Study of the Development in Professional Accounting Education

M & D FORUM
Study of the Development in Professional Accounting Education
GUO Yong
College of Animal Husbandry Engineering at Zhengzhou, Henan, P.R.China
Abstract: This article discusses problems existing in higher vocational education in the professional
accounting educational system nowadays, claims that in order to have a rapid development in
accounting education, we need to focus on setting more practical curriculums.
Keywords: Professional Accountant, Training Model, Curriculum System
Introduction
The National Long-term Educational Reform and Development Program (2010-2020) which was
published in 2010, advocated that educational reform should emphasize on how to better serve students
and ensure that they will be competitive in the future work force. It also pointed out that schools and
enterprises should cooperate so that more internship opportunities will be offered which is critical to
students’ educational success. This is especially true for higher vocational accounting education.
Accounting education must adapt to the trend of professional accounting development. Professional
accountants must not only have strong professional competence but also possess the necessary learning
and problem solving skills so that they can adapt to the rapidly developing society. This article mainly
discusses how to improve current accounting educational system so that students will be better off. The
problems existing in current accounting education was pointed out and a more reasonable educational
system was given as well.
1 Problems in Higher Vocational Professional Accounting
1.1 The curriculum is not standardized
Nowadays, most accounting courses in vocational schools simply condense 4 years undergraduate
courses into 3 years and the content doesn’t change. This kind of education leads to a phenomenon that
vocational students and undergraduate students appeared homogeneity. As vocational students have less
time to study the same materials, they cannot solve some profound problems effectively. Besides, they
have much less time to improve their practical skills comparing to those 4-year undergraduate students.
Since they have to finish their education in three years, they have little time to take classes like writing,
social etiquette and public relations which are critical for their future success. Furthermore, some
elective accounting classes such as securities investment are rarely set up in most vocational colleges.
So there’s no doubt that vocational students will be less competitive after they graduate, since they have
little chance to expand their knowledge base and improve their overall qualities.
1.2 Accounting education is not practical
Currently most vocational schools still use the traditional “spoon-fed” teaching method. Most
accounting courses emphasize on basic accounting principles but don’t pay much attention on the
description of the real accounting system. Teaching method of accounting usually expresses economic
and business in a literally fashion which is boring and confusing. “T-type account” is commonly used to
explain the accounting principles but it can hardly help students understand the real accounting world.
Thus this method cannot stimulate students’ interest in learning. Most examples we used in class are not
real world cases but just some made-up exercises. Student can hardly improve their piratical skills with
these so called cases. In this educational system, students will only use the textbook as a guideline but
will not be able to deal with the complicated problems that might come across in real world.
219
M & D FORUM
1.3 Practice activities in education is inadequate
Accounting should be a practical course and teaching is just a part of it. Although most schools have
accounting labs which will give student some chances to practice. Several computers with installed
financial software can hardly made them real practical labs. What students need is a real working
environment. Although some colleges are willing to establish training camps with companies, due to the
special nature of financial work, each enterprises has little demand for accounting personnel. And many
schools will not be able to give enough economic compensation to these companies as the lack of funds.
Besides, as the majority of financial information is confidential, most enterprises are unwilling to
cooperate with vocational colleges. As a result these training camps cannot play the role they suppose to
be in vocational accounting education.
1.4 Relatively simple training objectives
With the rapid development of economy, the accounting practitioners need to have higher level skills.
However, in current vocational accounting educational system, bringing up more accounting staffs to
SMEs is the main training target. “How to do it” is the first and most important thing students will learn
in school, but no one pay attention to “why we do it”, which is another important material that is
neglected in our current educational system. The over-reliance on textbooks and the belief that the more
exercises the stronger students’ basic skills will be is a fallacy. And this will not lead to students’ future
success because the situation has changed a lot and such a system will no longer meet nowadays’
accounting personnel requirements. Many students will feel helpless when they face those problems that
required more professional judgments.
2 The Development of Vocational Accounting Education
2.1 The reform of curriculums
According to the requirements of accounting officer including the professional skills, problem solving
skills and the ability of adapting to our society, the vocational accounting curriculums should be
composed of three parts. They are basic accounting quality, professional skills and the capacities
expansion.
(1)
The settlement of basic curriculums
As students’ overall quality will be reflected in their future employment, the first and most important
thing is to improve students’ awareness of ethics. Only when we improve student’s awareness of ethics,
will we be able to have our other programs implemented successfully. In the current accounting teaching
system, ethical education is neglected by most teachers and students. Therefore, it’s vital to help
students and teachers understand the importance of accounting ethics. First of all, we should open some
courses based on the content of accounting qualification certificates examination. On this basis we can
open some other ethical related classes such as career planning financial and economy. Besides, some
accounting ethical based programs can be held as well. In this way, vocational students’ overall qualities
will be improved effectively.
(2)
The Settlement of Professional Curriculums
Professional curriculums should meet the employment requirements and should break the traditional
vocational college education which is simply the condensation of undergraduate education. Instead,
teaching and researching should be combined and accounting professional education should be set at a
higher level. For example, basic accounting teaching method and computerized accounting teaching
method can work together; the teaching of intermediate accounting law and the settlement of CPA
examination is another teaching and practicing example. Furthermore, some duplication part in
traditional education system should be deleted. For example, the “currency value, money and time” part
appeared in both the management accounting and financial management. One of should be deleted.
(3)
The Settlement of Capacity Expansion Curriculums
The “know it” and “do it” are two closely associated processes in vocational accounting education. The
220
M & D FORUM
goal of accounting education is to help student understand how to apply theory into reality. Besides the
basic courses and professional courses, we should also open some capacity development courses which
will help student with their social skills. According to the requirements of accounting personnel, the
capacity development courses should include the following materials which are practical accounting
techniques, marketing, business management, public relations, etiquette and financial writing courses so
that their social adaptability will be improved.
2.2 The reform of practical education
Social practice should be an important part of accounting education. Learning and practicing should be
combined together so that students’ professional skills will be trained effectively.
(1) Giving Practical Accounting Training in an Orderly Way
The accounting educations of many vocational colleges are emphasis on practical education but with a
comparatively simple arrangement. The training is usually a one-time task before students’ graduation.
Nevertheless, before graduation, most students will put their attention to future employment and it’s
hard for them to focus on such a practical training. Therefore practical education should be more
standardized and be arranged in a better way. The combination of theory and reality should be reflected
in this practical training. Experiment, internship training, professional training and how to deal with
accounting problems in real world should be included in this training as well. Experiments should be set
after finishing each chapter. It’ll be a good review of theoretic materials. Internship in class is a
simulation internship which is usually arranged after the end of those professional courses. Professional
position training requires students to use accounting principles learnt in class to deal with
comprehensive financial problems. Real world training is an arrangement which will put students into
real positions of certain enterprises to practice so that they can adapt to different situations that may
occur in a real job. Practical teaching method should include the following three parts:
a.
Cognitive of Basic Accounting Practice
Accounting principle is an introductory course. Since beginning learners just graduate from high school,
they don’t have so much corresponding professional theoretical knowledge of accounting. Thus even
this introductory course will be abstract for them to understand. Practical teaching method will help
them understand accounting in a more direct way. By visiting some enterprises, students will have a
thoroughly impression about what accounting is like in real workforce. At the same time, theory
education and practical experiment should work together which will effectively help student have a
better understanding of accounting principles. This part of training mainly focuses on accounting books
registration, basic accounting statement preparation and how to make accounting documents.
b.
Practice of Professional Accounting
Intermediate financial accounting, financial management and related accounting course are three critical
parts included in professional accounting. Enterprise financial accounting requires students doing
exercise step by step based on the specific accounting concept they have learnt. Student should be able
to complete financial analysis as well. As for financial management course, it requires students focus on
enterprises’ decision making process and financial analysis. Students should be able to deal with
economic transactions, calculate the budget targets and prepare a comprehensive budget with all
relevant information. The professional practical accounting should emphasis on economic business
during each accounting period. After the training, students should be able to analyze accounting data and
make appropriate financial statements.
c.
Integrated Accounting Position Training
The main purpose of position training is to strengthen students’ core professional skills and improve
their abilities to do accounting work in all operations processes. Students not only need to understand
the process of accounting operation but also know how to deal with the relationships between different
departments. Professional ethics are also included in this training. After the training, student will have a
comprehensive skill which is vital for them to adapt to the accounting world. Specifically, integrated
accounting position training will include accounting competent training, cashier training, single system
221
M & D FORUM
members training and bookkeeper training.
(2) Specialization of Practical Accounting
a. Practical Training Camp
Since accounting is confidential, specialized and continuous, it will be difficult for schools to construct
accounting training camp outside school. In order to make sure that students will be well trained, school
and operation should cooperate and establish training camp together. Enterprise with comprehensive
financial systems will be an ideal partner. In this mode, schools offer venues and other related services
while companies will offer original vouchers and other relevant accounting information. With the
corporation of both parties, a good training camp can be constructed. In this way, students will have a
generally impression of accounting by taking part in various activities held in those training camps.
Besides, experienced accountants in the enterprises should work with teachers. Finally, a “double tutor”
system will be established which will offer students better education.
b. Internship
Internship is an important part of the accounting training process. By taking an internship, theoretical
knowledge will be transformed into practical skills. For students from vocational school, internship
plays an especially significant role. It will help students settle in real working environment, form a good
professional working ethics and develop a rigorous working style. Taking an internship in organization
is an essential process of training highly skilled personnel. Teacher should offer appropriate guidance
and encourage students so that they will pay more attention to details of their work. In this way, students
will have a strong practical ability and will be better qualified for their future job.
3 Conclusion
In short, the implementation of teaching model and practical educational system which meet the modern
requirements will be beneficial for the combination of accounting theory and its application in reality.
Students will have a better understanding of the abstract accounting theory by taking this practical
model. Besides, students' comprehensive skills and abilities will be effectively improved. At the same
time, their competitiveness in the talent market will be greatly improved. Overall, this new accounting
educational system reflects the uniqueness of vocational accounting education and provides more
chances for its future development.
Fund:
This article is a research result of The Research of Vocational Education in the Professional Accounting
(number: SKL-2010-1650) which was published by Henan Social Sciences Association in 2010.
References
[1]. Education Department. Long-term Reform and Development Program. (in Chinese)
[2]. Education Department. Several Observations on How to Improve the Overall Teaching Quality of
Higher Vocational Education (in Chinese)
[3]. Wang Xun. Vocation-technical College of Shenyang University: The Study of Higher Vocational
Education in Professional Accounting. The Friends of Accounting, No. 1 2009:59-60 (in Chinese)
222