Identifying Communication Barriers to Learning in Large Group Accounting Instruction

Abstract

For this study, descriptive data provided by college students who had completed at least one semester in a large class lecture format were analyzed for differences in student perceptions of several items that may be barriers to communication and learning. An instrument was administered to two groups of college students in accounting at a large southwestern university. Results show that students in both groups perceived the most serious barrier was that too much information is given to students in large lectures. As students gained experience with various class sizes, size became a greater concern. There were no significant differences based on student demographics of major, gender, age, and grade point average. Some possible ways to mediate the most serious barriers are discussed, such as implementing “minute papers” as described by Angelo and Cross (1993) in their handbook for classroom assessment techniques.