Using unstructured questions to enhance critical thinking in an asynchronous, online, introductory financial accounting course

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dc.contributor.advisorPatterson, Margaret (Peggy)
dc.contributor.authorJensen, Tilly (Machthilda)
dc.date.accessioned2017-12-18T22:35:41Z
dc.date.available2017-12-18T22:35:41Z
dc.date.issued2012
dc.descriptionBibliography: p. 226-244en
dc.descriptionIncludes copy of ethics approvals. Original copies with original Partial Copyright Licence.en
dc.description.abstractStakeholders are concerned that accounting graduates cannot consistently demonstrate critical thinking (CT) skills. Assessments such as unstructured questions have been used successfully in both face-to-face and online senior courses in an effort to enhance CT skill development, but little is known about the impact of such interventions in online junior courses. This study invited students enrolled in an asynchronous, continuous-enrollment, online offering of an introductory accounting course to participate in a control and experimental group. An intervention aimed at enhancing a student's CT skill development was introduced to students in the experimental group. The intervention engaged students in a web-based, active learning method that required them to respond to unstructured questions to which peers provided and assessed reciprocal feedback. Although peer assessments were not included as part of a student's course grade, students received a maximum of 5% based on their rate of participation with the intervention. Two sources of data were collected: 1) survey responses from the experimental group regarding students' experience with the intervention, and 2) differences in the midterm and final exam results between the control and experimental groups. An analysis of the survey data collected from the experimental participants indicated that their perception regarding the impact of the intervention on their learning was generally favourable despite concerns raised about the reciprocal feedback process. However, the validity of the respondents' feedback was put into question because of the significant non-response rate. Based on an analysis of the midterm and final exam grades, the null hypothesis that no statistically significant difference existed between the midterm and final examination results of the control and experimental groups was accepted. This conclusion does not mean, however, that CT cannot be measured, nor does it mean that the intervention did not enhance CT skill development. It is more likely that the results from this study mean that grades were not a sufficient indicator of CT. This interpretation raises the question of what, then, would be an effective measure of CT? The results demonstrate that continued research is required to determine what strategy(s) might be effective in measuring CT.
dc.format.extentx, 244 leaves : ill. ; 30 cm.en
dc.identifier.citationJensen, T. M. (2012). Using unstructured questions to enhance critical thinking in an asynchronous, online, introductory financial accounting course (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/4970en_US
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/4970
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1880/105971
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Calgaryen
dc.publisher.placeCalgaryen
dc.rightsUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.
dc.titleUsing unstructured questions to enhance critical thinking in an asynchronous, online, introductory financial accounting course
dc.typedoctoral thesis
thesis.degree.disciplineEducational Research
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of Calgary
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Education (EdD)
ucalgary.item.requestcopytrue
ucalgary.thesis.accessionTheses Collection 58.002:Box 2110 627942980
ucalgary.thesis.notesUARCen
ucalgary.thesis.uarcreleaseyen
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