Improving student satisfaction and time spent by team learning in accounting education

This paper discusses student satisfaction and course experiences of first year undergraduate students in an introductory financial accounting course where team learning was implemented during tutorials. Course experiences and satisfaction, as perceived by students in the team learning condition were compared to those in a traditional lecture-based control condition. A post-experimental questionnaire, with open and closed-ended questions, was administered. Students reported significantly higher levels of satisfaction in the team learning condition and a more positive course experience compared to students in the lecture-based condition. The increased time-spent on accounting in the team learning condition resulted in increased learning as evidences by higher grades on the final exam in the team learning condition. An analysis of open-ended questions revealed that both learning conditions fit for particular students. High pre-class preparation was considered a strength of the team learning condition, while the comprehensive explanation by the teacher was the most frequently mentioned advantage of the lecture-based condition. This paper further contributes to the practice of accounting education by illustrating a way to implement team learning in a large undergraduate accounting course.