CQUniversity Unit Profile
ACCT11059 Accounting, Learning and Online Communication
Accounting, Learning and Online Communication
All details in this unit profile for ACCT11059 have been officially approved by CQUniversity and represent a learning partnership between the University and you (our student).
The information will not be changed unless absolutely necessary and any change will be clearly indicated by an approved correction included in the profile.
General Information

Overview

This unit introduces you to the role of accounting in business and to key financial and management accounting concepts. You will be given a different listed company and are introduced to the actual financial statements of your firm, completing simple analyses of your firm's financial statements using Excel. You will also be supported to develop your skills to learn more effectively and to communicate and collaborate online.

Details

Career Level: Undergraduate
Unit Level: Level 1
Credit Points: 6
Student Contribution Band: 10
Fraction of Full-Time Student Load: 0.125

Pre-requisites or Co-requisites

There are no requisites for this unit.

Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).

Offerings For Term 1 - 2017

Brisbane
Bundaberg
Cairns
Distance
Gladstone
Mackay
Melbourne
Perth
Rockhampton
Sydney
Townsville

Attendance Requirements

All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).

Class and Assessment Overview

Recommended Student Time Commitment

Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.

Class Timetable

Bundaberg, Cairns, Emerald, Gladstone, Mackay, Rockhampton, Townsville
Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney

Assessment Overview

1. Written Assessment
Weighting: 25%
2. Online Quiz(zes)
Weighting: 5%
3. Written Assessment
Weighting: 70%

Assessment Grading

This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.

Previous Student Feedback

Feedback, Recommendations and Responses

Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.

Feedback from Feedback from students

Feedback

It would be good to have more support on developing and using blogs effectively to support people in the course to share their work and to interact with each other online.

Recommendation

The use of blogs will be integrated more into each aspect of the assessments. Exemplars of blogs from people previously in the course will also be included on Moodle.

Action

The use of blogs in the unit has been further integrated into the assessments; with improved support on developing and using blogs. Also, exemplars of blogs from people previously in the unit are now included on Moodle.

Feedback from Feedback from students

Feedback

The usefulness of PeerWise to support people to read and understand the concepts each week would be improved if there were less poorly constructed questions.

Recommendation

We will be more strict on deleting poorly constructed questions submitted on PeerWise.

Action

More poorly constructed questions on PeerWise have been deleted by the Unit Coordinator. The overall quality of questions on PeerWise has improved.

Feedback from Feedback from students

Feedback

A few students found it difficult to locate the Echo360 lectures in the early weeks of term.

Recommendation

The location of lectures in the Echo 360 box on the left hand side of Moodle will be highlighted on the Moodle site and in communications to students at the beginning of term.

Action

A link to each week's lecture has been placed in the weekly section in Moodle.

Unit Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
  1. Explain the main types of financial statements
  2. Discuss the usefulness of accounting information to management
  3. Use accounting information to analyse the performance of a business
  4. Use Excel to perform simple manipulation and analysis of accounting-related information
  5. Develop skills to learn more effectively and better communicate and collaborate online.
Alignment of Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Graduate Attributes
N/A Level
Introductory Level
Intermediate Level
Graduate Level
Professional Level
Advanced Level

Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes

Assessment Tasks Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4 5
1 - Written Assessment - 25%
2 - Online Quiz(zes) - 5%
3 - Written Assessment - 70%

Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes

Graduate Attributes Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4 5
1 - Communication
2 - Problem Solving
3 - Critical Thinking
4 - Information Literacy
5 - Team Work
6 - Information Technology Competence
7 - Cross Cultural Competence
8 - Ethical practice
9 - Social Innovation
10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures

Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes

Assessment Tasks Graduate Attributes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
1 - Written Assessment - 25%
2 - Online Quiz(zes) - 5%
3 - Written Assessment - 70%
Textbooks and Resources

Textbooks

There are no required textbooks.

Additional Textbook Information

The key readings for the unit are the Study Guide materials which are provided on Moodle.

IT Resources

You will need access to the following IT resources:
  • CQUniversity Student Email
  • Internet
  • Unit Website (Moodle)
  • Microsoft Office (word processing and spreadsheet)
Referencing Style

All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 6th Edition (APA 6th edition)

For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.

Teaching Contacts
Martin Turner Unit Coordinator
m.turner@cqu.edu.au
Schedule
Week 1 Begin Date: 06 Mar 2017

Module/Topic

Introduction: Learning & Online Communication

Chapter

Introduction, 1

Events and Submissions/Topic

Start PeerWise: register and start writing and answering questions on the Introduction and Chapter 1

Work on ASS#1 Steps 1 & 2

Find out your Company: Friday (10 Mar 17) 5:00 PM AEST

Week 2 Begin Date: 13 Mar 2017

Module/Topic

A Way of Viewing Business/Accounting Rules

Chapter

1,2

Events and Submissions/Topic

PeerWise: write, answer, rate and comment on questions on Chapters 1 and 2

Work on ASS#1 Steps 2 - 5

ASS#1 Step 1 Due Monday (13 Mar 17) 11:00 AM AEST

Week 3 Begin Date: 20 Mar 2017

Module/Topic

Introducing Financial Statements

Chapter

3

Events and Submissions/Topic

PeerWise: write, answer, rate and comment on questions on Chapter 3

Work on ASS#1 Steps 3 - 6

ASS#1 Step 2 Due Monday (20 Mar 17) 11:00 AM AEST

ASS#1 Step 6: Post draft by Friday (24 Mar 17) 5:00 PM AEST

Week 4 Begin Date: 27 Mar 2017

Module/Topic

Introducing Financial Statements

Chapter

3

Events and Submissions/Topic

PeerWise: write, answer, rate and comment on questions on Chapter 3

Work on ASS#1 Steps 3, 4 & 6

ASS#1 Step 6: Make sure you have given feedback to others by Thursday (30 Mar 17) 5:00 PM AEST

Week 5 Begin Date: 03 Apr 2017

Module/Topic

Analysing Financial Statements

Chapter

3,4

Events and Submissions/Topic

PeerWise: write, answer, rate and comment on questions on Chapters 3 and 4

Work on ASS#2 Step 1


ASS#1 Due: Week 5 Monday (3 Apr 2017) 11:00 am AEST
Vacation Week Begin Date: 10 Apr 2017

Module/Topic


Chapter


Events and Submissions/Topic

PeerWise: write, answer, rate and comment on questions on Chapters 3 and 4

Work on ASS#2 Steps 1 & 3

Week 6 Begin Date: 17 Apr 2017

Module/Topic

Analysing Financial Statements

Chapter

4

Events and Submissions/Topic

PeerWise: write, answer, rate and comment on questions on Chapter 4

Work on ASS#2 Step 3

ASS#2 Step 1 Due Monday (17 Apr 17) 11:00 AM AEST

Week 7 Begin Date: 24 Apr 2017

Module/Topic

Analysing Financial Statements

Chapter

4, 5

Events and Submissions/Topic

PeerWise: write, answer, rate and comment on questions on Chapters 4 and 5

Work on ASS#2 Steps 2 & 3

ASS#2 Step 4: Post draft by Friday (28 Apr 17) 5:00 PM AEST

Week 8 Begin Date: 01 May 2017

Module/Topic

Understanding Key Cost Relationships & ASS#2 Discussion

Chapter

6, 4

Events and Submissions/Topic

PeerWise: write, answer, rate and comment on questions on Chapters 4 and 6

ASS#2 Step 4: Make sure you have given feedback to others by Thursday (04 May 17) 5:00 PM AEST

ASS#2 Step 2 Due Monday (01 May 17) 11:00 AM AEST

Week 9 Begin Date: 08 May 2017

Module/Topic

Understanding Key Cost Relationships

Chapter

6

Events and Submissions/Topic

PeerWise: write, answer, rate and comment on questions on Chapter 6

Work on ASS#2 Step 5

ASS#2 Steps 3 & 4 Due Monday (08 May 17) 11:00 AM AEST

Week 10 Begin Date: 15 May 2017

Module/Topic

Budgeting

Chapter

7

Events and Submissions/Topic

PeerWise: write, answer, rate and comment on questions on Chapter 7

ASS#2 Step 5: Due Monday (15 May 17) 11:00AM AEST

Week 11 Begin Date: 22 May 2017

Module/Topic

Short-Term & Capital Expenditure Decisions

Chapter

8

Events and Submissions/Topic

ASS#2 Step 6 Due Monday (22 May 17) 11:00AM AEST

PeerWise: write, answer, rate and comment on questions on Chapter 8

PeerWise Closes Friday (26 May 17) 5.00PM AEST

ASS#2 Step 10: Post draft by Friday (26 May 17) 5:00 PM AEST

Week 12 Begin Date: 29 May 2017

Module/Topic

Ratios Revisited & ASS#2 Discussion

Chapter

4

Events and Submissions/Topic

ASS#2 Step 10: Make sure you have given feedback to others by Thursday(02 June 17) 5:00 PM AEST

Review/Exam Week Begin Date: 05 Jun 2017

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

ASS#2 Due: Review/Exam Week Monday (5 June 2017) 11:00 am AEST
Exam Week Begin Date: 12 Jun 2017

Module/Topic

No Exam in this unit

Chapter


Events and Submissions/Topic


Assessment Tasks

1 Written Assessment

Assessment Title
ASS#1

Task Description

ASS#1 is the first part of your major assignment for this unit.

It is made up of six steps. Step 1 is due at 11.00am Monday Week 2. Step 2 is due 11:00am Monday Week 3.

You will be given your company at the end of Week 1.

This assignment will give you the opportunity to explore what your own company does and what your firm’s financial statements may have to tell you about your firm.

The key things to achieve in your ASS#1 is to find your company’s latest annual report and to have a look at it; to get a feel for what your firm actually does and what you are able to understand about your firm from your first look at its financial statements. You will also input your company’s last four years of financial statements into your spreadsheet.

As well, you will have the opportunity to experience how interacting with others in the unit may be able to help you to better understand your firm.



Assessment Due Date

Week 5 Monday (3 Apr 2017) 11:00 am AEST


Return Date to Students

Monday (17 Apr 2017)

Your ASS#1 will be marked promptly; and within 2 weeks. You will receive a mark, individual feeback, general feedback and exemplars.


Weighting
25%

Assessment Criteria

Mark
Step 1
KCQs 3
Step 2
Introductory words in Description box 1
Photo and description 1
Link to your blog/Set up blog 1
Step 3
Background information on company 2
Comments/KCQs 4
Comments on other’s blogs 2
Step 4
Input company’s financial statements 5
Step 5
KCQs 3
Step 6
Individual feedback with other students 3
TOTAL 25



Referencing Style

Submission
Online

Learning Outcomes Assessed
  • Explain the main types of financial statements
  • Use Excel to perform simple manipulation and analysis of accounting-related information
  • Develop skills to learn more effectively and better communicate and collaborate online.


Graduate Attributes
  • Communication
  • Information Literacy
  • Team Work
  • Information Technology Competence

2 Online Quiz(zes)

Assessment Title
PeerWise

Task Description

We will be using PeerWise as a place for you to create, share and evaluate questions with others in the unit.

PeerWise is designed to be used each week throughout the unit.

Each week, PeerWise will support you to read the Study Guide (that's right each week), write multiple choice questions from your reading (including solutions), answer others questions and rate others questions. You can also comment on people’s questions, and people can then comment on your comments and so on.

You should aim to write at least 2-3 questions each week and answer (and rate) 20 – 30 questions each week.

It is a big advantage in PeerWise to start early in the unit; and to write high quality questions (and solutions).

Typically, on average, people will write about 25-30 questions during the unit and answer/rate about 250-300 questions. Some people will do much more; and others less.

Start by visiting PeerWise here:

http://peerwise.cs.auckland.ac.nz/at/?cqu_au

If you have not used PeerWise before, please click the "Registration" link and follow the prompts.

All you need to do is choose a user name and a password for your PeerWise account.

If you have used PeerWise before, simply log in and then select "Join a course" from the Home menu.

You will need to follow the information provided on Moodle in order to access our unit this term.


Number of Quizzes

1


Frequency of Quizzes


Assessment Due Date

Peerwise closes at 5pm AEST in Week 11. There is no need to submit anything concerning PeerWise in Moodle.


Return Date to Students

Your scores from Peerwise will be transferred to Moodle promptly; and within 2 weeks.


Weighting
5%

Assessment Criteria

As you contribute to PeerWise, you will accumulate a Reputation score calculated in the software which is composed of three parts:

· writing questions (Questioning)

· answering questions (Answering), and

· rating questions you have answered (Rating).

To achieve a high score it is much better to have good scores for each of the three components than a very high score in just one (or two) components. It is particularly important not to have a zero (or near zero) score for any of the three components.

Answering and Rating scores at a similar level and your Questioning score at about one-tenth of your Answering and Rating scores can be a good balance. For example, a score of Questioning: 175; Answering: 1,750; and Rating: 1,750.

You can see your score in the top right-hand corner of PeerWise. We use the Reputation score (not the Answer score).

You will gain a mark out of 5 for your PeerWise contribution. This will be calculated according to the Peerwise grading guidelines available on Moodle.

The Unit Co-ordinator reserves the right to adjust the mark of any student if they engage in inappropriate behaviour on PeerWise. Inappropriate behaviour might include:

· Bullying, harassing or being rude to any other student.

· Contributing questions flagged as being easy, for example as ‘Easy’ or ‘Questions for Dummies’.

· Marking correct answers in bold or with other marks.

· Copying other student’s questions and contributing them onto PeerWise as your own (although it is understood that different students may independently contribute similar or even identical questions at times, and this is perfectly alright).

Please report to the Unit Co-ordinator any inappropriate behaviour on PeerWise.


Referencing Style

Submission
Offline

Submission Instructions
There is no need to submit anything concerning PeerWise in Moodle.

Learning Outcomes Assessed
  • Explain the main types of financial statements
  • Discuss the usefulness of accounting information to management


Graduate Attributes
  • Communication
  • Information Literacy

3 Written Assessment

Assessment Title
ASS#2

Task Description

This assignment is the second stage of your major assignment for this unit. It is made up of ten steps. The first six steps are due progressively between Weeks 6-11.

Step 1: (5 marks)

Step 1 involves you writing down some of your ideas, reflections and reactions to reading Chapter 4 ‘Analysing Financial Statements’ in the Study Guide.

Step 2: (5 marks)

Step 2 involves you writing down some of your ideas, reflections and reactions to reading Chapter 6 ‘Understanding Key Cost Relationships’ in the Study Guide.

Step 3: (18 marks)

Step 3 involves you restating your firm’s financial statements.

Step 4: (3 marks)

Step 4 involves you providing (and receiving) feedback to three other students in our unit on their draft ASS#2 Step 3.

Step 5: (5 marks)

Step 5 involves you writing down some of your ideas, reflections and reactions to reading Chapter 7 ‘Budget for the Short Term’ in the Study Guide.

Step 6: (5 marks)

Step 6 involves you writing down some of your ideas, reflections and reactions to reading Chapter 8 'We Have Got to Make Some Decisions' in the Study Guide.

Step 7: (4 marks)

Step 7 involves you identifying three products or services of your firm and estimating their selling price and variable cost and calculating their contribution margins.

Step 8: (17 marks)

Step 8 involves you calculating some ratios for your firm (and its economic profit) and assessing its business performance.

Step 9: (5 marks)

Step 9 involves you developing a capital investment decision for your firm and completing a simple analysis of this decision using payback period, NPV and IRR.

Step 10: (3 marks)

Step 10 involves you providing (and receiving) feedback to three other students in our unit on their draft ASS#2 Steps 7-10.


Assessment Due Date

Review/Exam Week Monday (5 June 2017) 11:00 am AEST


Return Date to Students

Exam Week Friday (16 June 2017)

Your ASS#2 will be marked promptly - and within 2 weeks. You will receive a mark, individual feedback, general feedback and exemplars.


Weighting
70%

Assessment Criteria

Mark
Step 1
KCQs – Chapter 4 5
Step 2
KCQs – Chapter 6 5
Step 3
Restated Statement of Changes in Equity 2
Restated Balance Sheet 5
Restated Income Statement 8
Commentary and discussion with others 3 18
Step 4
Individual feedback with other students (Steps 3 & 4) 3
Step 5
KCQs – Chapter 7 5
Step 6
KCQs – Chapter 8 5
Step 7
Identify three products or services of your firm 1
Estimate selling price, variable cost & CM 1
Commentary – contribution margins 1
Constraints – identify & commentary 1 4
Step 8
Calculation of ratios 8
Commentary – ratios 4
Calculate economic profit 2
Commentary – drivers of economic profit 3 17
Step 9
Develop capital investment decision for your firm 1
Calculation of payback period, NPV & IRR 3
Recommendation & discussion 1 5
Step 10
Individual feedback with other students (Steps 7 - 10) 3
TOTAL 70


Referencing Style

Submission
Online

Learning Outcomes Assessed
  • Discuss the usefulness of accounting information to management
  • Use accounting information to analyse the performance of a business
  • Use Excel to perform simple manipulation and analysis of accounting-related information
  • Develop skills to learn more effectively and better communicate and collaborate online.


Graduate Attributes
  • Problem Solving
  • Critical Thinking
  • Team Work
  • Information Technology Competence

Academic Integrity Statement

As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.

Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.

When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.

Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.

As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.

What is a breach of academic integrity?

A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.

Why is academic integrity important?

A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.

Where can I get assistance?

For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.

What can you do to act with integrity?