Overview

Experiential learning is the process of learning by doing. By engaging in hands-on experiences and reflections, you are better able to connect theories and knowledge learned in the classroom to real-world situations. Experiential learning opportunities allow you to explore professional development and prepare for accounting certifications. It can offer you professional practical experiences in the field of accounting. This project requires 30 hours of time working within the experience you select. The primary goal of the experiential learning opportunity is to expose you to actual practices in the world of accounting outside of the classroom.

Note: Topic is Intuits QuickBook's Desktop Certified User Course and Exam

Directions

Part I: Experiential Reflection For the first part of this project, you will complete an experiential learning reflection paper on your experiential learning opportunity using the work plan youve created, information from your weekly journals, and additional content located in the Supporting Materials section below. Youll need to include in this experiential learning reflection the selection of accounting software youve chosen to learn, an overall representation of your work plan to showcase the steps taken to learn the tool, and an explanation of how effective the tool was in making accounting functions easier. You will also incorporate any skills learned through the experiential learning experience and illustrate any charts, graphs, tax forms, or dashboards you may have created. To finalize the first part of this project, you will describe any future opportunities youd like to explore with your chosen technology software and summarize your overall experience in a real-world accounting setting.

Part II: Experiential Learning Opportunity via PowerPoint Presentation and Bongo Recording For the second part of this project, you will create a PowerPoint presentation of your experiential learning opportunity and use Bongo to communicate what youve learned. Based on your experiential learning experience, you will present what youve learned, the value of the skills in the technology software, the type of industry certification related to your technology software, any accounting-related career goals you have, and how this experiential learning experience has prepared you to meet those goals. You are expected to present in a professional manner as if to a live accounting audience. Review the How to Present Like a Professional video found in the Supporting Materials section below for suggestions about how to present the outcome of your experiential learning experience.

Specifically, you must address the following rubric criteria:

Part I: Experiential Reflection

1. Discuss the chosen software technology as it applies to accounting. Include the following:
   1. List technology applications that can be used in accounting.
   2. List reasons for choosing the technology application.
   3. Highlight what you hoped to learn from the technology application.
   4. Explain your understanding of the technology prior to this project.
   5. List accounting questions you hoped to answer using the technology.
2. Reflect on each step taken to execute the work plan used in the experiential learning opportunity. Include the following:
   1. Provide a rationale for the decisions made for each step.
3. Describe challenges experienced throughout the experiential learning opportunity. Include the following:
   1. List what went wrong.
   2. List how challenges were handled.
   3. List what modifications were made to the work plan.
4. Describe accomplishments experienced throughout the experiential learning opportunity. Include the following:
   1. List how these accomplishments impacted the work plan.
5. Describe the process for learning the chosen software technology. Include the following:
   1. Reflect on how you approached learning the technology (training).
   2. Reflect on how resources assisted you in meeting the goals identified in the work plan.
6. Discuss technological skills and functions learned through the experiential learning opportunity as it applies to the field of accounting.
7. Illustrate how the skills and functions learned from the chosen experiential learning opportunity apply to the field of accounting. Include the following, as applicable for your technology. (Note: Not all technologies will have all these items):
   1. Charts
   2. Graphs
   3. Tax forms
   4. Dashboard
   5. 2 to 3 screenshots of work performed
8. Evaluate the usefulness of the chosen software technology as it applies to accounting. Include the following:
   1. List functions that could be used in an accounting environment.
   2. List specific tasks and functions you were able to perform.
   3. Include details on how what youve learned can be of value to an organization.
9. Discuss future opportunities to explore related to what you learned through the experiential learning opportunity as it applies to challenges in the field of accounting.
10. Summarize takeaways for how accounting challenges were approached. Include the following:
    1. Reflect on how you managed your own learning to ensure success.
    2. Reflect on time management skills that helped to execute the work plan.
    3. Reflect on instructor or peer feedback that can impact your progress.

Part II: Experiential Learning Opportunity via PowerPoint Presentation and Bongo Recording Presentation

1. Communicate how critical thinking was applied through this experiential learning opportunity. Include the following, as applicable:
   1. Business problems solved using the chosen software technology
   2. Adaptations of the work plan
      1. Challenges
      2. Accomplishments
      3. Changes to the work plan
      4. Success of changes
   3. Speaker notes
   4. At least 2 slides
2. Communicate the estimated value of the skills you learned in the area of accounting. Include the following:
   1. Value to an organization
   2. Speaker notes
   3. At least 1 slide
3. Evaluate your readiness for an accounting industry certification related to experiential learning through effective communication to an accounting audience. Include the following:
   1. Speaker notes
   2. At least 1 slide
4. Present prospective career goals that could be met with the skill learned through the experiential learning opportunity. Include the following:
   1. Include 2 to 3 visualizations for each goal
   2. Speaker notes
   3. At least 1 slide
5. Communicate how the experiential learning opportunity helped you to meet career goals.
   1. Speaker notes
   2. At least 1 slide