Peer Review

Interactive Worksheet: the 'Accounting Equation'

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Overview:: The Accounting Equation is an interactive tutorial designed for British students enrolled in introductory principles of accounting courses. A scenario is presented that has owner, Jim Sayers, starting a business he calls Crossroads Bicycles. He engages in several transactions that affect only the balance sheet as he gets ready to provide goods and services to his customers. The tutorial includes 4 exercises and a final summary based on Jim's business activities. Within each exercise the user responds to a variety of questions in order to self-test ones understanding of the accounting equation, duality concept, and effects of transactions on the balance sheet.
Type of Material:: Tutorial that can also be used as drill and practice when repeated several times.
Recommended Uses:: Best used individually outside of the classroom soon after the accounting equation is introduced.
Technical Requirements:: Internet browser
Identify Major Learning Goals:: The purpose of this tutorial is re-enforce the concept of dual effect and the need to maintain the equality of the accounting equation.
Target Student Population:: High school or college students enrolled in an Introductory Accounting course. This tutorial would be used at the beginning of the course.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:: Minimal knowledge of accounting and terminology is necessary.

Rating:
Strengths:: The tutorial is very well done for its intended audience (British students). It provides a complete demonstration of concepts that are informed by scholarship and grounded in the discipline. It is completely self-contained and can be used without requiring an assignment or context. Information provided is accurate. The concepts being taught have been integrated very well. In addition, a summary exercise is included to tie the transaction analysis to the underlying concepts presented. An opportunity for the user to provide feedback concerning the module is a wonderful inclusion.
Concerns:: The number of examples/practice sets is small.

Rating:
Strengths:: This is an excellent teaching tool. Objectives are identified and concepts are reinforced progressively and build on prior concepts. Relationships are demonstrated among concepts through the text and feedback provided. The tutorial is very efficient. Users can learn the concepts in a 20 to 30 minute session at most, depending upon their background when they begin it. Every response is scored. Hints and explanations are provided at the users request. The balance sheet is updated as transactions occur and at various points in the tutorial the user can elect to view it. The summary of content is a nice follow-up. Although primarily intended to be used by British students, the module would be an interesting way to point out to students from other countries basic differences in accounting approaches worldwide.
Concerns:: Students who are not from Great Britain and first learning accounting may find the British approach and terminology confusing. Typed responses must match the correct response exactly. As a result synomyms (cash instead of bank will be marked incorrect even though the response is acceptable.

Rating:
Strengths:: The Accounting Equation is a very well done tutorial. Instructions are very clear or intuitive. The module is both interactive and engaging and all features work as intended. Terms to be used for fill in the blank questions are provided so that users know what to enter when multiple possibilities could exist. For example, bank is used to represent cash in the bank.
Concerns:: The following notations are included to help instructors know how the module functions and are not necessarilly criticisms: 1) misspelled words will be judged as incorrect answers; 2) students are not given the option to try again when incorrect responses are provided; and 3) the tutorial is intended to be completed in sequential order, but the instructions do not stress the importance of this. While the terms to be typed into the sentence completions are displayed, it may not be readily apparent to users that these are the words to use.

Other Issues and Comments:: This module is only one of several accounting modules contained within the Book-Keeping and Accounting Interative Tutor (BAIT) found at the Biz/Ed web site.
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