Aspects influencing Accounting teachers attitudes towards Computer Aided Learning

Abstract

This dissertation reports on a study that was conducted on six Accounting teachers in South African private schools in Gauteng. The focus of this study was on the motivational aspects that influence Accounting teachers attitudes towards Computer Aided Learning (CAL). These Accounting teachers had access to computers and application software, and had received training to use CAL as a teaching strategy. The Accounting profession now requires electronic Accounting skills, as electronic systems have replaced manual Accounting systems. As a result, secondary, tertiary, and professional Accounting has been greatly affected. In terms of this, Accounting teachers in South Africa appear to predominantly practice traditional teaching strategies. It seems that they tend to overlook the positive impact that CAL can have on learners preparation for the real world of work. This tendency is seemingly perpetuated by the intrinsic and extrinsic aspects motivating Accounting teachers use of computers. Consequently, learners do not have the opportunity to use Accounting software in the classroom because their teachers hesitate to use computers as a teaching strategy. This study engaged a qualitative approach, which allowed me to use questionnaires and structured interviews as data collection strategies to answer the research questions. This multiple case study design was applied to explore the differences within and between the six particular cases that were focused on. The theoretical framework of this study was the Self- Determination Theory. The conceptual framework that was adopted was derived from Ryan and Deci s (2000) Self-Determination Continuum, which focuses on the degree to which behaviour is self-determined by means of a continuum. This study found that even in well-resourced schools Accounting teachers are sceptical of updated ways of teaching, and are thus hesitant to move from clear zones of comfortable expertise and known methods to more digitally supported experimental teaching and learning methods. Congruence as an extrinsic aspect was found to influence Accounting teachers motivation the most as motivation to implement CAL. This study therefore recommends that comprehensive training and support should be provided to teachers to enable them to integrate CAL in their classrooms.