ACCT5501 Contemporary Issues in Accounting
ACCT5501 Contemporary Issues in Accounting
Task:
Using one of the seminar topics (except the topic you presented) of your choice prepare a reflection piece. As a professional in an accounting firm, explain and discuss why your selected topic is of interest for non-accountants while reflecting on what you have learned about your selected seminar topic.
Questions:
You are required to answer two reflective questions as follows: Q1. How has your understanding of your selected seminar topic changed after covering the contemporary accounting issue in this unit? Q2. How does it apply to non-accountants and why is your selected topic of interest to them?
While answering the reflective question, you might consider the following:
1. What did I learn about the topic during the seminar, presentations, discussion and case study activities? Can it be applied to a broader context? 2. Did I learn anything about myself? Does it affect my understanding of my personal strengths and weaknesses in examining accounting issues? 3. How can I use the knowledge and experience gained in this unit in the future? 4. Did I use the APA 6th edition referencing system for in-text citations and reference lists?
Background:
Reflective writing tasks aim to generate greater self-awareness, thereby allowing students to take the first step towards a positive change. Self-reflection assists students’ in understanding their strengths and weaknesses, underlying values and beliefs, challenge assumptions, acknowledge fears, and identify areas of improvement.
Reflection is a process which, when applied to the act of learning, requires students to think critically about information that they have been presented with, to question its validity and then to derive their own understanding of the concepts and ideas that they have had to master.
According to Ewell (1997, p. 9), without reflection, learning ends “… well short of the reorganization of thinking that ‘deep’ learning requires”. Thus, effective learning requires time for thinking and reflecting upon one’s learning experiences. Apart from the specific content of the learning experience (e.g., concepts and ideas), each student should also reflect on themselves as learners where they evaluate the processes they employed so as to determine which particular learning strategy worked best. The student is then able to apply that information about how they learn effectively when it comes to any future learning experience.
The accounting learning standards for MPA graduates include one on self-management. Employers rank this skill as very important and hence this assessment task is aimed to assist you to develop reflective skills.
Assessment:
Assessment of your reflective writing will be based on how successfully you have demonstrated a capacity to analyse and reflect on the seminar topic and learn from it. Also relevant will be how you relate your learning to your future career. You will also be assessed on your ability to do this succinctly in no more than 2,000 words including APA in-text citations and reference list.
