Nor Aziah Abu Kasim

Blended Learning Web Tool Usage among Accounting Students: A Malaysian Perspective

The technological advancement in the blended learning enables the accounting educators to combine the face-to-face learning with the online learning. This research argues that the usage of the blended learning web tools could address the concern of the Halatuju 2 on student-centered learning in the Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA) accredited universities. However, in Malaysia, little is known on how has blended learning web tool been used in the accounting courses. Therefore, this research presented a qualitative study on a blended learning web tool, known as Blendspace, utilised in the Public Sector Accounting course, offered at the MIA accredited university. The first objective of this research was to report how frequent the 124 accounting students used the Blendspace. Secondly, it explained the influencing factors of the Blendspace usage from the experience of five accounting students. Thirdly, it recommended how the usage of Blendspace can be improved. Data were collected through multiple data sources namely from the documents’ review, phone interviews and observation. The findings reported the usage frequency, factors of Blendspace usage (ease of use, usefulness and accounting students’ attitude). In the perspective of theoretical contribution, this research extends the concepts in the student involvement theory using the blended learning. For this case, since the Blendspace was utilised for the first time in the public sector accounting course, the findings from this research would enhance the usability of the Blendspace in the current and other accounting courses.

Distance Mentoring and Usage of Technology: What can be Learned from the Success Story?

Abstract Distance mentoring enabled the accounting graduates who participated in the Chartered Accountants Relevant Experience (CARE) programme to appoint the mentors outside their workplaces. It solved the problem of getting mentors (the Chartered Accountants), particularly in the workplaces with insufficient Chartered Accountants. Participation in CARE was a compulsory practical experience requirement, enforced by the Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA) since year 2009. However, in year 2014, the Committee to Strengthen the Accountancy Profession in Malaysia (CSAP) argued on the ineffectiveness of distance mentoring. In Malaysia, little attention has been given on understanding on the effectiveness of distance mentoring in CARE. In the nurses’ mentoring programme, distance mentoring was effectively implemented. Particularly, it overcame the issue of insufficient mentors in the United States. Therefore, the objective of this paper was to identify the factors influencing the effective distance mentoring in the nursing mentoring programme. It explores how technology has supported connectivity in distance mentoring. In the theoretical perspective, this paper extended the concept of distance mentoring in the lens of mentoring theory. The insights from this paper would assist the accounting graduates, mentors and MIA to enhance the distance mentoring in CARE.