ACCT305 - Accounting Information Systems

Year

Credit points

Campus offering

Prerequisites

ACCT100 Introduction to Accounting

Unit rationale, description and aim

Information plays an essential role in today’s business world. Accounting Information Systems have been widely adopted by organisations within both the public and private sectors. Accounting Information Systems also cover both financial and non-financial information for decision making, management control and performance management. This unit aims to provide students with a variety of technology, business analysis concepts to advance all members of the society including the poor and vulnerable. It takes an extensive view of accounting information systems that emphasises the accountants’ roles in the use, management, design, and evaluation of the systems as well as how financial transactions are recorded in accounting software. This unit focuses on business processes, business requirements, how information technology supports those requirements in accounting areas in ethical, practical and global contexts. The aim of this unit is to ensure that students will benefit from knowing about information technology and information systems concepts and be able to utilise these skills in their accounting careers.

Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:

LO1 - demonstrate the purpose of the development of accounting information systems for advancing all members of society including the poor and vulnerable (GA1, GA5)

LO2 - appraise the uses and relevance of accounting information systems critically (GA4, GA5)

LO3 - analyse and evaluate business processes with respect to the accounting data using problem-solving skills (GA5, GA6)

LO4 - connect the form and function of financial statements to financial transactions which are recorded using accounting software (GA5, GA10) 

LO5 - evaluate the impact of the changes in technology and artificial intelligence on the accounting profession and evaluate how artificial intelligence methods can be applied to solve business problems (GA5, GA8)

Graduate attributes

GA1 - demonstrate respect for the dignity of each individual and for human diversity 

GA4 - think critically and reflectively 

GA5 - demonstrate values, knowledge, skills and attitudes appropriate to the discipline and/or profession 

GA6 - solve problems in a variety of settings taking local and international perspectives into account

GA8 - locate, organise, analyse, synthesise and evaluate information

GA10 - utilise information and communication and other relevant technologies effectively.

Content

Topics will include:

• accounting information systems and business process
• spreadsheets as an accounting tool and for the modelling of cash flows
• XBRL
• databases
• artificial intelligence in transforming businesses and the accounting profession
• effect of e-business on accounting
• systems development addressing the challenges of building accounting information systems
• accounting information systems and advancing all members of society, including the poor and vulnerable
• controlling, monitoring, auditing of accounting information systems
• providing solutions and decision making in accounting IS
• privacy, information security and computer fraud.

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

ACU’s teaching policy focuses on learning outcomes for students. Our teaching aims to engage students as active participants in the learning process while acknowledging that all learning must involve a complex interplay of active and receptive processes, constructing meaning for oneself, and learning from others. ACU promotes and facilitates learning that is autonomous and self-motivated, is characterised by the individual taking satisfaction in the mastering of content and skills and is critical, looking beneath the surface level of information for the meaning and significance of what is being studied.

The schedule of the workshop is designed in such a way that students can achieve intended learning outcomes sequentially. Teaching and learning activities will apply the experiential learning model, which encourages students to apply higher-order thinking. The unit ensures that learning activities involve real-world scenarios that in turn assist with ‘real-world’ preparedness. The unit also uses a scaffolding technique that builds a student’s skills and prepares them for the next learning process phase.

This unit is structured with required upfront preparation before workshops, and most students report that they spend an average of one hour preparing before the workshop and one or more hours after the workshop practicing and revising what was covered. The online learning platforms used in this unit provide multiple forms of preparatory and practice opportunities for you to prepare and revise. It is up to individual students to ensure that the out-of-class study is adequate for the optimal learning outcomes and successes.

Mode of delivery: This unit is offered in different modes. These are: “Attendance” mode, “Mixed” mode and “Online” mode. This unit is offered in three modes to cater to the learning needs and preferences of a range of participants and maximise effective participation for isolated and/or marginalised groups.

Attendance Mode

In a weekly attendance mode, students will require face-to-face attendance in specific physical location/s. Students will have face-to-face interactions with lecturer(s) to further their achievement of the learning outcomes. The online learning platforms used in this unit provide multiple forms of preparatory and practice opportunities for you to prepare and revise.

Mixed Mode

In a blended mode, students will require intermittent face-to-face attendance determined by the School. Students will have face-to-face interactions with lecturer(s) to further their achievement of the learning outcomes. This unit is structured with required upfront preparation before workshops. The online learning platforms used in this unit provide multiple forms of preparatory and practice opportunities for you to prepare and revise.

Online Mode

In an Online mode, students are given the opportunity to attend facilitated synchronous online seminar classes with other students and participate in the construction and synthesis of knowledge, while developing their knowledge. Students are required to participate in a series of online interactive workshops which include activities, knowledge checks, discussion and interactive sessions. This approach allows flexibility for students and facilitates learning and participation for students with a preference for virtual learning.

Assessment strategy and rationale

Assessments are used primarily to foster learning. ACU adopts a constructivist approach to learning that seeks alignment between the fundamental purpose of each unit, the learning outcomes, teaching and learning strategy, assessment and the learning environment. In order to pass this unit, students are required to achieve an overall score of at least 50% and attempt all assessment items. Using constructive alignment, the assessment tasks are designed for students to demonstrate their achievement of each learning outcome. 

Overview of assessments

Attendance mode;

Mixed mode

Online mode

Representative texts and references

Parkes A, Considine B, Olesen K & Blount Y 2018, Accounting Information Systems, 5th edn, John Wiley & Sons, Australia, Milton, Qld. ISBN: 978-0-730-36913-4 

Hurt RL 2016, Accounting Information Systems Basic Concepts and Current Issues, 4th edn, McGraw-Hill.

Richardson V, Chang C & Smith R 2021, Accounting Information Systems, 3rd edn, MGraw Hill.

Romney MB., Steinbart, PJ., 2020, Accounting Information Systems, Global Edition, 15th edn, Pearson, USA. ISBN 9781292353364.

Russell, S & Norvig, P 2017, Artificial Intelligence: a modern approach, 3rd edn, Pearson Education