issues and emergencies limited the amount of time they could devote to the packet. Throughout the semester, they maintained above average scores. The two students that did not even turn in a packet unfortunately earned a "D" and "F" in the course. Follow-up conversations with the one student revealed that he just did not like the course content and as a result felt there was a "mental block" he was encountering.
Extra time needs to be allotted for adjusting and closing entries and students need to understand the relevance of the assessment packet. It is a comprehensive device that ties the whole semester together. Many students revealed that while the packet was "gross and I hated it", they actually could see how the mechanics of accounting was intertwined and it made sense of the information for them.
Instructor slowed down her presentation and used more team or peer tutoring in the class. She would present the topic, present an example of the lesson, and give the students an in-class assignment that they worked on together - in groups. The groups would then explain the concept to the other students. This was model of teaching was favored by all of the students.
The use of Blackboaord.com was a HUGE plus for the entire class. Students would seek me out to find out when the next quiz or PowerPoint presentation would be placed on the site. Instructor tried to make sure that chapter materials were placed on the site at least two days before the class lecture for student review.
Scores on adjusting and closing entries were much better than the previous class as a result of the changes made in class.
Capstone project which requires to complete the following:
Instructions: You want to open a business in your hometown. You have already gathered market research and know that the business of your choice should be successful. Your tasks will be to:
complete an Income Statement and Balance Sheet for the first year of business, the third and fifth year of business.
produce a cost analysis of all products or services you plan on selling.
estimate and justify reasoning for mark-up % you select.
estimate how many clients/products will need to be served/sold on a monthly basis to break-even or make a profit.
prepare a master budget for the first year of operation. (Some items to include: Rent/Mortgage Payment, Liability Insurance, Utilities, Telephone, Labor, Materials, Supplies, what else might you include?)
be prepared to justify your answers to me or any other stakeholders.
Students were given the opportunity to work in groups. Data is the financial part of a business plan. Hopefully, students can take all of the information and learning from Principles of Accounting I and Principles of Accounting II and apply to a real business situation.
Fall semester results - only five students were registered in this course. One student dropped prior to the census date. One student did not submit the assessment plan for grading. These students each worked individually and created the financial statements and data for their own businesses.
While they have the basic concepts, some still lack the ability to tie in all of the pieces and explain how every aspect of accounting is relative and vital to a business. The budget forecasts for this group of students were much better than in prior semesters. As a result of the final schedule this semester, the instructor did not feel the "pressure" to cover the data in a compacted mode. More time was spent on the topic of budgets and the reports reflected the extra effort.
Instructor reviewed MicroSoft Excel with the students. Students were required to complete their data with Excel and so the instructor took a couple of class sessions to work with students on the expectations. As a result, reports were generated in a professional manner and there were no mathematical errors.
Instructor also slowed down and reviewed some aspects that had confused many past students - for example, cash flows statements, financial analysis, and budgets.
Supplementary data was available to all of the students via Blackboard.com. This site allowed students to view and print supplementary materials, such as: PowerPoint slide shows, practice quizzes, homework data, and vocabulary words. The instructor was able to measure the amount of times each student utilized the area. At the beginning of the course, there was heavy usage. As time progressed and students became more comfortable with the data, usage was minimized.
Explaining Excel and giving the students in-class assistance generated more accurate and complete projects. Students were able to use software to their advantage. Explanations of ratio, vertical, and horizontal analysis for financial statements gave students a better understanding for the necessity of financial statements in good and complete format. Use of Blackboard.com was a wonderful supplemental tool for the students and they had only positive feedback.
Each student was given a test comprised of matching on terminology related tothe operation of a computer, as well as a 5 minute timed writing.
Twenty-one questions covering the 4 focal points of the course were given on the first day of class.
The 4 focal points of the class are as follows:
(1) The start of 'English' law and U.S. law,
including the U.S. Constitution, statute law, and
case law/common law,
(2) Torts
(3) Contracts
(4) Employment law
As a part of the 'final test,' these same 21 questions were asked again and the scores were compared from the first and last test
To summarize, it appears as though at least most of the students gained appreciable knowledge.
For next term, the questions used will be examined for applicability and modified where necessary.
In general, it appears as though the overall process of assessment is successful and some 'fine tuning' will be done to improve the process.
Questionairres completed by students and teacher's observations.
1. Several students found the Shelly Cashman Labs to be difficult.
2. Searching the Internet for history information was difficult for some students.
3. Several students liked the course just as it is.
4. Several students wanted more hands-on activities.
1. The problem with the Shelly Cashman Labs is that the questions supplied by the textbook authors need to be improved. The questions are frequently phrased so that the answers can be difficult to find within the labs. The questions to two labs have been changed. Unfortunately this is a time-consuming project to complete and only two have been completed.
2. More instruction on searching the Internet needs to be included in the course.
3. Some changes need to be made to the course, but otherwise it should probably be kept nearly the same. Changes inevitably occur, because CIS is a rapidly changing field.
4. The amount of hands-on activities is basically what it should be for this course. Students probably don't understand this. Perhaps some of them should take CIS 118 instead.
1. By 2004, the questions for one more Shelly Cashman Lab will be changed.
2. More instruction on searching the Internet will be included in the course.
3. The changes described in 1, 2, and 4 will be made. Changes necessitated by changes in the field of CIS will be made. Otherwise the course will remain as much like it is as possible.
4. Students will be made aware of the nature of the course at the beginning. Some will be referred to CIS 118 if this course does not meet their needs.
Questionairres completed by students and teacher's observations.
1. Students found PowerPoint to be easy and fun.
2. Many students found Access to be difficult, especially queries.
3. Many students found Excel to be difficult, especially formulas and functions.
4. Many students found the format of doing a project with complete instructions followed by a lab covering the same material, but with less instruction to be very effective. One student found this procedure undesirable because of the necessity to keep looking up information contained in the project.
5. Students liked the self-paced nature of the class.
6. No tests were given, because students spent considerable time and effort completing projects and labs. Students were required to complete projects in class under the watchful eye of the teacher. Two students tried to copy projects outside class from fellow students. Tests should be added.
1. The current method of teaching PowerPoint is effective.
2. Students need more help with Access queries.
3. Students need more help with Excel formulas and functions.
4. The current format of completing a project followed by a lab is effective.
5. The self-paced nature of the class is effective.
6. Adding tests will insure that students complete their own work.
1. The current method of teaching PowerPoint will remain the same.
2. The lecture on Access queries will be extended and an additional lab will be assigned.
3. The lecture on Excel formulas and functions will be extended and an additional lab will be assigned.
4. The current format of completing a project followed by a lab will be extenceded as noted in 3 and 4, but otherwise will be the same.
5. The self-paced nature of the class will be retained.
6. Tests on Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Access will be added to the course. The basic features covered in the projects and labs will be on the test.
Each student was given a test of matching, true and false on terminology associated with using the internet on the first day of class and same test was given toward the end of the semester.
1. In general students found the current course satisfactory.
2. Three students wanted more hands-on activities.
3. One student found the case studies to be unclear.
1. CIS is a rapidly changing field. Changes must be made to the course to accommodate changes in the field. Otherwise the course is basically a good course.
2. These students are accustomed to hands-on courses such as Excel, Word, Access, programming and others. This course is less of a hands-on course. Hands-on activities in the form of CASE tools could be added, except that we do not have enough students to bring down the cost of purchasing the tools within reason.
3. For a given case study, there is more than one correct answer. Students may find this confusing.
1. Only necessary changes will be made.
2. We do some hands-on activities with Excel (e.g. ROI). A search will be made for some similar activities.
3. Further clarification will be given on the most confusing case studies. An effort will be made to help students feel more comfortable with the fact that there is more than one way to solve a case study.
At the beginning of the semester, the students were given a project to calculate the payroll for a small business. Since none of the students had programming experience with COBOL, they were asked to complete the task by hand and write down their methods. The project is included in the student's grade so that the students' efforts will be genuine.
Students learned that there is much more involved in calculating a payroll other than just multiplying hours worked by a fixed pay rate. The project included variable overtime rates, federal and state tax withholdings, insurance, and other related deductions. After much discussion, students wrote down the necessary steps to complete the task. The students then had to write the related commands in COBOL and learned the syntax and structure of the language. They were surprised to find it so similar to English. They learned that much of programming is spent before any coding takes place and that once the task was understood, the solution was fairly easy.
Many students were hesitant about learning COBOL as it is an "old" language and there are so many emerging ones available. Students were directed to search the Internet to find related job opportunities and/or job statistics involving COBOL. They were amazed to learn of the number of employment opportunities available both locally and nationally and the vast number of programs still maintained using COBOL. The relevance of the course became evident.
Students have to see a "practical reason" for learning a new subject. Payroll is an area that affects us all. Students worked together to work out the necessary logic and calculations and then coded the programs individually. Once the programs were compiled and executed, the students worked together again to evaluate the validity of the results. They learned teamwork and how to express differences of opinion. Each new project was assigned in the same manner. As a result, this class covered more material in the same time frame and produced better programs.
I was reluctant to allow students to work together. I expected to get clones of the same program. Instead the students worked to "out do" one another. They shared ideas and methods, but enhanced their individual programs. They completed tasks above the assignments' requirements.
The fact that entering students do not know much of technical aspects of computing not a big surprize due to the advanced technical nature of our material and the background of entering students.
Most of my first year courses are not extensively related to each other so you don't gain much knowledge from one course that will offer you an advantage in another course.
All students are not as much challenged by the standard curriculum as I would like yet it is still extremely challenging for some others. The exceptional CISCO multimedia curriculium was the most successful in motivating CNT students.