A values based creative learning centred accounting pedagogy
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Date
2020-06
Authors
Murphy, Nora
Journal Title
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Publisher
University College Cork
Published Version
Abstract
This Portfolio of Exploration provides a narrative account of self-study action research – of the practice of lecturing Accounting. The Action Research focused on aligning educational values of dialogue, openness and inclusion to practice, through developing and introducing a creative learning centred accounting pedagogy. The motivations in the research stemmed from a dissonance between identified espoused educational values and those evident from educational practice.
In the literature on the lecturing of Accounting, a gap is identified. While much research offers novel techniques for application in the technique of accounting education, transformational change of the lecturer is generally absent. To address this gap, this research reports on transformation, which occurred first in me, the lecturer, as I internalised and engaged with a creative way of being. A creative way of being is identified as the means to ‘bridge the gap’ between theory and practice by challenging previous assumptions underlying a text book-led approach which, heretofore, focused on measurable outcomes.
The action research approach is complemented with Kegan’s (1982, 1994) theory of Adult Mental Development to deliver on the research goals, reported over three essays. Essay One ‘Reflection’ provides a Professional Development Review to track the development of my meaning making and to unearth the assumptions underlying my accounting lecturing practice. This reflective phase of the research formed the basis for identification of a set of developmental principles to explore in the next phase of the action research.
Essay Two ‘Transition’ engages in planning for action by researching themes of creative dialogue, critical dialogue and andragogy/pedagogy as the selected mechanisms for the expression of educational values in practice. In this phase of the action research I engaged with a range of source thinkers on Higher Education to clarify and challenge assumptions underlying my developmental goals.
Essay Three ‘Observation and Reflection’ analyses the action of implementing a creative way of being through a series of research cycles, which examined a new pedagogy of learning-centred accounting practices. Each action research cycle was evaluated through criteria derived from the four quadrants of psychological self (interpersonal, cognitive, intrapersonal and affective as applied in Kegan, 1999 and outlined in Drago-Severson, 2011; 2016). Collectively the analysis reveals developmental change over four action research cycles.
The Portfolio Conclusion reports on an internal creative change in the lecturer related to thinking (intrapersonal self) and feeling (affective self) about practice. The change required pushing standardised accounting lecturing techniques outside of the realm of the technical range to adaptive transformational changes. It is found that a values-based first-person action research approach has the capacity to entice a wider community of action researchers to engage in reflective questioning resulting in accounting educational reform.
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Controlled
Keywords
Values based , Creative learning centred , Accounting pedagogy
Citation
Murphy, N. H. 2020. A values based creative learning centred accounting pedagogy. DBA Thesis, University College Cork.