Integrating a Service-learning Project into Management Accounting Coursework—A Sharing of Implementation Experience and Lessons Learned
Abstract
'Service-learning' is a pedagogical technique that supplements formal classroom education with real life experiences. An educator may integrate work projects from actual business settings into a course to help students learn and practice concepts from assignments and discussions while bridging accounting concepts and real life. The purpose of this paper is to explain the experience of incorporating service-learning projects into management accounting classes and to share insights learned from the implementation processes. Specifically, this paper describes two examples of the type of service-learning projects that can be integrated into a management accounting class; class responses to these projects; feedback from the community agencies involved in the projects; and finally, the possible constraints of such projects - with suggestions for overcoming such constraints.