These resources focus mainly on approaches to teaching, such as active learning, assessment strategies, effective feedback etc.
If you’re looking for specific ideas for the best way, the best order or the best words to use to teach accounting, try Teaching tips where there are lots of practical ideas for your teaching.
If we want students to think and act like auditors, we should assess them in ways that require them to be auditors. One of the perennial challenges in accounting education is bridging the gap between what students learn in lectures and what they are expected to do in professional practice. Auditing, in…Read more
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The use of AI can be seen as a way to save time and become more efficient, but would you rely on it to choose which companies to invest in? Or would you rely on AI to create your tax return? Having been in academia for nearly twenty years, I…Read more
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Nine out of ten teachers believe that students learn better when taught in their preferred learning style yet the literature suggests this “matching hypothesis” has almost no impact on achievement. Nine out of ten teachers can’t be wrong, can they? Learning theorists have research and evidence on their side, but…Read more
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Despite shared goals, professional bodies and universities face persistent challenges. ICAEW is working to address them. In the world of accountancy education, few relationships are as important as the one between Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Bodies (PSRBs) and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). PSRBs such as ICAEW set professional standards, accredit…Read more
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Join us in London on Friday 6 February 2026, for “Accounting Cafe Pop-up 2026”. Everybody is welcome. A gathering with a difference that makes a difference. We are gathering on Friday 6 February 2026 at St Matthew’s Conference Centre. This is a familiar favourite for Accounting Cafe pop-ups, hidden among the towers of political power in the heart…Read more
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Generative AI does not feel the weight of a decision, nor wrestle with the moral ambiguity that defines human experience. A version of this article was first published in Pedleysmiths Blog on 31 August 2025. Back in July 2022, I wrote about the importance of a skill long considered essential…Read more
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This immersive one-day workshop invites university teachers to reimagine accounting as a human-centred, culture-based and life-serving practice. Discover what makes your programmes distinctive. All images copyright Toby York and Atul Shah The opportunity Most accounting departments face familiar constraints: large student cohorts, modular silos, and accreditation requirements that drive curriculums…Read more
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This workshop raised challenging questions about our role as accounting educators—are we ready? In the heart of Canary Wharf, among the towering symbols of financial power, accounting educators gathered to consider how best to attract and develop the next generation of accountants. A broad range of conversations and presentations revealed…Read more
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Stuart Pedley-Smith explores whether authentic assessment delivers everything it promises. A version of this article was first published in Pedleysmiths Blog on 30 June 2025. There is a saying often attributed to Peter Drucker – “what gets measured gets achieved.” I think the quote is “gets done” but that always…Read more
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Explore how strategic EdTech partnerships could assist you in aligning your accounting programmes to the new Subject Benchmark Statement for Accounting. …Read more
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Dr Anwar Halari, Senior Lecturer in Accounting at The Open University. Generative AI and learning: what we might lose “ChatGPT, please summarise this article for me” AI would probably do a great job of this and no doubt it will save the reader some time – but it might miss…Read more
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Stuart Pedley-Smith provides practical techniques for anchoring information and creating advance organisers. He suggests ways to use AI tools to personalise learning experiences using Ausubel’s theory of meaningful learning. A version of this article was first published in Pedleysmiths Blog on 30 April 2025. Have you ever stopped to think…Read more
Read more Stuart Pedley-Smith explores whether Ausubel’s claims about meaningful learning remain relevant today. A version of this article was first published in Pedleysmiths Blog on 30 April 2025. Have you ever stopped to think about what you already know? It’s not something we tend to do every day, but it’s a…Read more
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Accounting Cafe has partnered with Wealthvox to offer free access to “Let’s Talk Finance” – an 8-hour online course built on the delightful Colour Accounting Learning Method. …Read more
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Stuart Pedley-Smith shares insights and thoughts about teaching accounting using AI and how large language models are reshaping the way we teach finance professionals. It includes explanations and demonstrations. Resources OpenAI Academy OpenAI operates ChatGPT. Its academy provides bite-sized tutorials, in-person workshops and (shortly) learning communities built around students and…Read more
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Stuart Pedley-Smith explores whether authentic assessment delivers everything it promises. A version of this article was first published in Pedleysmiths Blog on 31 December 2024. Although you might think I am using this ‘clickbait grabbing’ headline purely to attract new readers to my blog, which, admittedly, would be nice, you…Read more
Read more In December 2024, Accounting Cafe and Accounting Streams co-hosted a special event for accounting educators in London. Register your interest to join us at future events. Are you thinking about joining us next time? Let us keep you up to date . . . Resources Presenter slides Accounting Streams website…Read more
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Dr Shonagh Douglas, lecturer in accounting and finance at the Robert Gordon University, outlines ways in which we can take the first steps in developing examinable AI-related skills in accountancy subjects. Accountancy education is heavily driven by examinations both in the professional and academic context. It might be easy to…Read more
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Hugh Martin, founder of Procountancy, provides a step-by-step guide for guiding students to use AI prompts in accounting education. When you think about accounting courses, what comes to mind? For me, it’s gigantic textbooks, long-running lectures, lengthy examples, and several disparate resources like practice questions and summary notes. Even in…Read more
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Thuy Thanh Tran is an Assistant Professor of Sustainability Accounting at TBS Education, Toulouse, France. She has incorporated sustainability into the accounting curriculum in Europe and South America for many years. Here, she reflects on teaching sustainability accounting through case studies, highlighting the opportunities, challenges, and potential solutions. Sustainability is…Read more
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Stuart Pedley-Smith reflects on 30 years with Kaplan, the professional education company, and asks some fundamental questions, such as what he would share with his younger self. A version of this article was first published in Pedleysmiths Blog on 31 July 2024. I have always thought that wisdom was something…Read more
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The simple answer is to combat, limit or reduce your dependency on AI and use it to supplement your learning A version of this article was first published in Pedleysmiths Blog on 31 May 2024. As we begin to better understand the capabilities of Generative AI and tools such as…Read more
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Sondos Bannouri explains how blending creativity with education has sparked a small revolution in teaching accounting concepts at Tunis Business School. Teaching innovations with creativity At Tunis Business School (TBS), I’ve implemented creative techniques to enhance student learning experiences and encourage active participation. Recognising the impact that visual aids have…Read more
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The ICAEW Southern Intra University Competition, sponsored by Mazars in collaboration with ICAEW, offers students from the University of Southampton, University of Portsmouth, and Bournemouth University an opportunity to challenge their business acumen. Highlighting the path for future accountants, the ICAEW Southern Intra University Competition stands as a beacon of…Read more
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Accounting Streams is a new project seeking help from a broad range of contributors to create a reimagined accounting curriculum. The Accounting Streams project seeks to reimagine accounting education for contemporary society by embracing the purpose of accounting and its economic, social, moral, and technical underpinnings. It embraces questions of…Read more
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A webinar hosted by IFAAC and IAAER on 7 February 2024 launching a literature review, Educating Accountants for a Sustainable Future. It highlights key themes relevant to education, learning and development, and insights into how the profession can meet sustainability reporting demands. Educating accountants to advance sustainability With the increasing demand for…Read more
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Joe Hoyle, Associate Professor and Accounting Teaching Fellow at the University of Richmond, shares wisdom, perspective and advice he’s acquired over half a century in accounting education. Joe Hoyle strongly believes colleges and universities should freely share as much educational material as possible. He says, “The world desperately needs substantially more…Read more
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The old ways of thinking are no longer fit for purpose, and radical changes to financial accounting, reporting, and assurance are coming — sooner than you think. Are you ready? …Read more
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Dr Anwar Halari, Senior Lecturer in Accounting and Dr Daniele Tori, Lecturer in Finance, at The Open University. We explain how we applied the “Black Mirror: Bandersnatch” concept to one of our online accounting modules. An interactive movie that allows you to shape the story with your choices and lets…Read more
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Accounting Cafe members met in person at St Matthew’s Conference Centre in Westminster, London, on Friday, 26 January 2024, for “Pop-up Symposium 2024”. Attending Accounting Cafe’s Pop-up Symposium gave me lots of inspiration. First, because you realize there are many ‘like you’. Second, all the ideas fellow accounting educators are…Read more
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Pam Dodd is a senior lecturer in accounting at Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU). Pam has a vision for an Accounting Clinic in every university in the country. She explains how they benefit the community while providing students with the opportunity to learn accounting by doing it. In 2007, while…Read more
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Bruce Vivian, Head of Accountancy Education at IFAC, shares information on IFAC’s Sustainability Reporting Project and the perspectives of other accounting educators. IFAC is a global organisation seeking to enhance the relevance, reputation, and value of the global accountancy profession. It represents millions of professional accountants worldwide through its members…Read more
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Samantha Bell is a senior lecturer in accounting at the University of Bristol. Sam Bell considers the impact of AI in accounting coursework assessments. She explores how questions and rubrics can be adapted to deter improper use of Large Language Models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT, Google Bard and BingChat. She…Read more
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I recently addressed accounting educators at a conference about using learning science in accounting education. My session was immediately after lunch. Anybody with teaching or training experience knows that these postprandial slots are challenging. You’re up against the biological processes of metabolism — your audience feels sleepy and has trouble…Read more
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Summary: A simple way to embrace dual coding in accounting education is to use a concept map. This “almost certainly” improves learning. Don’t reinvent the wheel: there’s a free one that you can adapt, copy and distribute. Give credit to its creators. This is the BaSIS Board. It combines words…Read more
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This event was organised by Rethinking Accountancy, part of the Rethinking Economics network. This was their first live seminar in February 2023. Professor Joan Ballantine, University of Ulster Joan Ballantine outlined a historical context of accounting degrees, explaining that as their number has expanded, they’ve been shaped by increased competition…Read more
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How role play in accounting education creates an effective and engaging lesson about a topic that can feel very dry. This example uses a case study to explore the processes involved in simple transaction cycles. I introduced this activity in an Accounting Information Systems (AIS) course for first-year undergraduates studying…Read more
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Right after Christmas your body reminds you, uncomfortably, of all the extravagant dinners you’ve had. But have you thought about connecting the body with learning? Susan Hrach [pronounced ‘rock’] does so in her book ‘Minding Bodies’. [Ref. 1] She makes two claims. One, the body needs to be in a…Read more
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Last month saw the IgNobel awards for “achievements that first make people laugh, then make them think”. My personal recent favourite is the 2019 award to economics researchers who tested which country’s paper money is best at transmitting dangerous bacteria. It’s precisely this ‘silly but serious’ theme that struck me…Read more
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This Accounting Cafe online seminar on 25 March 2022 explored the future relationship between universities and the professional accounting bodies. Our guests argued that to protect the future of accounting education, a new social partnership is necessary between universities and the professional accounting bodies. A significant problem is the current…Read more
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Here are fifty minutes of ideas and practical suggestions to help you to deliver innovative accounting teaching, learning and assessment. We follow this with a discussion and experiences from other enthusiastic accounting educators from across the world. On 17 February 2022, Accounting Cafe hosted Susan Smith, an innovative and prize-winning…Read more
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Alice Shepherd is an Associate Professor of Accounting and Finance at Leeds University Business School, Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and an award winning teacher with specialised knowledge of online and distance learning. Embedded case study A single company case study is embedded into the course, so that…Read more
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Accounting Cafe online seminar on 19 November 2021 Liz Marsland is a trailblazer in phenomenon-based learning. She unpacks the methods, the challenges and the benefits to students and teachers in using this multi-disciplinary approach that has wide application across subject areas and throughout educational levels. Elizabeth Marsland CPA SHEA, from…Read more
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Do you think accounting can be fun? Is there a way to make it less boring and more engaging? Do you believe that learning accounting is easy and something everyone can do? …Read more
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Presentation by Toby York TACTYC Virtual Annual Conference on 15 May 2021 1. Background paper My presentation, in three parts, is based on a paper, . Part one: identifies some common problems with current accounting education practices, drawn chiefly from personal and anecdotal experiences. Part two: draws on literature in…Read more
Read more Toby York and Paul Jennings hosted a Zoom seminar on 20 May 2021 This was the third seminar in a series about using concept maps in accounting education. Session 1: Concept mapping in accounting education Session 2: The funding butterfly This approach emphasises the organisational structure of accounting knowledge, which…Read more
Read more Presentation by Toby York at the Games and Simulations in Accounting and Finance Education (‘GSAFE’) conference hosted by Aston University on 20 April 2021 The benefits of concept mapping in accounting education My presentation is based on a draft paper The benefits of concept mapping in accounting education, which is…Read more
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