Proceedings of the 8th International Academic Conference on Teaching, Learning and Education
Year: 2024
DOI:
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The Challenges and Ways of Teaching First Year Accounting with A Lecturer Student Ratio of 1:1 300
Hanli Joubert
ABSTRACT:
In South Africa, teaching large classes is a reality that lecturers face in most Higher Institutions. When teaching a large group, literature normally refers to groups of about 50 to 500 students. At the University of the Free State, the first-year accounting group comprises around 1 300 students. Apart from extremely large classes, the problem is exacerbated by the diversity of students’ previous schooling in accounting as well as their socio-economic backgrounds. The university scenario is further complicated by lack of venues, compressed timetables, as well as lack of resources. This study aims to investigate the challenges, alternative ways of teaching and effectiveness of teaching a large and diverse group of first-year accounting students by drawing from personal experience, a literature study, interviews with other lecturers as well as students registered for first year accounting. The results reveal that teaching first-year accounting students in a large group is not the ideal situation, but that it can be effective if it is managed correctly.
keywords: diverse backgrounds; effectiveness; methods, large classes; limited resources