Facilitating student learning in accounting through scaffolded assessment

With the emergence of new sets of technological tools, university students are now offered more authentic learning experiences involving real-world, complex problems and their solutions. This focus on problem-based activities and case studies has produced a learning environment that is inherently multidisciplinary. This paper reports on the development of a scaffolded learning assignment with blended components applied in an accounting subject that was taught in a cross-disciplinary setting. The assignment was developed in a socio-cultural context, based on a Vygotskian approach and this paper details its design and development. The five stages of the assignment were carefully scaffolded and included elements of individual and group tasks, finishing with an individual reflection on the process. Formative assessment and associated feedback are important elements of the scaffolding and thus the paper reports both the design and implementation of the assignment, and provides qualitative feedback from students regarding how completing the assignment enhanced their learning in accounting. The paper concludes with suggestions for further applications for the learning design of the assignment