Designing Student Collaboration to Promote Learning and Engagement in an Introductory Accounting Course

ABSTRACT Ensuring that learners have a positive learning experience is crucial in introductory accounting. This study aims to explore the design and development of a collaborative learning approach to promote engagement and learning within introductory accounting modules. We used a design-based research methodology, which is recently emerging within the accounting education field, to design a blended learning intervention in a participatory fashion with 68 first-year accounting students across three design cycles. This paper focuses on how collaborative learning was designed and scaffolded to support engagement and peer learning in the face-to-face and online environments. Findings indicate that students reported greater enjoyment, increased participation, improved peer learning, and more positive perceptions of accounting. These perceptions were accompanied by improved performance in a midterm assessment by the third design cycle. The study offers a practical model and insights for embedding collaborative learning in introductory accounting to support active, student-centered learning.