Balancing academic and professional pedagogies: a comparative study of two accounting departments in South Africa and the UK |
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| Authors: | Nico van der Merwe Stuart McChlery Sarah Susanna Visser |
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| Institution: | 1. School of Accounting Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africanico.vandermerwe@nwu.ac.za;3. School of Accounting Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa;4. Department of Law, Economics, Accounting and Risk, Glasgow School for Business and Society, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, UK |
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| Abstract: | The paper adds to extant professional education literature by reflecting on apparent differences in pedagogy of similar professional programmes of study, allowing deeper insight into the unique strand of higher education influenced by the professions. A comparative international case study approach is adopted of an interpretive qualitative nature regarding curricular, teaching and learning and assessment strategies of an accounting department in South Africa (SA) and one in the UK. Findings point to significant differences in curriculum and assessment but less so in teaching and learning approaches. One department endeavoured to find a balance between vocational and academic activities, whilst the other favoured the former being inconsistent with both its governmental and institutional governing bodies. Explanations offered include differing strengths of coercive, competitive, mimetic and normative influence |
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| Keywords: | learning accounting education comparison assessment curriculum teaching methods higher education framework |
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