Enhancing accounting and finance students’ awareness of transferable skills in an integrated blended learning environment

Figures & data

Figure 1. Conceptual model.

Table 1. Number of participants.

	N (total cohort)	Survey 1	Forum 1 (3 focus groups)	Survey 2	Forum 2 (3 focus groups)
Number of students	164	137	46	53	18
Percentage	100%	83%	28.05%	32%	10.98%

Table 2. Definitions of the variables used in the analysis.

Variable Name	Definition
Perception	‘Perception’ represented students’ perceptions of their past experiences, measured using their responses to the first survey.
Confidence	‘Confidence’ represented the students’ confidence in their writing skills.
Performance	‘Performance’ described the overall grade achieved by the students on MyWritingLab.
Course	‘Course’ indicated the programmes to which the students belonged.
Gender	‘Gender’ was a dummy variable identifying alternative gender characteristics.
Job	‘Job’ was a dummy variable highlighting whether a student had previous employment experience.
Blendex	‘Blendex’ was a dummy variable identifying previous experience with blended learning and teaching.
Edu	‘Edu’ was a dummy variable that scored 1 if a student's previous education was in the UK, and 0 if it occurred elsewhere.
Time	‘Time’ captured the amount of time each student spent on the practice.
Assneed	‘Assneed’ included the items to be studied by the students, according to the results of the initial test on MyWritingLab.
Needstudy	‘Needstudy’ revealed the items the students had not covered, even when assigned by the system.

Table 3. Perceptions of blended learning.

Perception of blended learning	SA %	A %	N %	D %	SD %
Using online learning resources helped me to improve my grades	10.13	69.62	16.46	3.80	0.0
Using online learning resources improved my ability to study independently	18.99	60.76	13.92	6.33	0.00
Using online learning resources helped me to enjoy my studies	8.86	45.57	40.51	3.80	1.27
Using online learning resources helped build my confidence in my studies	7.59	55.70	30.38	5.06	1.27

SA: strongly agree; A: agree; N: neutral; D: disagree; SD: strongly disagree.

Table 4. Perception of writing skills.

	VC	C	N	U	NC
My academic writing ability	6.06%	43.43%	37.37%	10.10%	3.03%
Knowing ways to improve my writing skills	2.02%	41.41%	47.47%	7.07%	2.02%

When thinking about the following areas, please indicate whether your level of confidence in them is: very confident (VC), confident (C), neither confident nor unconfident (N), unconfident (U) or not confident at all (NC)

Table 5. Previous experiences by gender.

	Male	Female
Job experience	18%	11%
UK education	46%	31%
Blended learning experience	37%	21%

Table 6. Other data collected by gender.

	Male	Female
Course
1 Accounting oriented	18%	23%
2 IT oriented	27%	12%
3 Finance oriented	13%	7%
Perception of blended learning
High	31%	15%
Low	6%	6%
No	21%	21%
Confidence in their writing skills
High	52%	35%
Medium	3%	5%
Low	3%	2%

Table 7. Regression results for perception of blended learning.

	Coef.	T-Stat
Course	−.411	−.98
Gender	−1.015*	−1.58
Job	1.93***	2.82
Blendexp	1.37***	2.183
Edu	.090	.12
Intercept	.051	.04
Adjusted R-squared	0.8066
F-statistics	101.07
Observation	121

*, ** and *** indicate significance for two-tailed tests at the 0.1, 0.05, and 0.01 significance levels respectively.

Table 8. Regression results for confidence of blended learning.

	Coef.	T-Stat
Course	.142	.79
Gender	−.223	−.81
Edu	.240	.12
Intercept	6.449	13.41
Adjusted R-squared	−0.0073
F-statistics	0.71
Observation	121

*, ** and *** indicate significance for two-tailed tests at the 0.1, 0.05, and 0.01 significance levels respectively.

Table 9. Regression results on performance.

	Coef.	T-Stat
Edu	−.028	−1.21
Blendexp	.073*	1.64
Perception	−.005**	−1.78
Confidence	−.002	−.32
Intercept	.789***	16.06
Adjusted R-squared	0.0075
F-statistics	1.23
Observation	122

*, ** and *** indicate significance for two-tailed tests at the 0.1, 0.05, and 0.01 significance levels respectively.

Table 10. Regression performance, further results.

	Coef.	T-Stat
Time	.732	1.27
Assneed	.036**	1.93
Needstudy	−.032**	−1.94
Intercept	.540***	5.49
Adjusted R-squared	0.0385
F-statistics	2.64
Observation	124

*, ** and *** indicate significance for two-tailed tests at the 0.1, 0.05, and 0.01 significance levels respectively.

Table 11. Students’ awareness of applying a blended learning approach and enhancing writing skills.

Questions on SRL dimensions	SA	A	N	D	SD
Studying with the support of MyWritingLab is useful for my learning experience.	13.21%	52.83%	20.75%	9.43%	3.77%
I am satisfied with the feedback I receive when I use MyWritingLab.	5.66%	30.19%	39.62%	16.98%	7.55%
By using MyWritingLab I come to most classes with higher awareness of my writing skills.	13.21%	33.96%	37.74%	9.43%	5.66%
Using MyWritingLab is the best way to prepare for written assessments.	7.55%	28.30%	41.51%	18.87%	3.77%
I am satisfied with MyWritingLab.	5.66%	60.38%	20.75%	9.43%	3.77%
I would recommend MyWritingLab to others.	5.66%	43.40%	35.85%	11.32%	3.77%
MyWritingLab improved my understanding of how to reflect, and critically analyse information I read and write in a more academic style.	7.55%	58.49%	24.53%	5.66%	3.77%
Using MyWritingLab increases my confidence in participating actively in class discussion.	5.66%	32.08%	33.96%	22.64%	5.66%
MyWritingLab allows for flexible learning through its easy to use platform.	13.21%	58.49%	16.98%	9.43%	1.89%
With the help of the lecturer I understood how to use MyWritingLab effectively.	15.09%	52.83%	30.19%	1.89%	0.00%
MyWritingLab is easily accessed through my mobile phone.	11.32%	18.87%	47.17%	16.98%	5.66%
MyWritingLab is easily accessed through a PC/laptop.	38.46%	48.08%	9.62%	3.85%	0.00%
I generally use MyWritingLab at home.	30.19%	54.72%	11.32%	0.00%	3.77%
I generally use MyWritingLab on campus.	3.77%	33.96%	30.19%	24.53%	7.55%
I generally use MyWritingLab when I am travelling between home/university/work.	5.66%	7.55%	18.87%	35.85%	32.08%

SA: strongly agree; A: agree; N: neutral; D: disagree; SD: strongly disagree.