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Association for Information Systems
AIS Electronic Library (AISeL)
2010 Proceedings SIGED: IAIM Conference

2010

Information Technologies in Accounting

Education
Ravi Seethamraju Dr
The University of Sydney, Australia, Ravi.Seethamraju@sydney.edu.au

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Seethamraju, R. Information Technologies in Accounting Education

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES IN ACCOUNTING EDUCATION

Dr Ravi Seethamraju
School of Business
The University of Sydney
Ravi.Seethamraju@sydney.edu.au

Abstract:
Advances in information technologies have transformed the accounting function in business and the role of
accountants. Recognizing the importance, several employer bodies and professional associations have
called for sound information technology skills to accountants. Whether it is auditing, financial accounting or
management accounting, information technology tools that are relevant, appropriate and at industry standard
level need to be embedded in the accounting context and taught with the help of modern pedagogy. Instead
of adding additional content in separate information systems/technology based units in the already crowded
curriculum, it is necessary to embed relevant IT tools and concepts into the existing accounting units by
ensuring deep learning, contextual understanding and appreciation of the IT/IS issues in accounting context.
At present, it appears the level of deployment of these technologies into accounting units is limited and many
aspects employers expect the accounting graduates to posses are missing. Accounting schools must embed
frameworks such as REA, concepts such as network security, accounting forensics, IT controls, business
intelligence and software/applications such as SAP, MyoB and enterprise performance management, into
their units in order to prepare accounting graduates of the future.

Keywords: Accounting, information technologies, pedagogy, curriculum

I. INTRODUCTION
Rapid advancements in information technologies from 1990s have significantly transformed
business data processing, processes and models and had a significant effect on accounting
professions. Several reports by the Accreditation bodies, employer bodies and researchers have
identified the need for sound information technology skills to Accounting graduates [ALTC, 2009;
Chandra et al, 2006; AACSB, 2010; Hancock et al, 2009; BIHECC, 2007]. Employers want
accountants who have the capability to understand and negotiate their way around contemporary
information systems used for accounting. Though accounting has such a large technological
foundation in the real world, it is doubtful whether university business schools are producing the
‘work ready’ accountants. Moreover, the generation Y students currently studying in the university
business schools, though are technically savvy and competent, the level and intensity of current
and emerging technologies embedded in the teaching and learning strategies as well as in the
subject content in the accounting programs is relatively low.

This paper reports on a work in progress in an Australian university business school that
analyzes the technologies employed in the accounting programs across the country. Based on
the review of literature it presents an discussion of the debate on the need of information
technology skills to accounting graduates. Based on a study conducted across the country, this
paper reports on the extent of the usage of current and emerging information technologies in the
accounting programs and offers recommendations.

II. BACKGROUND
Accounting has a large technological foundation in the real world and accountants work in an
information technology-enabled environment irrespective of the role, nature of organization and
size. In spite of such widely held views that accountants’ need skills in the selection,

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Seethamraju, R. Information Technologies in Accounting Education

implementation, management and use of information technologies at their work place,

universities appear to be approaching the accounting education from a theoretical perspective.
Without embedding current and emerging information technologies in the teaching and learning
of accounting and without incorporating various accounting applications and technologies that are
IT-based in the curriculum, university business schools are not able to produce graduates with
skills that are in demand (ALTC 2009; Kavanagh & Drennan, 2008] and graduates that are ‘work
ready’. Though there is a significant change in the nature of accountants’ work and their role in
organizations [Thomson, 2009; Howieson, 2003], the university accounting education has not
been following suit [Kavanagh & Drennan 2008; Albrecht & Sack 2000].

Whether universities are preparing ‘work ready’ professionals is a contentious issue in every
profession. In accounting also, this debate has been there since the introduction of entry
requirement in 1965 by the Australian accounting profession [Linn, 1996]. Employers have been
complaining that the universities are producing graduates with ‘theoretical’ knowledge rather than
‘practical’ skills that will help them perform their tasks on the job effectively. This observation is
not limited just to accounting, but to many other professions such as engineering and nursing
[Mulgan, 1986]. Limited resources and inadequate interaction between academics and
practitioners are cited as the main reasons why the current university accounting education is not
able to meet future needs of students and employers [Wu and Chen, 2004].

Recent observations by the Business Industry and Higher Education Collaboration Council
(BIHECC) confirm those employers’ concerns and point out the inadequate development of these
skills to graduates [BIHECC, 2010]. While this debate is not new, it is a complex issue. This is
influenced by several factors including the expectation of students, diverse characteristics and
requirement of employers, objectives of the university degrees, available resources at the
universities, demands by the professional bodies, competencies of the academic staff and their
teaching and learning strategies.

The International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), a major professional accounting body, has
been stressing the importance of information technology skills to accountants since 1995 and
released guidelines to university business schools. The recent release of these guidelines specify
the knowledge of transaction processing systems, data organization and access methods, IT
architecture, IT security management, IT strategy, IT internal control, IT systems acquisition,
development and implementation, and management IT [IFAC, 2007] for professional
accountants. Similarly, the International Accounting Education Standards Board (IESB)
emphasizes the acquisition of competence – “the ability to perform a work role to a defined
standard with reference to working environments” which includes the IT-enabled work
environment (IESM 2009). According to IESB (2009), a professional accountant must possess
the necessary professional knowledge and skills in addition to values, ethics and attitudes and IT
skills are an important component of this skills portfolio.

The Education Committee of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) has considered
IT as an integral component of the University Accounting curriculum. They identified IT
knowledge and competencies as one of the three knowledge and skills areas that a professional
accounting education should contain [IFAC, 2003]. The IFAC recommends inclusion of IT control
knowledge, IT user competencies, IT control competencies and knowledge of evaluating an
information system. Accounts are required to demonstrate their understanding of the impacts of
IT on business processes and models, IT risks, IT enabled internal controls and ability to use
various contemporary accounting information systems and technologies [IFAC, 2003].

In its submission to Bradley’s review of higher education, the Joint Accounting Bodies (JAB) that
include CPA Australia, National Institute of Accountants and the Institute of Chartered
Accountants in Australia, have stressed the importance of imparting work ready skills to students
[JAB, 2008]. They have recommended “curriculum renewal to better reflect the contemporary
demands of business in a rapidly changing globally competitive world,” [JAB, 2008]. Rather than
expanding the number and content of the technical accounting subjects, the JAB has

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Seethamraju, R. Information Technologies in Accounting Education

recommended embedding the required skills for improved ‘employability’ of the graduates into
intentional curriculum design of constructed learning experiences.

Even though development of capabilities as against the ‘competencies’ is considered the main
role of university accounting education [Mulgan, 1986], competencies are also considered
important given the employers requirement of effective ‘employability’ of ‘work ready graduates.
For example, Wornoff (2009), in an analysis of the legal profession which is similar to accounting
profession as it is also service-based, argues that both universities and practitioners have
complementary roles to play in the development of professional practitioners. With regard to
teaching practical skills, Wornoff (2009) argues that the universities have a comparative
advantage for both the teaching of tasks and context within courses taking a perspective wider
than the immediate commercial concerns of a particular professional firm.

Several reports by the Accreditation bodies and employer bodies have identified the need for
sound information technology skills to Accounting graduates [ALTC, 2009]. Employers want
accountants who have the capability to understand and negotiate their way around contemporary
information systems used for accounting. Widespread diffusion of information technologies into
the workplace means that students who have high level up to date IT skills will be likely to
integrate more rapidly into an organization and become productive sooner rather than those who
do not [Heales, 2005].

Rapid IT advancements from 1990s have significantly transformed business data processing,
processes and models and had a significant effect on accounting profession. Rapid growth,
range and the dynamic nature of the current and emerging technologies used within accounting
practices [Gellinas and Gogan, 2006], poses a challenge to identify a specific list of IT skills that
are relevant and useful to accountants [Greenstein & McKee, 2003]. A study of accountants in
Australia by Rai et al (2010) identified spreadsheets, accounting applications and security
management as the most important IT skills required for practicing accountants. Similarly in a
study in Malaysia by Ismail and Abidin (2009), auditors have ranked accounting applications as
the most important category of IT skills required. Rai et al (2010) identified the reported lack of
skills among accountants in Australia in IT security management and accounting applications
despite them rated as the top five important skills. In a recent survey of accountants and auditors,
the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) have identified IT security,
reporting from business intelligence software solutions, leveraging efficiencies from accounting
software, IT risks and IT-enabled internal controls among the top priority initiatives for their
organizations [AICPA, 2010].

Several studies conducted since 2001 have suggested the need to better incorporate IT skills into
accounting curriculum [Rai et al, 2010]. As pointed out by Wessels (2005), several core subjects
in the accounting curriculum such as financial accounting, management accounting and auditing
are taught without any reference to the role of IT and IT-enabled automation of accounting
processes, transactions, controls and reports. A study by Chandra et al (2006) identified a
growing gap between the information technology skills demanded of accountants and those
supplied by the universities in USA.

Though, accounting has such a large technological foundation in the real world, universities,
primarily approach them from a theoretical perspective without embedding modern information
systems and technologies in the teaching and learning and therefore are not producing graduates
with the skills that are in demand [ALTC, 2009; Kavanagh & Drennan, 2008]. Therefore, more
integrated approach to the education and development of professional accountants that involves
complementary roles played by the universities, employers and professional accounting bodies
such as CPA, as suggested by Velayutham and Perera (2009 is required. In spite of some
developments in the accounting curricula in recent years with greater usage of software tools
such as Excel, MYOB and Quick books, graduates perceive that there are significant gaps in the
skills to prepare them for their work as professional accountants [De Lange et al, 2006]. A study
by Chandra et al (2006) identified a growing gap between the information technology skills

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Seethamraju, R. Information Technologies in Accounting Education

demanded of accountants and those supplied by the universities in USA. When the skills
demanded by employers do not align with those acquired by students in university business
schools, graduates believe they are full prepared by the universities. This inadequate preparation
for ‘work readiness’ imposes an unnecessary cost of retraining on the industry in basic
accounting practices and processes that demand integration with IT skills.

This issue has become particularly significant and timely in the context of recent moves by the
Australian Federal Government to introduce “codified course attributes and graduate outcomes
across all areas of post-school study” as a part of its Australian Qualifications framework (AQF).
With the accounting discipline being the first to be considered for the development of minimum
academic standards under AQF [Matchett 2010, p.30] in business degrees, there is an
opportunity to explore some of these issues. As information technologies increasingly become
embedded in most of the accounting and other non-accounting transactions in business, it is
essential for students to acquire these skills in universities. Improved understanding of the
information technologies and their potential impact on business processes and models, may also
help accountants in resolving the IT paradox that shows a lack of correlation between productivity
and investment in technology [Thorp, 1999].

The Association to Advance Collegiate School of Business International (AACSB 2010) wants
business students’ learning experiences to include the use of appropriate instructional
technologies and technology tools. The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
(AICPA) suggests “individuals entering the accounting profession must acquire the necessary
skills to use technology tools effectively and efficiently,” (AICPA, 2006: pp.3). In fact, these skills
are considered essential in order to develop and apply other functional competencies. Similarly
the Bedford Committee of the American Accounting Association (AAA), in a report to the
university faculty, suggested accounting academics to acquire necessary skills to carry out
computer-assisted teaching and learning. Training accounting graduates who are fit to work in an
information technology-enabled environment is more challenging for academia than ever before.

The following section will discuss the information technologies currently deployed and taught in
various accounting programs.

III. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES IN ACCOUNTING PROGRAMS

Some technology tools

Today computer competency is a very important part of an accountant's technical ability. All
companies use some form of a computerized accounting system, such as QuickBooks,
Peachtree, or MYOB or SAP and several management accounting tools enabled by information
technologies. In fact, there is no single organization whether it is a small or medium or large
enterprise that does not use some accounting software to manage its accounting transactions
and reports. These systems use a variety of computer functions to properly record financial
information and create financial statements and reports. Thus, accounting application software
solutions are pervasive in industry and employers expect accounting graduates to have good
mastery of accounting software [Hancock et al 2009].

MyOB, Quickbooks, NetSuite, AccountEdge and Sage Peachtree are some of the most popular
computerized accounting systems used by small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) all over
the world. These software packages help SMEs to manage inventory, customers, vendors,
employees, payroll, general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, time billing, costing,
banking, fixed assets, financial statements and reports. Some universities use one of these
software tools to teach accounting concepts at the foundation level to business students.

Spreadsheet have an important role in businesses even when an organization has the latest and
most comphrensive accounting software solutions for managing accounting processes. Many

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Seethamraju, R. Information Technologies in Accounting Education

times account reconciliations or other reports are created using spreadsheets from financial
information and many reports produced by the accounting applications are imported into the
excel spreadsheet and manipulated for further use. In fact, spread sheeting is considered one of
the key IT skills essential for management accountants who provide management decision
support [Beaman and Richardson, 2007]. Though many university accounting programs
incorporate excel spreadsheets as tools in teaching management accounting units, employers
still expressed disappointment in the excel competence of graduates in Australia [Hancock et al,
2009; Chandra et al, 2006].

A significant proportion of large enterprises use integrated enterprise-wide information systems

such as SAP, Oracle that provide support for accounting as well as other business functions. In
addition, many companies use various advanced management accounting tools such as activity
based costing, balanced score card and strategic enterprise management. These tools are
information-technology enabled now and are typically embedded in various advanced IT
solutions such as SAP. One of the important technical skills employers want accountants to
posses is the mastery of accounting software [Hancock et al, 2009]. ERP (enterprise resource
planning) systems are the most popular tools used in teaching accounting courses in USA.
Considering the maturity of the ERP software in the market, and the support offered by large ERP
vendors such as SAP, Oracle and Microsoft to universities, there is a good deployment of these
tools in accounting courses in USA.
Further Microsoft access, data mining, data warehousing, XBRL (Extensible Business Reporting
Language) are other technologies available. Even though these technologies are viewed as the
most important and relevant to industry, they are not embedded in a large number of university
business schools accounting programs [Hancock et al, 2009]. Though REA (resources, events
and activities), a modeling logic is taught in many university business schools in USA, other
contemporary technologies such as XBRL, ERP, business intelligence, IT security and IT-
enabled forensics are not taught in university accounting programs. For example, a study
conducted in US identified excel, REA and Great Plains Dynamics (an ERP system for small and
medium sized enterprise) are the most popular applications embedded in accounting units
[Chandra et al, 2006].

REA is another data modeling framework that is important for many accountants at their
workplace. REA (resources, events and agents), is a method of modeling data and business
processes from an accounting perspective. It is used as a framework for building and
understanding accounting information systems in a shared data environment both within the
enterprise and between the enterprises in supply chain context. Widely used in USA accounting
programs, this modeling framework integrates the teaching of accounting transaction structures,
commitments, business policy specifications, process improvement and value chain construction
[McCarthy, 2003]. With many accountants typically involved in modeling and process
improvement projects in organizations, REA and process modeling skills are important skills
accountants would like to have these days. While IT concepts such as data mining, data
warehouses, and ERP systems are more amenable to integration in management accounting
units, activity based accounting, lean accounting, and six sigma quality management concepts
can leverage these IT-based concepts to enrich management accounting curricula (Chandra et al
2006).
Context of analysis
The aim of this analysis is to understand the nature and type of the technology tools incorporated
in various accounting programs in Australia. The objective of this study is to establish the need
for the deployment of appropriate, relevant and current information technologies/tools into the
accounting program and understand how they could contribute to improved learning outcomes.
The second objective is to recommend suitable tools from the range of options available
depending upon the local circumstances and constraints, and develop a comprehensive plan for
gradual introduction into the accounting program in a business school. In addition, the objective is
to equip students with appropriate, relevant and latest skill sets required for making a productive

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Seethamraju, R. Information Technologies in Accounting Education

contribution in the workplace and improve the competitive advantage of our graduates in
Accounting. The outcomes of this initiative will also contribute to the educational mission of the
faculty and university to build and sustain the leading learning community in business in its
region. In particular, this initiative will help achieve the “mastery of information technology,” as
mentioned in the mission statement, in addition to the development of generic skills, cross-
disciplinary studies and promotion of international understanding” (USYD 2010).
As the only Australian institution with AACSB (Advanced accreditation in both business and
accounting programs, the findings of this study will also help the institution to maintain and
exceed AACSB requirements. AACSB accreditation standards require the inclusion of learning
experiences in the design and application of technology to financial and non-financial information
management, business processes and their analysis, recording, analyzing and interpretation of
historical and prospective information (AACSB 2009) in accounting programs. For both the
business programs as well as for the accounting programs, the AASCB standards require the
schools to make their graduates competent in the uses of technology and information systems,
both in the content as well as in the pedagogy. AACSB requires the schools to demonstrate the
inclusion of information systems/technologies in the curriculum and the particular pedagogies
used in teaching and learning (AACSB 2010) and demonstrate the relevancy and currency of
their programs.

Information technologies in accounting programs:

Information technology tools and systems are used as a teaching aid in many accounting
courses. In the first phase, information about the units in accounting programs is collected from
the university web sites and handbooks. Further, several academic staff members from
universities across the country are contacted for further information and details about the unit.
Some have agreed to send detailed outlines while others have declined to share that detailed
information.
Based on the information collected so far from 9 universities, a summary of the technology
components employed in the units are presented below. It gives a brief summary of the range
and type of technologies employed in Accounting units at the undergraduate and post graduate
levels in Australian universities. The term ‘high’ means the institution is using this technology
intensively in the unit and has an important assessment component with at least 20% of the
weightage. I am dead tired to do anything

Table 1: Summary of the technologies employed in accounting units

Technologies PG UG Nature of units where technologies are employed

Spreadsheet 60% 80% Mostly in Mgt accounting units
Access 20% 40% Business/Accounting info systems units
Quick books 0 20% Introductory accounting unit
MyOB 40% 60% Introductory financial accounting units
Other accounting software 0 10% Same as above
SAP 5% 40% Introductory financial accounting and
accounting info systems units
ARIS 10% 10% Accounting info systems units
SAS business intelligence 10% 10% Advanced accounting info systems units
ACL Audit software 10% 10% Auditing unit
Other auditing software 10% 10% Auditing unit
Blogs, Wikies, Web 2.0 10% 10% Foundation course on business
technologies
MyAccountingLab 10% 20% Accounting units

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Seethamraju, R. Information Technologies in Accounting Education

Table 2: Course wise details

Accounting units Most
popular
Comments
software
used
Introductory first Quickbooks, Introductory accounting unit; typically software is
year accounting MyOB, SAP used to demonstrate accounting transactions,
unit processes and reporting at different levels.
Financial Excel, MyOB Financial accounting and company accounting units
accounting - first and SAP with focus on financial statements,
year unit
Management Excel, and Most of the first cost accounting/management
accounting SAP accounting units use Excel; One university uses SAP
Controlling module to teach them concepts of
costing, . While the first unit in management
accounting focused on tools, the second unit focused
on the strategic issues
Accounting//busine SAP, Access, When accounting/business information system is a
ss information MyOB & compulsory core unit in the accounting program,
systems other process universities used SAP. With focus on processes,
modeling transactions and modeling
tools
Auditing ACL audit Most of the universities do not use any technology
software and tools here, except one leading university that uses
proprietary forensics and auditing software tools and
another university that uses ACL audit software
Advanced/strategi Excel, SAP Excel and SAP are the key tools used by universities
c Management for advanced management accounting units.
accounting
Specialised SAS, data These tools are used by two universities where they
elective units in mining, offer specialized elective units on business
BIS business intelligence and forensics.
intelligence
tools

Discussion
Excel is the most popular software employed in accounting units. Many introductory units in
management accounting typically employ excel. Even though the level of excel expertise
imparted is limited, with hardly any university teaching students advanced features such as
macros, and other aspects.

Unlike in USA, deployment of ERP software solutions in Australian business schools is generally
limited. Many of the partners in the SAP university alliance program are from the
department/discipline of information systems and outside the business faculty. Except two
universities, all other 8 universities in Australia and New Zealand do not seem to have accounting
units with SAP as a part of the program. The emphasis, its intensity of usage in business or
accounting courses is limited and varies from university to university. While some schools use
this only in one post graduate unit, other schools deployed this software in undergraduate units.

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Seethamraju, R. Information Technologies in Accounting Education

While one school used SAP only in postgraduate accounting units, another school used SAP in
accounting foundations course. Another two universities incorporated SAP in their core
business/accounting information systems unit, which is a compulsory unit in the accounting
program.

In general, it appears undergraduates courses covered more IT topics and tools than PG courses
in Australia similar to USA. With many post graduate courses such as Master of Professional
Accounting, and Master of Business (accounting) similar to the undergraduate courses, the IT
topics covered are not significantly different. Similar to USA, undergraduate courses appear to
have covered more IT topics probably because of the relative emphasis of hands-on experience
at the undergraduate level.

In spite of the current awareness of the importance of IT, and recognition that it will become more
important in future, most undergraduate accounting degrees require only one unit in a 3 year 24
unit course. Both CPA and ICAA have similar accreditation requirements. Different university
business schools adopt different models while covering IT related concepts and skills in their
accounting curriculum. Some university schools require accounting students to complete
separate unit titled ‘accounting or business information systems’. The aim is to teach basic
information systems concepts including the concepts of data modeling, processes, business
transactions, information technology concepts, information systems development, selection and
implementation, and some decision support concepts. This is taught with the hope that students
will integrate the knowledge from both information systems/technologies and accounting
perspectives. As it has become increasingly difficult to incorporate one or two separate units that
deal with all the IT related topics and tools, in the already crowded curriculum.

Beyond the basic or compulsory units, there is limited opportunity for students to take elective
units that go beyond the basic accounting information systems units in many traditional
accounting courses. Consequently students are often unable to visualize the links between the
two disciplines unless there is a concerted effort by the academics in explaining those links and
demonstrating the integration and significance.

Moreover, the requisite skills in business intelligence, decision support, network security, IT-
enabled internal controls and accounting forensics are not covered anywhere in the program
leaving a gap in the ‘preparedness’ of the graduates. In an already crowded curriculum where the
subject content is ever expanding, it is increasingly difficult to make students take separate IT/IS
units and acquire these vital skills. While some students may learn these IT skills in the
workplace on their own, or with the help of some professional training offered by the employers, a
majority of graduates struggle at the workplace.

As an alternative, it is suggested to incorporate the concepts, tools and skills into several units
depending upon the relevance and content rather than offering a separate unit on information
technologies/systems. By embedding information technologies and systems into the regular
accounting units whether they are in financial accounting, management accounting and/or
auditing, it is possible to meet the requirements of the professional organizations as well as
improving the ‘employability and ‘work-readiness’ of the graduates. IT-enabled tools and software
solutions are available for adoption and integration into the regular accounting teaching whether
they are for accounting forensics, computerized auditing tools, or management accounting tools,
or IT-enabled balanced scored cards or strategic enterprise management software solutions or
business intelligence tools. Conceptual issues should be appropriately related to practical
applications in an intellectually challenging manner, without undue emphasis on formal technical
procedures. On a pedagogical level, embedding IT related issues into the core accounting
technical topics, will ensure the contextual understanding and deep learning.

In addition to embedding these IT tools into accounting program, technologies could also be
deployed in the pedagogy of teaching. The current crop of generation Y students generally are
more technology-savvy, and, the way they use books, multimedia and online solutions are

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Seethamraju, R. Information Technologies in Accounting Education

significantly different from previous generations. Many Y generation students whether they study
accounting or engineering, typically use media assets such as e-lectures, i-Pod content for
understanding the subject content. These millennium students must be prepared not only with the
accounting knowledge and skills, but also with the abilities to adopt, evolve and continue learning
in pace with the world. A paradigm shift in teaching and learning strategies that incorporate
blended learning and student-centered learning is necessary.

Products such as MyAccounting lab by the Pearson Education group, are some of the new tools
that have learning-centered approach at the heart and are increasingly deployed by university
accounting schools. MyAccountingLab is a web-based tutorial, and assessment software for
accounting that not only facilitates effective learning to students, but also gives flexibility to
lecturers making technology an integral part of their unit or a supplementary resource. With
features such as powerful homework and test manager, item analysis for tests and quizzes,
enhanced security for tests and homework and grade book tracking [Speckler, 2010]. In the
context of increased reliance on casual tutors and teaching assistants, limited homework options,
inadequate feedback on assessments, lack of standardization of content and outcomes, varying
expectations of students, academics are increasingly seeking technology solutions to teach large
classes in accounting programs. Technology tools such as MyAccountingLab will teach students
not only the accounting content, but also how to learn. It makes them ‘work ready’ with the
necessary problem solving and communication skills [Speckler, 2010].

Other tools such as Web 2.0, online discussion forums, Wikies, Blogs, social networking sites
such as twitter are also used for enhancing the learning. It is believed that they can learn better
when these blended learning enabled by technologies is introduced in the curriculum.
Accordingly several business schools have incorporated various information technology tools.

V. CONCLUSIONS
Information technology competencies are one of the key technical skills accounting graduates are
required to possess. In order meet the AACSB and IFAC requirements and help students
become ‘work ready’, university business schools are required to incorporate these information
technology software tools into the accounting units. With the accounting curriculum already
crowded with the ever expanding subject knowledge, it is not possible to impart these skills
through additional units. Moreover, learning about information systems and technologies in
isolation without accounting context is difficult and not observed to be effective. Whether it is
auditing, financial accounting, cost accounting, balanced score card, activity based accounting or
sustainability accounting, information technology tools that are relevant, appropriate and at
industry standard level need to be embedded in the accounting context and taught with the help
of modern pedagogy. At present, it appears the level of deployment of these technologies into
accounting units is limited. Accounting schools must embed frameworks such as REA, concepts
such as network security, accounting forensics, IT controls, and software/applications such as
SAP, MyoB, business intelligence and strategic enterprise management, into their units in order
to prepare accounting graduates of the future.

REFERENCES
AICPA (2006) “AICPA Core competency framework for entry into the accounting profession,”
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), Retrieved from
http://www.aicpa.org/edu/corecomp.htm on 10 July 2010.
AICPA (2010) “2010 AICPA Top Technology Initiatives Survey Results,” AICPA, downloaded
from
http://www.aicpa.org/InterestAreas/InformationTechnology/Resources/TopTechnologyInit
iatives/ Pages/2010AICPATopTechnologyInitiativesSurveyResults.aspx on 20 August
2010.

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Seethamraju, R. Information Technologies in Accounting Education

AACSB (2009) Eligibility Procedures and Accreditation Standards for Accounting Accreditation,”
Tampa, FL: AACSB International: The Association to Advance Collegiate School of
Business.
AACSB (2010) Eligibility procedures and accreditation standards for business accreditation,
Tampa, FL: AACSB International: The Association to Advance Collegiate School of
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