An examination of the links between SRS technology and an active learning environment in a managerial accounting course

Abstract

Over the past two decades there has been a concerted effort to move accounting education from a knowledge-oriented system to a process-oriented approach. Active learning is an internationally recognized cornerstone of this strategy. A new technology offers opportunities for professors to promote active learning in their classrooms. That technology frequently called student response systems (SRSs) enable students to answer questions posed by an instructor via a remote control device. This study examines the impact that a new technology, SRS, had on students’ perceptions of key active learning characteristics. The results suggest that students receiving an SRS treatment registered significantly stronger agreement with statements describing an active learning environment than their peers in a control group. The results led to the conclusion that SRSs can be used to facilitate active learning in accounting classrooms. The survey also examined the impact of the SRS treatment on student perceptions regarding classroom efficiency. Students receiving the SRS treatment registered stronger agreement with statements suggesting that the learning environment was efficient. In summary, the survey results suggest that SRS technology is a promising teaching tool that deserves further scrutiny by accounting educators.

Citation

Edmonds, C.T. and Edmonds, T.P. (2010), "An examination of the links between SRS technology and an active learning environment in a managerial accounting course", Catanach, A.H. and Feldmann, D. (Ed.) Advances in Accounting Education (Advances in Accounting Education, Vol. 11), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 81-100. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1085-4622(2010)0000011007